Handout for Canadian Organic Gardening Workshop: Starting Seeds Indoors and Out David Hinks March 10, 2018

Starting Seedlings Indoors The key to growing seedlings successfully indoors is lots of light. If plants don’t have enough light they will be spindly and weak. Even a very sunny window is unlikely to provide sufficient light given the number of cloudy days in winter - it is also likely to get very cool at night close to the window. The lights are on chains so I can keep them within an inch or so above the seedlings.

Timing is Everything: A Calendar for Indoor Planting It is very important not to start too early. Tomatoes in particular can become very tall and difficult to keep healthy if grown too long under lights. The amount of time that seedlings can grow indoors before they become too large for indoor conditions varies considerably: tomatoes only need six to eight weeks, peppers and eggplant eight to ten weeks, broccoli and cabbage five to eight weeks, onions and leeks ten to twelve weeks, geraniums twelve weeks most annual bedding flowers from six to twelve weeks. Count backwards from the outdoor planting time

Planting Hardy Vegetables I Garlic (Allium sativum) – planted from cloves in the fall or in spring as early as ground can be worked – cool temperatures essential for early growth Leeks (Allium porrum) – need a long growing season – start 8 – 10 weeks early indoors or buy transplants Onions (Allium cepa) – easiest is from sets (small bulbs grown the previous season – or grow from seed directly in garden as soon as soil can be worked or indoors in February or March Beets (Beta vulgaris) – direct seed – successive plantings every two weeks from mid-spring until mid-July – beets are at their prime when young

Planting Hardy Vegetables II Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) – direct seed in the ground as soon as the ground can be worked – fast growing cool-weather crop – will bolt in hot weather Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) – plant directly in the ground as soon as the soil can be worked and then every two weeks – will bolt or be bitter in hot temperatures – head lettuce and romaine do better in hot temperatures – these can be started early indoors in April or transplants can be purchased Endive – similar to lettuce Peas (Pisum sativum) – a cool-weather crop – plant in the garden as soon as the ground can be worked – very hardy – not damaged by a light frost or by snow

Planting Hardy Vegetables III Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) – plant tubers or cut pieces with eyes and about the size of an egg – can be planted very early for new potatoes or later for winter storage – will bounce back from frost damage Carrots (Daucus carota) – sow directly in the ground – can be slow to germinate, mark with radish seeds – sow every two weeks from early spring as soon as the ground can be worked until early August for young tender carrots Celery (Apium graveolens dulce) – long season plant – start indoors ten to 12 weeks before setting out in late May – or buy seedlings (may bolt if exposed to cold temperatures)

Planting Hardy Vegetables IV Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) – plant directly in the ground as early as the ground can be worked – can be left in the ground over winter Broccoli (Brassica oleracea italica)–the early crop must be started indoors in March or April and then hardened before being set out in the garden in mid-spring – other Brassicas can be handled in a similar way Herbs – most herbs can be treated as hardy vegetables – such as oregano, mint, lovage, dill, chives, sage, tarragon and thyme. The exceptions are rosemary which is a perennial but must be brought indoors in winter and sweet basil which is extremely sensitive to cold and is best started indoors from seed in April or but seedlings

Planting Heat Lovers I Tomatoes (Lycopersicum esculentum) -Start indoors 6 to 8 weeks early. Can plant out one or two weeks before May 24 – be prepared to cover Peppers (Capsicum annuum) - Start indoors 8 to 10 weeks early. Set out in garden May 24 or later depending on weather Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) - Grown from slips. Start indoors 8 weeks early or buy slips Okra (Hibiscus esculentus) - Start indoors 4 to 5 weeks early or plant seed in garden May 24. Melons (Muskmelon: Cucumis melo / Watermelon: Citrullus lanatus) - Start indoors 4 to 6 weeks early in large peat pots or direct seed on May 24

Planting Heat Lovers II Eggplant (Solanum melongena) - Start indoors 8 to 10 weeks early. Plant in garden May 24 or week later when weather is reliably warm Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea )- Start indoors 4 to 6 weeks early in peat pots or directly in garden May 24 Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) - Plant seed outdoors May 24. Plant every two weeks Globe Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) - Start indoors 8 to 10 weeks early. Plant outdoors mid-May Sweet Corn (Zea mays rugosa) - Plant outdoors mid-May. Plant in blocks of 3 or 4 rows. Succession planting