Seed Starting 2022

Seed Starting Plan

Last Frost: May 15

Plant	Start Seeds	Harden Off	Plant Outdoors	Harvest	Notes
Broccoli	March 19	May 1	May 7	June 25
Marigold	April 3
Tomato	April 3	May 14	May 28		nighttime temps not below 50ºF
Zuchinni	April 17	May 14	May 28		air and soil are at least 60ºF, start seeds in peat pots
Basil	May 1	May 14	May 28		nighttime temps not below 50ºF
Broccoli	July 1

10 Weeks: March 6	8 Weeks: March 20	6 Weeks:  April 3	4 Weeks:  April 17
* Lavender (3-6)	**** Broccoli (4-6)	Marigold (12)	** Zucchini (4-6)
Veronica (5-8)	Dianthus (8-10)	Tomato (8-12)	** Borage (8-12)
Salvia (3-6)	W. Yarrow (8-10)	** Nasturtium (8-12)
	Cornflower (8-10)	Zinnia (8-10)
		Basil (4-8)
20	(36)  56	(54) 110	(18)  128

* cold stratify for 3 weeks         

** sow in peat pots, not to disturb roots                      

*** Direct sow: Echinacea, Bee Balm, White Sage- in pots, may be invasive

****  soaking broccoli seeds in warm water for 12-24 hours will give them a good head start, and can even speed up germination.

For the butterflies- Milkweed Asclepias Syriaca Hudson Valley Seeds

Direct Sowing

Early Sowing Flowers

Cornflower-  Direct sow in average soil in full sun after danger of heavy frost.
White Yarrow- Temperature: 60 - 65F 
Coreopsis- Temperature: 65 - 70F

Late Sowing Flowers

Echinacea- daytime temperature consistently reaches 70F.

Bee Balm-  immediately after the last frost

Dianthus- all danger of frost has passed

Zinnia- after all danger of frost

Seed Starting Shelves

16 cups per bin, 2 bins per shelf, four shelves= 128 seedlings

Next Year- I like having the shelves in the kitchen and the three foot shelves on wheels fit well in the space while I can still move them to get to the washer and dryer. But the purple grow lights are very bright and hurt my eyes to look at them while in the kitchen. For next year, buy new shorter three foot grow lights.  Also the idea to cover all four sides with cheap car sunshades to keep the light in and reduce the glare in the kitchen is not a bad idea. Maybe sell the purple lights or use them to keep over wintered plants alive in the basement?

Direct Sow extra seeds in beds in front of porch and in the "front yard" by River Road (sow in area with stumps that need to mowed around) - Mintleaf Bee Balm, Coreopsis, Echinecae- Purple Coneflower, use up the rest of marigold seeds, For the butterflies- Milkweed Asclepias Syriaca Hudson Valley Seeds

Cold Stratification

My frugal grandfather, the one of the hundred coffee cans and panty hose hanging in his garage, would be proud of this re-use. I am cold stratifying some lavender and echinacea seeds in plastic sandwich bags. But they were slipping all over the refrigerator, so I popped them in an old blueberry container. Works great!