Seeds

February is the perfect month to start seeds inside. By the time the weather is trustworthy enough to transplant your seedlings outside you will have an eight to ten week jump on the season if you start now.

Some people are lucky enough to have a greenhouse with all the bells and whistles. I happen to live in a house that is painted green and I start my seeds on the windowsill. Optimally, a south facing window is best, but I make do with a west facing window. My seedlings can get too leggy without enough natural daylight so I’ve found that replacing the lightbulb in my regular old lamp can make all the difference. Using a blue or “daylight” lightbulb helps. I leave it on until my seedlings get their ”true” leaves—for most plants that is the “third” leaf that appears after the first two sprouting leaves.

Starting plants from seed is pretty simple if you stick with a few basics. You need a proper starting mixture—I am fond of Jiffy pellet--- just the right amount of water, and plenty of daylight. A warm environment helps, and there are even special heating pads made for gardeners that will keep the roots of your tender seedlings nice and toasty. Do NOT think using a standard heating pad will work as well; just trust me on this.

Selecting the proper seeds can increase your chances of success. Using seeds from a few years ago can be risky. For the first time gardener I suggest starting marigolds. They are an easy grower, and not at all temperamental. As a wise man once told me, you can never go wrong with marigolds.