Seed Starting Basics
Tomato, Pepper, Tomatillo, & Eggplant
Sowing: Start indoors, using a heat mat recommended. Sow seeds in early spring, 1/4 in. deep in well-drained soil in shallow flats. Keep soil 75-85 F for good germination. Careful: Overwatering can cause seeds to rot. When your first true leaf appears we recommend running a small fan on low over plants to begin strengthening. Moving starts outside: gradually expose any seedlings you start to the sun & outdoors. Increase exposure for several days. Start with 1-2hrs, then increase time to a full day over 1 wk. Protect young plants from harsh winds/heavy rain.
Pro Tip: Pinching off 1st blooms of plants will result in stronger plants, producing more fruit!
Squash
Sowing: These can be started indoors, but we prefer outdoors. When danger of frost has passed, create mounds of soil- in each, plant 3-5 seeds 1in deep. Space mounds 4ft apart after all danger of frost has passed. Squash can also be started indoors 3-4 wks before the last frost. Moving starts outside: gradually expose any seedlings you start to the sun & outdoors. Increase exposure for a period of several days. Start with 1-2 hrs, then increase time to a full day over a week. Protect young plants from harsh winds/heavy rain.
Lettuce & Salad
Sowing: When frost has passed, direct seed lettuce into rows or a round container to grow a living "salad bowl", space seeds 2in apart & rows 1ft apart. Cover seeds with a thin layer of soil.
Pro tip: As a rule lettuce does not like heat, in for lettuce looks like it is beginning to grow flowers it’s a good sign your season in over. Lettuce can be harvested all at once by the head, or leaf by leaf- taking only what you need for a longer lasting harvest
Corn
Sowing: Sow outdoors 2 wks after last frost... as soon as possible. Ground can be warmed by a black plastic cover seeds can be planted through holes in the plastic for extra warmth. A couple weeks after planting your first round of corn, plant another crop to extend the harvest.
Pro tip: Small plots of corn grows best in blocks instead of rows to encourage pollination.
Cucumber
Sowing: Using cell trays & a heat mat if available, sow indoors in mid-spring. Plant seeds a .5in deep, transplant outdoors in early summer 1ft apart. Cucumbers are 90% water, & love moist soil!
Pro Tip: Growing cucumbers up a trellis or fence can be a great way to keep bugs & other pests away from your fruit, & bring vines up to the level where you'll see them before they can over ripen or become tough.
Garlic
Sowing: Plant cloves in fall or spring in a moderately dry place & forget. Harvest garlic scapes (flower buds) before blooming to encourage larger cloves.
Pro Tip: Garlic can be planted with roses as a companion plant to discourage bugs.
Beets
Sowing: We recommend sowing beets outdoors 2-3 wks before the last frost in spring & succession plant new seeds every 3 wks until June. Beets can again be planted in late summer or early. Harvest after 45 to 65 days.
Pro Tip: Beets are excellent for eating raw or cooked, both greens & roots can be enjoyed. Our Food bank always especially looks forward to beet donations!
Kale
Sowing: Direct sow or transplant as soon as soil is 45°. Seeding depth: ¼”. When starting indoors, transplant at 12-18” space plants 1.5-2ft apart (less for baby kale or micro greens).
Carrots
Sowing: We like planting our carrots in mounded rows. Sow directly outdoors in late spring, carrots do not transplant well. Space seed shallowly ¼-½” apart.
Pro Tip: for best results keep soil very moist during germination & laying damp newspaper over rows until sprouts emerge. For even better carrots, cover their "shoulders" emerging from the soil with a thin layer of fresh dirt if showing above ground.
Melon
Sowing: Start indoors in early spring, plant 1 seed per cell in trays, heat mat recommended. Move outside in early summer. Melons like heat & water, for best results grow on black plastic to increase soil heat. When fruit forms wait until the vine connecting the fruit to the plant begins to turn brown (this is great way to ensure you have not harvested too early)
Pro Tip: Try growing your melon "from the bag" Gardeners with poor conditions often have a tough time getting melons to fruit. Purchase a 10-pound bag of organic compost & lay on the ground in full sun. Slice a square off the top of the bag, leaving a flat, mini container that will hold moisture great & get roots toasty hot! In the bag sow 3-4 melon seeds-watering regularly. Prepare for the best melons of your life!
Basil
Sowing: Sow basil seeds indoors 3 wks before the last frost, use a cell tray with a few seeds per cell. Basil is a warm weather plant. Keep the soil moist. Pinch out the center of mature basil plants where flowers form every few weeks to encourage new leaf growth, don't be afraid to prune heavily.
Pro Tip: Basil plants need to be “hardened off” before moving outside (this is why those living basil plants from the produce section die so fast). Accustom plants to weather by moving them to a protected place outside for a week during the day before planting outdoors.
3 Sisters
Sowing: Sow in late spring. In large mounds outdoors plant 3-5 corn seeds 4 in apart. When corn is 4in tall, plant 1 bean at the base of each corn plant. As beans emerge train them up corn. 2-3 wks after planting beans, sow 4-6 squash seeds around the sloping top sides of the mound. Train squash plants to shade the mound.
Pro Tip: For an extra boost consider fertilizing the traditional way. Bury food waste such as fish heads in the base of your mound before sowing seeds.
Leeks, Onions
Sowing: In winter start indoors in a large tray. Broadcast seed evenly throughout tray, cover lightly with soil, & keep moist. When sprouts begin to look like lush grass, separate each plant & transplant outdoors. transplant 6in apart in rows. Transplants will first look distressed after planting but quickly recover after 24-48 hrs. Onions & leeks are generally cold hardy but appreciate some hardening off.
Pro Tip: Before transplanting onions when seedlings are 3-4 inches long trim the (edible) tops of plants to encourage growth.