The Trial and Error of Starting Seedlings

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Lessons of a failed gardener

What we are going to cover

• Times for Sowing
• Winter – Really!
• Early Spring
• Summer
• Late crops
• Types of Sowing
• Cold Sowing, Cold Stratification, Cold Wet Stratification
• Pre-Frost indoor Sowing
• In the Ground Sowing
• Types of Plants and how to Sow
• Early Veggies (Cold Hardy), Summer Veggies, Late Summer/Fall Veggies
• Flowers – Annuals and Perennials
• Places to Sow - Windows, grow tents, cold frames
• Pick your space and your method

Some Common Themes

• Plant all seeds to specified depth or they won’t germinate
• If they say “Need sunlight” scatter on top and barely rake them in with your fingers
• You HAVE to water them – don’t forget
• Ask someone when you are on Vacation
• When it’s cold you don’t have to water as much as they are slow to grow
• When it is hot – water a lot. IF they are burning up – consider some type of sun shade
• PGH soil is CLAY – you have to amend it. . . Every year. . . Period

Lesson #1 of Failed Gardener��Soil Quality determines quality of harvest�

# 1 Rookie Mistake we all do

OVERPLANTING

• Actually cuts down on your harvest – can’t mature
• Harder to harvest
• Prone to mold/disease
• Easier to spread pests
• Harder to keep watered
• When tomatoes come in – Oh boy!

When to Sow

Winter Sow

• Indoors to be ready for spring
• Outdoors for certain flowers and veggies
• Flowers/Veggies that need Stratification
• Alliums – Onions, leeks EARLY
• Bracciforms or Cruciferous Veggies

Early Spring

• Frost Hardy plants
• Peas
• Broccoli & Cauliflower so they don’t bolt
• Carrots
• Spinach/Lettuces

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What you want to plant and when you want to harvest tells you when to Sow.

You need to break out the types of plants based on cold hardiness and time to maturity. Some plants NEED to go through a frost to fully mature

Summer

Late Summer

• Normal Veggies
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Cucumbers
• Potatoes
• Beans
• zucchini

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• Mid August
• Carrots
• Brussel Sprouts
• Second season Broccoli
• Second sowing of Beans

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Winter Sowing Indoors

Winter Sowing Indoors

• Starting certain seedlings indoors helps you get a longer producing plant
• The key is to look at your last expected frost date (April 30^th for PGH in 2025) and back into the date according to the plant seed packet
• E.g: Pepper plants are notorious for FINALLY producing at the end of August/early September just in time to get a few peppers before the frost in late October. Peppers take a long time to grow as seedlings if you don’t keep them toasty warm 80-85 degrees. So south facing window and/or Heating pad from Amazon is necessary
• Peppers need 8-10 weeks to have a second set of dark green leaves before you plant
• If last frost is April 30^th you need to count back 10 weeks just to be safe putting you at starting seeds the week of February 20^th to February 27^th

Grow Light Tips�

• Red/Blue for starting seedlings�
• Then full spectrum for growth�
• Need to keep them 1-2 inches above the seedlings as they grow or they will get spindly�

What to Sow Indoors

Winter Sowing Outdoors

Flowers and Plants that require Cold Sowing

Perennials

• Latris
• Butterfly Weed
• Cone Flower
• Black-eyed Susans
• Poppies
• Perennial Snapdragons
• Foxgloves/Delphineums/Larkspur
• Pansies
• Marigolds – kinda I have found
• Cosmos

Vegetables that like Cold

• Kale, arugula, spinach, Lettuce
• Carrots
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Bok choy
• Cauliflower
• Many Herbs need Cold Stratification: �Cilantro, Oregano, Dill, catnip, Anise Hyssop, Chamomile

Lesson #2 of Failed Gardener��You can put the seeds in ziplocks/dirt in the fridge for 2-3 weeks to simulate cold stratification before planting seed

COLD-WET Stratification��Columbine

Paw-Paw

Milk Weed

These vegetables like colder weather

• Get a jump start by planting before consistent germination temp and they will pop up as soon as they can

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• Many of the 40 degree plants are frost hardy

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• Can start any cold stratified vegetable this way by just planting them in the ground as seeds�

Cold Frames

Get a jump start and protect from the Frost

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Can start direct sowing Mid- March

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Will need to water your bed regularly

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Can start any cold stratified vegetable this way�

Can simply Bend PVC pipe over your bed and cover with Plastic and bricks to hold it down

Early Spring Planting

Summer Sowing

• You can direct sow many seeds by early May to get a full harvest
• Some plants you will want to start 6-8 weeks in advance indoors and move them out after the last frost
• Do not start Broccoli/cauliflower/Brussel sprouts in the summer – the heat causes them to bolt (flower) before you even get the head on them
• If you start Lettuce be prepared to shade it in July or just eat it and start a second crop like beans

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Lesson #3 of Failed Gardener�You can plant 2 seasons of some veggies�

• Green Beans
• Lettuce/spinach
• Carrots

Late Summer - Fall Harvest

Lesson #4 of Failed Gardener�Saying “Hello” to Late Summer Harvest means Saying “Good-Bye” to some of your tomatoes and other vegetables as they compete for space

Hardening your Seedlings

• Absolutely Necessary to slowly expose your seedlings to wind/sun
• If you don’t you’ll fry your seedlings as soon as they get into the sun
• Takes about a week to acclimate them
• Start bringing your seeds out as soon as it is above 50 degrees where they get no more than an hour of indirect or early morning sun
• You can increase the amount of outdoor sunlight ever other day until they are pretty much outside most of the day.

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Last Thoughts and Questions

• You are beginning a journey – FAIL means “First Attempt In Learning” Go and FAIL
• We’ve all been here – asked others around you. We are a supportive community
• SHARE seeds – Just ASK. I, along with most other gardeners have almost every vegetable you might need and I don’t need 60 seeds – I only need 3 tomatoes, 4 peppers, 3 eggplants
• Questions?

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Appendix

Eash $39 on Amazon

$25 on Amazon

Needs lights

$119 on Amazon