How To Know When To Start Seeds Indoors - Vegetable or Flower Seeds! (2024)

If there is one thing that many gardeners struggle with in late winter, it is knowing when to pick the best time to start their vegetable or flower seeds indoors.

Picking the right time can certainly be a challenge. Especially when you consider the consequences of starting seeds indoors too early or too late. Start them too early, and you end up trying to maintain monstrous plants that are hard to control. But start them too late and you end up with plants that are lucky to ever grow and produce.

Of the two issues, starting seeds too late can create the more serious of issues. Plants that are small and weak have a hard time adjusting to life outdoors. Not only are they more susceptible to damage from wind, storms and quick temperature changes, they are also easy prey for insects and disease.

How To Know When To Start Seeds Indoors - Vegetable or Flower Seeds! (1)

In addition, with their less than mature roots, they have difficulty establishing into the large space of a garden or raised bed. Because of that, they can quickly dry out and wilt when conditions are dry or windy. They can also just as easily succumb to rot if the soil becomes saturated from heavy spring rains.

The Pitfalls Of Starting Seeds Too Early…

Unfortunately, starting seeds too early indoors has a few pitfalls as well. With too much time to grow, seedlings often outgrow their container before it’s time for outdoor planting. That can result in having to re-transplant them a second time. Not only is it time consuming, it can stunt early growth.

Last but not least, overly large transplants can struggle to take hold in the soil. Overgrown plants often go through a long shock period before they start to grow again after transplanting. They are also often too top heavy with foliage and struggle to stay upright and strong without support.

So how can you plant at just the right time to avoid these issues? The good news is that figuring out the best time is actually quite easy – and that is exactly what today’s article is all about!

How To Know When To Start Your Vegetable Seeds Indoors

Knowing when to start your vegetable and flower seeds inside begins with knowing when your specific crops will need to be planted outdoors. From there, it’s all about learning to count backwards!

How To Know When To Start Seeds Indoors - Vegetable or Flower Seeds! (2)

The first key date to be aware of is your specific area’s average last frost date. A frost date is the average date of the last light frost / freeze that normally occurs in your area each spring. It’s important to realize this is not an exact science nor does it mean a frost or even a freeze can’t occur after this date.

But what knowing this date does do is give you a target date for planting outdoors. Once you know your average last frost date, you can then know that by adding two to three weeks to the date, you can be relatively safe to plant outdoors. Again, not a guarantee – but it gives you the best possible date to time up indoor seed planting.

Frost dates are published by a variety of on-line resources and are quite easy to find. In addition, most seed companies have them posted on-line as well. Local extension offices are also a great resource for specific frost dates as well. See: Farmer’s Almanac Average Frost Date Search

Counting Backwards From Planting Date – When To Start Vegetable Seeds Indoors

Once you know your last frost date, by adding a few weeks to it, you can come up with your potential “safe” planting date. As an example, if your area’s last frost date is May 3rd, you would add two to three weeks to come up with a potential planting day of May 17th to May 24th.

How To Know When To Start Seeds Indoors - Vegetable or Flower Seeds! (3)

Once you have that potential planting day time-frame, the next step is to find out how long it takes the specific plants you will be growing to germinate and grow to transplantable size.

That information can be found right on the back of nearly all seed packets. And if you don’t happen to have the original seed packet, you can also head to most seed company’s websites to find the information as well.

In general, most plant varieties require an average of six to eight weeks to germinate and grow to transplantable size. Some will take longer, and others a bit shorter. For instance, hot peppers can take 2 full weeks just to germinate. For peppers, you may need to start them 8 to 10 weeks before planting day.

Meanwhile, cucumbers and zucchini germinate and grow quickly, and may only need 4 to 5 weeks. Whatever the specific variety recommendation, once you know the length of growing time needed, you can simply count backwards from your planting date to plant your seeds accordingly.

The Count Back Method Example – When To Start Vegetable Seeds Indoors

To walk you through the count back method, we will use one of the more common vegetables that gardeners start from seed indoors – tomatoes. For this example, we will set June 1st as the target planting date.

How To Know When To Start Seeds Indoors - Vegetable or Flower Seeds! (4)

Tomatoes on average require 6 weeks of growth. Tomatoes usually germinate about seven days (on average) after planting. Using the count back method, we will start by counting back 6 weeks. In addition, we will add one extra week to allow time for the seed to germinate as well.

That means you will need to count back 7 weeks from June 1st to find your seed planting date. For this example, that means you should start your seeds indoors on April 13th. This will give plenty of time to have strong, outdoor-ready plants that are just the right size.

Just Keep Counting Backwards!

You can use this count back process for nearly every annual vegetable and flower plant you start from seed! It’s a simple but effective method for always having your plants ready to go come planting time. It also allows plenty of time to get plants hardened off before planting day. See : Why You Need To Harden Off Seedlings – And How To Do It!

It’s important to note that growing times and rates can be effected by additional factors. Using good seed starting soil, giving your plants adequate lighting and warmth, and watering them properly as they grow can all impact the size and health of transplants.

One thing you want to do early is order those seeds! That will ensure you have the seeds you need on hand and ready to go come planting time. Affiliate Seed Link : Eden Brothers Seed Co.

Here is to starting your seedlings at the perfect time this year, and to your best garden season ever!

This Is My Garden is a garden website created by gardeners, for gardeners. We publish two articles every week, 52 weeks a year. Sign up today to follow via email, or follow along on Facebook here : This Is My Garden. This article may contain affiliate links.

Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts

Introduction

As an expert in gardening and seed starting, I can provide you with valuable information on when to start your vegetable or flower seeds indoors. I have extensive knowledge and experience in this area, and I can guide you through the process to ensure successful seed starting.

Understanding the Consequences of Starting Seeds Too Early or Too Late

Starting seeds indoors at the right time is crucial to avoid potential issues. If you start them too early, you may end up with oversized plants that are difficult to manage. These plants can be more susceptible to damage from wind, storms, temperature changes, insects, and diseases. Additionally, their immature roots may struggle to establish in the garden or raised bed, leading to wilting or rotting in unfavorable conditions.

On the other hand, starting seeds too late can result in weak and underdeveloped plants. These plants may have a hard time adjusting to outdoor conditions and may not reach their full growth potential. They can also struggle to take hold in the soil and may require additional support to stay upright and strong.

Determining the Best Time to Start Seeds Indoors

To determine the best time to start your vegetable or flower seeds indoors, you need to consider two key factors: your area's average last frost date and the germination and growth time required for your specific plants.

  1. Average Last Frost Date: The average last frost date is the date when the last light frost or freeze typically occurs in your area each spring. It serves as a target date for planting outdoors. By adding two to three weeks to the average last frost date, you can estimate a relatively safe planting date. Keep in mind that this is not a guarantee, but it provides the best possible timing for indoor seed starting. You can find frost dates through online resources, seed companies' websites, or local extension offices.

  2. Germination and Growth Time: The back of seed packets usually provides information on the germination and growth time required for specific plants. Most plant varieties require an average of six to eight weeks to germinate and grow to a transplantable size. However, some plants may have longer or shorter growth periods. For example, hot peppers may take up to two weeks to germinate, while cucumbers and zucchini may only need four to five weeks. Counting backwards from your estimated planting date, you can determine the appropriate time to start your seeds indoors.

Example: Counting Backwards for Tomato Seeds

Let's use tomatoes as an example to illustrate the count back method. Suppose your target planting date is June 1st.

  1. Growth Time: Tomatoes typically require six weeks of growth. They usually germinate about seven days after planting. To account for germination, add one extra week to the growth time. Therefore, you need to count back seven weeks from June 1st to find your seed planting date.

  2. Calculation: Counting back seven weeks from June 1st, you should start your tomato seeds indoors on April 13th. This will allow enough time for the plants to grow strong and be ready for outdoor planting.

Conclusion

By considering your area's average last frost date and the germination and growth time required for your specific plants, you can determine the best time to start your vegetable or flower seeds indoors. Starting seeds at the right time will help you avoid common issues associated with starting seeds too early or too late. Remember to consult seed packets or online resources for specific germination and growth information for different plant varieties. Happy seed starting and may your garden flourish!

How To Know When To Start Seeds Indoors - Vegetable or Flower Seeds! (2024)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Barbera Armstrong

Last Updated:

Views: 5743

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (59 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Barbera Armstrong

Birthday: 1992-09-12

Address: Suite 993 99852 Daugherty Causeway, Ritchiehaven, VT 49630

Phone: +5026838435397

Job: National Engineer

Hobby: Listening to music, Board games, Photography, Ice skating, LARPing, Kite flying, Rugby

Introduction: My name is Barbera Armstrong, I am a lovely, delightful, cooperative, funny, enchanting, vivacious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.