Seed starting despite the outdoor weather

It’s a new year which leads into new garden ideas. Visions of growing, blooming plants come to mind while a coat of snow coats the backyard as I look out my kitchen window.

Garden seed catalogs have started arriving and flipping through to favorite categories I can’t help but notice the price of seeds has not come down. Will that stop us? Probably not.

It means reading more and being a bit more careful when placing those tiny seeds we plant.

The first step to planting seeds comes before we purchase them. Read, read, read. Track down how long it takes them until bloom time, what the seeds need to germinate which includes heat and light.

Consideration should also be given to the starting medium used to start seeds.

It sounds like a lot but being prepared will result in a higher percentage of success.

One of the most disappointing parts of seed starting is damping off. Using the right supplies and knowing your conditions can prevent damping off. It may mean starting a fan set on a low setting near the emerging plants.

Damping off is when the ever so hardy looking seedlings suddenly droop and die. Using clean growing containers and a quality seed starting medium often helps with the prevention of damping off. Keeping track of how moist the planting medium is and air circulation also helps.

The depth of planting seeds is essential for good germination. A warm environment helps too and, if possible, a heating mat is a great asset to germination.

The more fun part of seed starting is selecting the variety of plants you want. I have never tried starting perennials, instead concentrating on a few annuals. There is information on starting perennials and I have been tempted, but it takes longer and there are times I, too, like a break from taking care of seedlings and plants.

The seeds you select to start indoors can be important. Bargains are great and the displays with the less expensive packs of seeds are hard to resist. I do pick them up but use them for planting outdoors when temperatures have warmed. Quality seeds that list information including germination rates and planting information seem to work the best for me for indoor seed starting. They often make a difference in the end product, whether it’s a blooming plant or a vegetable plant.

With cold temperatures outside making my garage a bit cool for seed starting, I have a few weeks to continue researching planting seeds.

I usually start the seeds inside the house where the temperature for the seeds can be regulated, along with the light that is required for seedlings once they emerge.

For now my windows and any extra space is bulging with not only amaryllis bulbs waiting to bloom, but also plants held over from last year.

It won’t be long and the geraniums held over will need to move to warmer brighter conditions if they are to leaf out and bloom early.

It’s a good thing the Christmas tree is down and I just might have to move a few other household items away from windows to make room for the seedlings and held-over plants. My house may just become a green oasis in the coming weeks.

Until then, seed catalogs can be found close to my reading chair as the many varieties are looked over.

Seed selecting, preparing pots and finding the right starting medium are good things to consider in January. In fact, for some seed starters, the clock is ticking away in the new year for starting seeds.

As we look out our kitchen windows into a winter wonderland, inside we can be nurturing new seeds and little plants as we wait for spring 2024 and what it holds for us in the green and growing world.

Happy seed starting and happy new year from this Cuming County gardener.