A Head-Start With Herbs
It might only be January, but I can't go any longer without sowing a few seeds. Last year I began my sweet peppers and aubergines during the first month of the year and they did GREAT. This year, to get even further ahead, I've started some herbs (and a few other things too) because I just needed to get my hands in the dirt!
Early Peppers and Aubergines
I wasn't sure how starting my aubergines and sweet peppers this early would work out. HOWEVER, it was great. Once they germinate, these tiny seedlings basically sit around for a couple of months not doing a lot until the weather's warmer. I thought it was a dead loss to begin with. But, compare them to the seeds I sowed later in the year, and the early starters became the biggest plants with the best harvests. You can't argue with that, so that's my plan for 2018 too.
A Head-Start with Herbs
One thing I really want to grow more of this year are herbs. Many of my egg customers and my gardening clients have said they'd buy freshly picked herbs if I had them available. I'd be a fool not to act on this so I decided to start some early in the season. Now, these do need bottom heat and they'll require a warm windowsill or heated greenhouse to keep them going until the warmer weather appears. But to have some young plants early on will be a great start to the season.
So today I put in:
- Flat Leaf Parsley
- Curley Parsley
- Sweet Basil
- Cinnamon Basil
- Dill
- Coriander
I also had a couple of trays to spare so I filled one with sweet peas and the other with some VERY OLD cucumber and salad onions. I don't expect these seeds to actually germinate. If they do it's a bonus.
It feels GOOD to get my hands the dirt again. It's very relaxing and a great stress-buster, particularly for me. And when those first green shoots start appearing, it'll be even more a thrill - especially since we are still in the depths of winter.
What are you growing? Do you start anything this early? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading,
Geoff
i have some old flower (marigold, sunflower, sweet pea) seeds that i'll be testing here soon. i've got too many herbs & not enough space right now, though! in a few weeks they'll get started - anise, basil, marjoram, cumin, coriander.
yay seeds!
Oh @twinislandflames You should do a post about how you test your seeds! That would be great!
cool idea - i haven't completely finished my post schedule yet, so i can get that added in. it's nothing earth shattering, but it certainly couldn't hurt!
Yes, would be great to see how you do. Seeds can be so fickle. A couple of years ago I decided to throw in all my flower seeds and make the most of them. Nothing came up. Last year I had some old salad seeds so I threw them in a pot thinking they'd do the same as the flowers (ie nothing) and, you guessed it, HUGE numbers germinated! LOL
We started cayenne, bell and jalapeno peppers on christmas day. We don't have a south facing window so everything else will wait until it gets warm
Great stuff. I don't tend to do chilli peppers as I can't stomach them!
My grandmother used a heating pad with some towels under her herbs when she started them early. Just cycled the heat so they did not get to hot.
That's a great option - especially if you don't have a heated propagator!
I was waiting until next week. I feel like I’m always way to early. I’m in zone 6 and I need just a little more day length I think. Thanks for the content
I probably haven't enough day length either...I just can't stop myself. I'll have to top up with grow lights if necessary.
Good for you and I'm getting antsy to play in the dirt, too. Cheering on all the little sprouts!
I'll probably have WAY too many seedlings all over every windowsill before long but hey...I need some sprouts!
I feel ya! I began starting seeds about a month ago. I plan to do an update on what I’ve started soon. I don’t think it’s ever too early to start anything if you have enough room and light. I’ve got some onions going, parsley, thyme, rosemary, ashwaganda, lavender, and strawberries. I just can’t help myself.... How many days til spring?
Too many days @powellx5 But it'll be here soon enough and hopefully we'll be ready for it. :)
Do you use a grow light? Sorry to butt in here.
Those could have been my own words!
I just got a package in the mail yesterday that I have been waiting for. WHenI tried to order certain seeds late in the season last year, they were sold out... so... I ordered them now... lol- I'm ahead of the system this year!
Keep us up to date with the progress!
It's too hard to go with out sowing seeds for too long, isn't it? And this illness had me down in the dumps; I needed some gardening fun. :D
Nice start I need to get on it although dont have seeds trays so will have to improvise for now!
Improvise away! What are you going to use?
I have an old seed tray I found! Dont' know if should drill holes in the bottom?
hoorah! If it hasn't any holes and you want to add soil and sow into it, I would create some drainage otherwise it could become too damp and the seeds might rot.
Right on mission for the afternoon maybe. Cracking day for a walk today !
I'm afraid if I start anything now it will get long and spindly, or die from lack of sunlight. My south-facing windows are shaded by huge pine trees. Do you use a grow light?
I do have grow lights to use if needed though I normally find that if I start the plants off on a windowsill and then move them to my frost-free conservatory (but without heating) they grow slowly enough not to become mega leggy.