Start Veggie Seeds Now for a Spring Harvest
Spring in South Texas starts around February 15th – only 31 days away! We may have a couple more cold snaps ahead of us, but it’s time to start planning our Spring projects and planting veggie seeds. The first day for planting Spring seeds is January 15th give or take a few days – aka RIGHT NOW!
Simple Method for Starting Seeds
I’ve tried a few different methods for starting seeds but have been most successful using a damp paper towel, then folding the seed inside the towel and placing it in a sealable bag or dish. This will create a “mini greenhouse” effect and will help the seed germinate. I leave them in the bag for no longer than 24 hours, then put them into soil. When planting, I make the hole about a fingernail’s depth, gently place the seeds in the hole, and cover lightly with soil. Check out my video demo of this process – quick and easy!
We also carry seed-starting trays, peat pots, and special cutting/seedling soil if you’d like to skip the wet paper towel method. Either way, a good rule of thumb is that once the seedlings have made their first true set of leaves, they are ready to be transplanted into a larger container or directly into the garden bed.
Seeds to Start in January
- Tomatoes!
- Cold Crops and Greens: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, swiss chard, lettuce, spinach, and mustard greens
- Root Crops: onions, carrots, beets, and potatoes
- Herbs: parsley
Check out our full Spring planting guide here.
Pro Tip: When planting new seed be sure the soil is wet at the time of planting and always water with a light sprinkle. This will prevent your seeds from floating/washing out of the soil.
-Wyatt
Santana says
Won’t the seedlings freeze if you plant at this time?
James Gill says
Many vegetables like cool weather! Others need protection. So you would seed lettuce, spinach, broccoli directly into the garden, but you would seed tomatoes, squash, peppers into Jiffy starter cups, ready to move inside when temperatures are chilly, and then set them out in the garden in late February or March.