Spring Seed Starting

By Amy Ollett

As late winter transitions toward spring, both the days and the ground temperature begin to warm. What does this mean for the veggie gardener who can’t wait to get their hands in the dirt?

• Know your frost dates: USDA Zone 7B is April 5-15. Some plants like a little chill, some do not! Soil or ground temperatures typically need to be above 45-50 degrees on a consistent basis for seeds to germinate.
• How to tell the soil temp? Use a soil thermometer!
• If overnight lows fall below 50 degrees, using row covers, a cold frame or garden cloches to cover the ground/bed where you’ll be planting helps to keep the soil warmer and at a more consistent temperature.
• Row cover or cold frames may also extend your planting timeframe by 2-4 weeks in the spring. It’s a great way to get an earlier start if the weather is still a bit chilly and frost may still be in the forecast.
• Remember to check your seed package to confirm soil temps and planting timeframes before planting them directly in the soil or starting them indoors.

If you’ve already started seeds indoors and the seedling has a true set of leaves (the first one or two leaves after seed germination are the cotyledon, which is part of the seed), they may then be hardened off for 2 weeks before planting outdoors as long as daytime temps are above 50 degrees.

• Hardening off is an important step to introduce them to their new environment. The seedlings can be placed outside starting a few hours per day.
• The goal is to gradually increase the length of time they spend outdoors.
• Be sure to have them in a shaded area at the beginning and gradually introduce sunlight so you don’t cook the seedlings/starts.

Great cool season herbs include: chives, cilantro, mint and parsley.

Cool season veggies such as arugula, carrots, kale, lettuces, peas, radish and spinach do well in the cooler temps of early to late spring.

For more information, check out VCE publication 426-331:Virginia’s Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide: Recommended Planting Dates and Amounts to Plant , publication 426-001: Plant Propagation from Seed | VCE Publications | Virginia Tech and publication 426-420: Herb Culture and Use