How to Know When to Start Vegetable Seeds Indoors
Starting vegetable seeds indoors gives you a bit of a head start on the growing season. In addition, you can plant crops that will yield at different times of the year – the seeds you start indoors will yield sooner, and then the seeds you plant in the garden will yield later, extending your harvest.
The timing of seed planting is pretty precise – one week can make a big difference. While a great deal depends on your region, there are some general tips that can help. Here are some tips and suggestions on how to know when to start vegetable seeds indoors.
1. Your Local Extension Service – Get to Know Them!
Your local extension service has a wealth of information for gardeners. Contact them and ask for a planting calendar for the year. It can make all the difference. One of the most important pieces of information provided by your extension service is the average frost-free date. It varies from region to region, and seeds depend on this date.
2. Counting Back
Once you know your frost-free date, look at various seeds and how many weeks it takes them to sprout and be ready for transplanting to the garden. That helps determine when you sow your seeds indoors. For example, if a cucumber seed takes 3 weeks from the time it is planted until the time it is transplanted to the garden, you count back 3 weeks from your frost-free date and that is the date you sow your cucumber seeds.
3. Various Vegetables and Their Transplant Times
Here is a list of a few commonly grown vegetables and the number of weeks it takes for them to be ready to transplant:
Broccoli