Getting Back to the Basics - When is the 'Right Time' to Start Indoor Seeds?

Determining when to start your (indoor) seeds, can be challenging – Especially if this is your first year and you're not really sure what you're doing - yet! Hang in there, we all have to start from somewhere.

As a gardener it’s important to know which Hardiness Zone you're located in; this will help to determine which plants will (survive) and thrive in your local environment. By determining your hardiness zone, you can also determine your last expected frost date which will help during the planning stage of when to start your indoor seeds and transplant when appropriate and/or direct sow your seed outdoors. You can easily do a Google search to find this information or scroll below and check out the chart attached to find your answer!

Here at the Homestead, we’re considered 6B – This means our last expected frost date is April 21st-30th. We typically wait an additional week or two before planting to allow the ground time to warm first, meaning we start most indoor seeds at the beginning of April.

Again, make sure your choosing plants that will thrive in your conditions, choosing plants that are NOT hardy in your zone, will only lead to frustration, disappointment, unnecessary expanse – and if you're like me, Tears as you watch your hard work wither away and die.

Now that you know your zone, it's time to start planning – decide what seeds you'd like to grow, which variety, and how many you’ll need. The best advice I can give you is – Do NOT begin your indoor seeds TOO early, this is a common mistake made by first-time gardeners and can be detrimental to your seedlings. Planting too early can lead to plants becoming too leggy, root-bound, or even stunt overall plant growth.

The best time to start indoor seeds is typically 4-6 before the last expected frost date – however, the ‘prime’ time to start seeds indoors will be listed on the seed packet itself.