Start Summer Flowers Indoors Now
Gardening experts recommend starting certain flowers and crops indoors now to ensure robust blooms and harvests come summer. Prime candidates include tomatoes, peppers, and annual flowers under lights or on windowsills, especially in colder climates where outdoor planting is still weeks away.
- Starting seeds indoors allows for a greater variety of plants, as nurseries may only carry a limited selection of transplants. This method is also more cost-effective than buying seedlings. - Flowers with long growing seasons or those that are slow to germinate, such as petunias and snapdragons, benefit most from an indoor start. Perennials like echinacea, milkweed, and lupine also get a valuable head start. - A common mistake is starting seeds too early, which can lead to overgrown and root-bound seedlings before the weather is suitable for outdoor planting. Most plants should be started indoors four to eight weeks before the last expected frost. - Seedlings require a significant amount of light to grow into strong, healthy plants. A sunny windowsill is often insufficient, and grow lights are recommended to prevent seedlings from becoming tall and weak, a condition known as being "leggy". - Before transplanting outdoors, seedlings must undergo a process called "hardening off" to acclimate them to outdoor conditions like direct sunlight, wind, and temperature fluctuations. This gradual process, which typically takes one to two weeks, helps prevent transplant shock. - The hardening off process involves gradually increasing the amount of time seedlings spend outdoors each day. Start with a couple of hours in a sheltered, shady spot and progressively expose them to more sun and wind. - Overwatering and underwatering are common pitfalls when starting seeds indoors. The soil should be kept consistently moist but not waterlogged to prevent rot and fungal diseases. - Proper seed depth is crucial for germination; a general rule is to plant a seed two to three times as deep as it is wide. Some seeds, however, require light to germinate and should only be gently pressed into the soil surface.
