Vegetables to Start Indoors Before Planting in Garden
Vegetables to Start Indoors Before Planting in Garden
In my neighbourhood, I figure it’s safe to plant my garden anytime after May 21st. It’s very rare that we get a killing frost after that date.
To get a jump on fresh, tasty veggies, you can start many varieties indoors and transplant them to your garden when the treat of frost is past. So vegetables that transplant well include:
Broccoli – best started 4-6 weeks before your transplant date.
Brussels Sprouts – start 4-6 weeks before transplanting. Then start another batch in your garden, when you transplant the early batch. You’ll have two harvesting of Brussels Sprouts.
Bulb Onions – 6-8 weeks before your first frost
Cabbage – start 6-8 weeks before transplant date.
Cauliflower – start 6-8 weeks, 2-3 seeds per pot.
Cucumbers- 3-4 weeks before transplant.
Head Lettuce – start 5-6 weeks before frost. Leaf lettuce grows very fast and can be planted directly outside, when the head lettuce is transplanted.
Leeks - a very slow growing vegetable – start 10-12 weeks before transplanting.
Peppers – 6-8 weeks before frost. Place 2-3 seeds per pot. Keep warm and in sunlight.
Tomatoes – 8 weeks before frost. Once seedlings are an inch tall, transplant into individual 4 inch pots
Transplanting your seedlings
Indoor seedlings need to be “hardened” before their final placement outside. Place them outdoors for longer and longer periods. Start by sheltering the young plants under a porch or bench by day, then bringing them back in by night or during inclement weather. After two or three days, you can safely keep them in the sun for half a day. By the end of a week, they’ll be tough enough to soak up the sun all day.
Try to transplant the seedlings on an overcast day. Prepare the ground - loose, add compost. Plant your seedlings according to directions (spacing, etc.) and water immediately. Water each day for about a week, till the plants get established.
Enjoy your early veggies!
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