Seed Starting Specific Crops
Latest stories
More stories
-
How to Plant Okra: Step-by-Step Guide
Planting okra in your garden requires patience and the right conditions, but once it gets going, it can be an incredibly rewarding crop. I’ve found that giving okra the right start is key to a successful harvest. For starters, okra is a heat-loving plant that thrives in warm soil, so it’s essential to wait until […] More
-
Tomato Seed Starting: Pro Tips
Tomatoes are a tender, warm-weather crop. Start tomatoes indoors 10 to 8 weeks before the last expected frost in spring. Set tomato seedlings into the garden after all danger of frost is past. Plant tomato seedlings in the garden 4 weeks after the last frost. The garden soil temperature for setting out transplants should be […] More
-
Leeks Seed Starting Tips
Leeks are a cool- and cold-season crop. There are two types of leeks: short-season leeks and long-season leeks. Long-season leeks have thick, cylindrical stems–and keep long, and short-season leeks that have a thinner stem and don’t keep as well as long-season leeks. Short-season leeks mature in as few as 70 days. Long-season leeks mature in […] More
-
Sweet Potato Plant Starting Tips
Sweet potatoes are a warm-weather crop. They require a long, hot growing season. Sweet potatoes are grown from rooted cuttings, called “slips” or “draws”. Slips are best started indoors from sweet potato tubers. Slips stated indoors take about 12 weeks to reach transplant size. Transplant sweet potato slips into the garden after all danger of […] More
-
Eggplant Seed Starting Tips
Eggplants are tropical and semi-tropical plants. Because most summers in temperate regions are not long enough for eggplants to grow from seed to harvest, it’s best to start eggplant from seeds indoors. Sow eggplant seeds indoors about 8 to 10 weeks before setting seedlings in the garden. Transplant eggplant seedlings to the garden 2 to […] More
-
Pepper Seed Starting: Proven Method for Strong, Healthy Plants
Starting peppers from seed is one of my favorite parts of gardening. There’s something satisfying about watching tiny seedlings grow into productive plants that thrive in the summer heat. After years of trial and error—figuring out which varieties germinate best, how to keep seedlings from getting leggy, and what soil mix leads to strong root […] More
-
Celery Seed Starting Tips
Grow an early and late or main crop of celery each growing season. The early crop will be harvested in August; the late crop will be harvested in September or October, before the first fall frost. Start celery seed indoors. Sow seed for the early or August harvest in February. Set young plants in the […] More
-
Peas Seed Starting Tips
Peas are a cool-weather crop. Sow pea seeds in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked or in late summer. Grow peas so that they come to harvest when the weather is cool. Peas can be classified by how large they grow: dwarf, medium, or tall. The taller a pea plant grows […] More
-
Starting Sweet Corn from Seed: Proven Tips for Early Success
After more than 30 years of growing sweet corn organically, I’ve learned that how you start your seeds plays a major role in the health and productivity of your crop. While sweet corn is typically direct-sown in the garden, there are times—especially in short-season regions—when starting seeds indoors can give you a much-needed head start. […] More
-
How to Plant Cucumber Seeds and Seedlings: Site, Spacing and Soil Needs
Planting cucumbers can be one of the most rewarding parts of the gardening season, and understanding the site, spacing, and soil needs is crucial for a successful harvest. Over the years, I’ve discovered that cucumbers thrive when given plenty of sunlight, rich soil, and adequate space to spread their vines. Whether you’re starting from seeds […] More
-
Seed Potato Starting Tips
Potatoes are grown from other potatoes. Small, whole potatoes are called “seed potatoes”. Plant seed potatoes to grow new potato plants. You can also grow potato plants from cut pieces of larger potatoes. Make sure that you plant seed potatoes or potato pieces that have two or three dormant buds, called “eyes”. Eyes are slightly […] More
-
How to Plant Asparagus
Asparagus is a perennial plant. Plant asparagus where it can grow undisturbed and be productive for 15 to 20 years. Asparagus can be started from seeds or crowns. Plants grown from seed commonly produce a larger number of slightly bigger and more tender spears. Set out seedlings 12-inch seedlings 4 weeks after the last frost. […] More
Stephen Albert
