Home Gardening

Getting Ready for Spring
Garden Tips Newsletter - February 26, 2001

Spring is in the air and we are all ready to get out and start working on our garden. To get a head start on the garden and to protect from those cold fronts that still pass our way you can start some seeds inside your house. Starting seeds is relatively easy and will help you have a great spring garden. The first thing you need for starting seeds is a good growing media. Seeds grow best in a "soilless" mixture, these are available at most garden centers. Make sure you grow your seeds in a shallow, well-draining container. Sow seeds in 2-inch rows, allowing each plant to have adequate space. Seeds should be placed in a warm location and kept moist (a good way to provide moisture is to cover the container with thin plastic covering). Once seedlings start to emerge make sure they get lots of light. Allow the plants to grow for 4 to 6 weeks before transplanting. Before transplanting be sure to harden-off your plants. Hardening off is a process where you gradually get the plants used to the location in which they will be growing. Plant transplants in the morning and if possible on a cloudy day. Make sure you keep the soil around the transplants moist. Enjoy.

For more information on starting seeds, check out:

Timely Tips on Starting Seedlings at Home

These archived newsletters were written by Dr. Lelia Scott Kelly. Kelly is a Horticulture Specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Her office is in the North Mississippi Research & Extension Center, Verona.