When To Start Herb Seeds Indoors Gardening Tip

This week finishes up our three-part series on starting vegetable, flower and herb seeds indoors.

This is an important topic, because if you start seeds too early, you can hurt your chances of success.

To make sure you start your herb seeds at the correct time, here are some guidelines to help you figure out how many weeks you need to allow between starting herb seeds indoors and transplanting them into the garden:

Herb & Weeks to Transplant Time:

Basil - 4 to 6
Chives - 6 to 8
Dill - 4 to 6
Lavender - 8 to 10
Rosemary - 8 to 10
Sage - 6 to 8
Thyme - 8 to 10

Remember: smaller plants tend to transplant into the garden really well, so there is no pressing need to grow large transplants.

Related Articles:

Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors That Thrive

Get the Most Out of Mail Order Seed Catalogs

For more Gardening Tips and Gardening Advice visit our main gardening website at Weekend Gardener Monthly Web Magazine

Have great week!

When To Start Flower Seeds Indoors

Winter is still very much here, but as we discussed last week, you can get ready for spring planting soon. The key however, is to start your indoor seeds on time.

The problem is that most gardeners start their flower seeds indoors too soon, and since most don't have enough (or adequate) lighting, the seedlings tend to get spindly and weak before it's time to transplant them into the garden.

To make sure you start you flower seeds at the correct time, here are some guidelines to help you figure out how many weeks you need to allow between starting flower seeds indoors and transplanting them into the garden:

Flower & Weeks to Transplant Time:

Ageratum - 6 to 8
Aster - 6 to 8
Celosia - 6 to 8
Centaurea - 4 to 6
Cosmos - 4 to 6
Marigold - 4 to 6
Morning glory - 4 to 6
Snapdragon - 8 to 10
Statice - 8 to 10
Stock - 6 to 8
Strawflower - 6 to 8
Sweet Pea - 4 to 6
Zinnia - 4 to 6

Next week, we'll discuss starting herb seeds.

Related Articles:

Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors That Thrive

Get the Most Out of Mail Order Seed Catalogs

For more Gardening Tips and Gardening Advice visit our main gardening website at Weekend Gardener Monthly Web Magazine

Have great week!

When To Start Vegetable Seeds Indoors

Many gardeners like to get a start on their spring garden by sowing seeds indoors. This is great, but if you start them too early, you can hurt your chances of success.

Since most people don't have enough (or adequate) lighting, the seedlings tend to get spindly and weak before it's time to transplant them into the garden.

So, make sure you don't start your vegetable seeds too early. Remember, smaller plants tend to transplant into the garden really well, so there is no pressing need to grow large transplants.

Here are some guidelines to help you figure out how many weeks you need to allow between starting vegetable seeds and transplanting them into the garden so you'll know when to start vegetable seeds indoors.

Vegetable & Weeks to Transplant Time:

Broccoli - 4 to 5
Brussels sprouts - 4 to 5
Cabbage - 4 to 5
Cauliflower - 4
Celery - 10
Chinese cabbage - 3 to 4
Cucumbers - 3 to 4
Eggplant - 6 to 7
Leeks - 8
Lettuce - 3 to 4
Melons - 3 to 4
Peppers - 7 to 8
Pumpkins - 3
Squash - 3
Tomatoes - 4 to 5

Next week, we'll discuss starting flower seeds.

Related Articles:

Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors That Thrive

Get the Most Out of Mail Order Seed Catalogs

For more Gardening Tips and Gardening Advice visit our main gardening website at Weekend Gardener Monthly Web Magazine

Have great week!

How To Start Cool Fall Crops During Warm Summer Days

The best time to start fall crops is in late summer for a late fall harvest. The problem however, is that the soil and the daytime temperatures can sometimes still be so warm that it can be hard to get cool-weather crops to germinate and grow.

Here is a way to get around that problem!

1. Dig a shallow trench that is about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) deep.

2. Line the trench with come good garden soil or compost.

3. Put your seeds in the trench, and then cover them shallowly with more compost or garden soil. Don’t worry that the seeds aren’t planted as deep as may be mentioned on the seed packet. Just cover them shallowly.

4. Water the trench and seeds in carefully, but thoroughly.

5. Cover the trench with boards or very thick cardboard. The trick here is to keep the heat out and keep the seeds in the trench cool and in the dark. So the thicker the material you use the cover the trench, the better.

6. Check under the boards regularly, and as soon as you see small pale seedlings growing, remove the boards.

7. Grow your seedlings as usual now that they are started.

This trick works great with several fall crops like broccoli, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, and cauliflower.

For more Gardening Tips and Gardening Advice visit our main gardening website at Weekend Gardener Monthly Web Magazine

Have great week!

Best Time To Transplant Plants

Typically, gardeners tend to transplant plants, whether they are vegetable, strawberry, tree, shrub, or perennial plants, when they have the time to do it, regardless of the time of day, or the weather.

This is normal, but if you think about it, planning when you transplant your plants is one of the best things you can do because you will ensure your plants getting off to a strong and healthy start.

I mean, why bother with all the time and effort only to have seedling transplants that are going to flag, sag, wilt, and maybe die on you? So let's avoid all this shall we?

The Best Time To Transplant Plants

The best time of day to plant is in the late afternoon when the sun is not so hot, and the wind has calmed down. By taking advantage of this time of day, the new plants have overnight to acclimate.

Strong sun and wind are very hard on new transplants and unless you water carefully, and in some cases provide some shelter from the wind and sun, they can severely wilt. This places your plants under stress at the very beginning of their growing cycle and is not a good idea because sometimes they never bounce back and don't thrive as well as they could have.

Mulching does help since it lowers the rate at which water evaporates from the soil and controls the soil temperature, so that is always a benefit if you must plant in the middle of the day.

The Best Weather To Transplant Plants

Transplants become less stressed when they are set out on a cloudy, calm day. There is some humidity in the air at that time, and no wind will mean less of a chance of the new seedlings getting dried out.

For more Gardening Tips and Gardening Advice visit our main gardening website at Weekend Gardener Monthly Web Magazine - http://www.weekendgardener.net/

Have great week!