Sowing Spring Seeds

Each year around January 1st, I plant tomato, pepper, and eggplant seeds.  They won't see outdoors for several months, but that's okay.  I'll baby them and by the time the last frost is done, they'll be in the ground.  We're hoping for a better tomato crop this year.  We experienced crop failure last year.  Hope springs eternal in gardening and we are gearing up.

This year we planted the following varieties: Roma, Creole, Black Krim, Big Rainbow, Cherokee Purple, Mortgage Lifter, Pink Brandywine, and Black Vernissage.  All but the Big Rainbow seeds came from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - high quality open pollinated heirloom seeds that have great germination rates.

I get my seed pots ready by filling with seed starting mix.  It is a light mix that doesn't pack and is perfect for getting seeds growing.  Since I'll be bringing the seed pots inside, I line trays with newspaper to soak up any water that drips out.  I don't want that getting on the floors and making a big mess.

One very important thing is to label each seed pot with the name of the variety and the date that the seeds were planted.  I generally put 3 or 4 seeds in each pot.  If you have them labeled, you will be able to document any seeds that may have bad germination.  I plant quite a few varieties, so it is important to track which varieties do well versus those that don't.

Cherokee Purple has always been a solid producer for me.  Well, except for last year.  Nothing produced well last year.  This year will be different.

It's not only tomatoes that I plant from seed at this time.  I planted all of my peppers and eggplant seeds, too.

The early freeze in November knocked a number of my broccoli and cauliflower plants out.  I'm doing a first for me this year and I'm starting some broccoli and cauliflower seeds right now.  Normally, I just plant these crops in the fall.  This year I will try them in early spring.  I have them watered and covered with plastic to retain soil moisture.  Once they are up out of the ground, I'll remove the plastic and position a grow light right above the seedlings.  We'll keep you posted as they grow.