It's Time to Start Some Vegetables Indoors!

Even though Old Man Winter refuses to loosen his grip on us this year, the calendar says it's time to start some indoor sowing here in central New York State. Early March is a good time to start onions and leeks (or any cold tolerant vegetable) indoors, since they can be transplanted into the garden by mid May at the latest.  I will start tomatoes and peppers in a few weeks, since they are better suited for transplanting toward the end of May and even early June.

You may recall that I wrote a post on winter sowing (outdoor) on February 4th (http://dansgardening.blogspot.com/2014/02/winter-sowing.html).  At that time I planted several types of lettuce and also leeks and scallions.

Today I decided to start yellow sweet Spanish onions, more scallions, and a
variety of leeks I have never tried called Lincoln Leek.

For indoor sowing, I suggest using a seed starting tray with a lid and a good seed starting mix.  As I have mentioned before, it is not a good idea to use soil from your garden since since the seeds/seedlings are susceptible to any bacteria, molds, and fungi that it may contain.

• If the seed tray was previously used and is dirty, wash with mild soap and water as needed and rinse thoroughly.

• Fill about three quarters full with potting mix.

• Moisten the soil using a kitchen spray hose or watering can.

• Pat down the soil lightly to create a level and firm planting surface.

• Spread the seeds evenly on the soil.  In one container I planted yellow sweet Spanish onions, in the other I planted scallions and Lincoln leeks, using a piece of plastic to divide the planter.

• Cover the seeds with potting mix according to the directions on the seed packet.  For onions and leeks, one quarter inch of soil is appropriate.

• Again add water being very careful not to disturb the fine layer of soil covering the seeds.  I suggest using a spray bottle with a fine mist.

• Cover the trays with the clear plastic cover which acts as a humidity dome.  This will keep the soil moist until germination occurs. To prevent too much moisture, I drilled four small holes in the cover to provide some ventilation. 

• Place the trays in a warm place in your home.  During the daytime, a sunny windowsill works great to warm the soil which will speed germination.  At night, I would suggest moving them out of the window to a warmer place.

• Check the trays every few days to make sure the soil is moist.  If not, use the spray bottle to moisten.

In future posts, I will write about how to care for the seedlings once the seeds sprout.

Until next time.