Under a blanket of ice, your garden is dreaming of spring
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It’s been cold and icy for so long it’s hard to remember that there’s any life at all outside our backdoors. But under all that ice and snow, our gardens are resting and preparing for spring. I’m mimicking my backyard as much as my children will allow; pulling the covers up to my chin and taking some much needed time to restore. The rest has felt necessary. A retreat before what will be a busy spring. I hope you’ve been able to carve some time to rest and recharge during these cold months.
Despite the icy conditions, the signs of coming spring are all around at my house, and maybe it’s the same at yours. The seed catalogs are piled high on my coffee table and I’m ordering far too many new flower seeds because the colors are all so splendid. Clients are messaging to discuss plans for new gardens and bringing old ones back to life. The school children are asking me when can they eat strawberries and hunt for worms. These early prompts have me looking forward to the thaw and seeing the first colors emerge when the bulbs break through. I’m ready to see the movement of bees outside the backdoor enjoying the first forage the dandelions provide (for them and us).
While we can’t do much outside, we can start seeds indoors so we have strong seedlings ready to transplant when spring is finally and firmly here. Starting seeds can seem a little daunting and, to be honest, if you start too many it will be a lot of work! But starting a few things indoors, even just an empty sardine can of microgreens, can be a nice reminder that spring, warmth, and growth are on the way.
Starting Small: If you’ve never sown seeds indoors but want to try it, skip all the fancy equipment and try this:
Gather a cardboard egg carton. Using a toothpick, poke a small hole in the bottom of each egg cup. Place the carton on a tray.
Fill each cup with a little damp seed starting mix. I recommend the organic Jiffy mix you can get at any home supply store, but anything organic and very fine will do. Don’t pack it down (roots need air) and leave a little room at the top, about 1/4 an inch.
Seed each egg cell with 1-2 seeds of your choosing. Remember most seeds need 2x their size in soil above them. Gently cover with the appropriate amount of soil and pat down.
Water gently, with a mister or spray bottle if possible, so they seeds don’t wash away. The soil should be moist but not soggy.
To create some temporary humidity and speed germination, tent a plastic bag over the carton or loosely cover with plastic wrap. Remove the cover as soon as the seedlings pop up.
Once the seeds have germinated and are peaking up from the dirt, move them to a sunny windowsill. Keep them watered. Adding water to the tray will allow the seedlings to soak up the moisture.
When the seedlings have 2-3 leaves and it’s warm enough outside, cut the carton and plant the cup along with the seedling.
If you’ve sown seeds indoor before, maybe this is the year you get more in the game and add a few grow lights or heating mats to the mix. Just remember, all those seedlings will need care so don’t sow 3 dozen peppers unless you want to have a plant sale on your porch come spring!
One of the challenges to starting from seed is knowing what to plant when. To help with that, I created a little seeding calendar you can print and affix to the fridge to keep you on track. This calendar shows which seeds are best planted in which months, indoors and outdoors.
As always, let me know if you have any questions or need a hand starting your garden this spring. It’ll be here before we know it!
Click here for the PDF