Our goal is to make gardening accessible for all New Yorkers. For many people gardening starts with seeds. Below we break down the top things to know to help your seed journey!
Seed Starting Timeline
When starting you will hear and eventually become very familiar with your "average last frost date." What does that mean? Your average last frost date is the last day of any risk of frost. The first and last freeze/frost dates for New York City begin in the middle of October until the middle of April the following year. This means after mid-April it is usually safe to begin planting your tender annuals and perennials.
Seed Starting Methods
Transplanting verse direct sow: Direct seeding is planting seeds directly into your garden. Transplanting is starting your seeds ahead of time, or buying a start at a local garden center and planting the whole plant into your garden. The advantage of starting certain seeds indoors is that you get a head start on the season, and you have more control over the growing conditions.
Seeds to transplant: Tomatoes, onions, eggplant, and peppers due to the long time it takes for these plants to mature and produce fruit.
Seeds to direct sow: Early spring crops include root crops such as carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, lettuce, cilantro, parsley, and peas. Seeds to direct sow when soil temperatures rise to above 65 degrees, around May, include beans, corn, and squash.
Keeping Up Humidity
After sowing the seed, make sure the thin top layer of soil where the seed is growing stays moist. Too little moisture can prevent the seed from germinating, while too much water can contribute to seeds rotting. Spreading a layer of Vermiculite on the soil of our seed starts is a great way to retain moisture. A spray bottle or mister is a great way to keep growing medium moist without damage to seeds and young seedlings.
Providing Full Sun
Find where you get the most sun. Full sun means 6 or more hours of unshaped exposure, which is ideal for most flowers and vegetable plants.
Hardening Off Seedlings
When growing starts in your home, the most important step is hardening off. If you take your seedling out of a perfectly controlled warm environment and introduce it to the wild elements of the garden without a transitional period, you may lose a lot of your starts. Ultimately wasting your early efforts. Hardening off is a 7 to 14-day transition period that helps the tender seedlings adjust to outdoor conditions, including exposure to direct sunlight, wind, and changes in temperature.
On the first day of hardening off, put seedlings in a protected location out of direct sun and wind. Leave them outdoors for 1 to 2 hours then bring them back indoors. Each day, leave them outdoors longer, and gradually move them into more exposed areas. After 14 days, your starts are ready to be planted. While hardening off your plants, do not forget to water!
Watering Your Seedlings
At the beginning of a plant’s life it will need frequent, shallow waterings, but as it grows, watering more deeply and less frequently will promote deep, strong roots. We always recommend touching the soil to see if it is dry.
Don't Forget to Have Fun!
Gardening is not always about positive results. Many times it provides lots of lessons, which may include killing a plant or two. We encourage you to try again and continue exploring what gardening can offer!