Discussions

When do you start your seedlings for your garden and what do you grow?

April. But honestly the seed packets and a number of gardening books will give you the best advice for your area.

I have an acquaintance who generously shares starter plants ; peppers, tomatoes. cukes and some herbs, etc., but I just spotted this online this morning.  
 
It's a basic, general guideline (obviously give or take for unexpected extreme weather events ) for seed starting & planting in Winnipeg. The chart is on the 2nd page.  
 
http://www.jensennursery.com/documents/SeedStartingFinal_000.pdf

Like said above, check your seed packets. I've started leeks as early as February as well as some flowers. Most things you can start in April., tomatoes more at the beginning and squash at the end or even early May. Figure out when you usually want them in the ground by and count backwards from there.  
 
Things I've started (with varying degrees of success): tomatoes, peppers (use a heat mat), leeks, all types of squash, all types of herbs (some of those you want to start end of March), flowers like Black eyed Susans, marigolds, zinnias, pansies, some others I can't remember... I've also successfully bought bare root strawberries and forced them indoors and them transplanted them to my garden. Super cheap doing that vs buying the plants (assuming you didn't spend a ton of containers, growing medium etc,. - I just used my leftovers).  
 
It's super rewarding and satisfying to do this, especially if you seed save from year to year!  
 
Edited by Abbysmum, 2023-01-07 23:12:47