Master Gardener: Time to start growing your seeds for early vegetable crops

Too early, you think? Well, if you plan on growing cabbage for example, you can plant cabbage plants outdoors between Feb. 15 and March 10, and if your seeds need five to six weeks of growth before they are ready to plant outside, then now is the time. This would also be true for broccoli and cauliflower.

Even if you are not planning on growing any of these cool-season vegetables, you’ll want to start those seeds for your warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers from mid-February to the first of March, so it’s time to get busy.

If you have never started your own vegetable seeds before, just give it a shot. There’s a lot of fancy seed starting equipment out there, but in reality, all you need is a container, seed-starting soil, seeds and some good light.

I have been starting my own vegetable seeds for years, and even some of my flower seeds, so I have accumulated a variety of supplies. Personally, I like the peat pots that let you plant them directly into the soil. These pots are supposed to decompose in your garden, but it seems like I have mixed results with that.

This year for our Seed to Supper Farm, we purchased seed trays that each contain 40 spots for seedlings. These are not peat pots, just plain plastic trays with compartments for 40 plants. As I type this, we are starting our cabbage seeds for planting somewhere around the first of March, depending on the weather. Last fall we attempted to direct-seed our cabbage because we let time get away from us, and we didn’t have good luck with germination. So, the moral of the story is to plan ahead for greater success.

If you don’t have seed trays, you can always use empty butter tubs, yogurt containers or cottage cheese containers. Even those red plastic cups work well. Just remember to poke holes in the bottom for drainage.

As far as the seed-starting soil goes, the general rule as it is with most things is to buy the best you can afford. Good soil, with sufficient nutrients is a great way to start your plants off on the right foot. With cheaper seed-starting soil, you will probably need to add fertilizer once your seeds have germinated so it all kind of evens out.

Some of the seed-starting soils are very thin and light, so for best results when using those soils, you need to get the soil damp before planting your seeds. If you wait to water until after you have placed the seeds, this light soil tends to repel the water and your seeds can float out. So, dampen the soil first to prevent this from happening.

Another helpful addition to your seed starting equipment would be a seed-starting heating mat. Most seeds like to germinate somewhere around 70 degrees, and these mats help speed up the germination process. Can you start your seeds without one of these? Yes, but you will get faster germination with a heating mat. Be sure to remove the mat once germination has happened, so you won’t burn your little plants.

Seed-starting trays can come with clear plastic covers that help retain moisture for your little ones. However, once your little seedlings reach about 2 inches in height or so, you will need to remove the covers to give them room to grow. Also, extended periods of time under those humid covers can contribute to fungal growth, so use the cover when it helps and then remove it.

Now, let’s talk about light. Maybe you have a perfect window or place indoors to start your seeds, but I am guessing most of us don’t have such a spot, so we’re going to need to supplement the light on our seedlings with a grow light. Grow lights come in all shapes and sizes, so shop around for one that meets your needs and budget.

With grow lights, you’ll want to keep the lights as close as you can to your plants to promote good growth. As the plants grow you can raise the light source accordingly. You will also need to rotate your little plants so that they each get a good amount of sun. If you’ve started seeds in a seed tray before, you have probably noticed that the plants in the center of the tray that are closest to the light source seem to grow better. Rotating your plants under the light will enable them to share the love, so to speak.

As your little seedlings are growing, if they are long and lanky, they need more light. Seedlings need 16 to 18 hours of sunlight a day, which exceeds the amount of sunlight we are getting, so you can see how a grow light can help.

Let’s say you babied your plants and it’s now planting time. Don’t neglect to harden off your plants before putting them in the ground. Hardening off is the process of introducing your new transplants to the outdoors gradually. You can start the hardening-off process by placing your transplants outside in a semi-shaded area for a couple of hours and then increase both the time and sun exposure over a week and a half or so. You’ll notice your plants seemingly changing over night as they get ready for their new homes.

If all this sounds a little overwhelming, we have our first vegetable gardening class of the season coming up on Feb. 10. In this class, you’ll learn about soil nutrition management, types of gardens, planning your garden, seed starting, crop rotation and protecting your plants from insects and disease though environmentally friendly practices. You can find information on these Urban Gardener/Seed to Supper classes at tulsamastergardeners.org. See you in the garden!

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th St. or emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org.

The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today.