Colorado Springs Seed Starting Calendar (Through May!)
We’re roughly 15 weeks away from our last frost date, May 15. That’s 15 Saturdays to get the garden organized, cleaned up and planned. Seems like a long time, but consider 15 weeks ago was Halloween. Ok, that does seem like a long time ago, but the point is, do the planning and organizing now so when it’s planting time, you’re not wasting days on the things you could be doing now. Plus it’s a great way to beat the winter blahs and cure some spring fever. It’s easy to do and so satisfying to watch them grow. Not to mention it’s incredibly rewarding to see the flowers bloom or eat the vegetables from plants you started in the dead of winter. Include the kids and they too will learn all about seeds, growing, and food. So we say spend the next 15 weeks getting growing!
If you’ve never grown plants from seeds before, it’s easy to get over excited and plant everything all at once. The trouble is you’ll be wresting with overgrown seedlings that run the risk of outgrowing your growing space, getting too leggy and needing to be repotted, which will take more room in the house. So we’ve put together a rough guide on when you should be starting your seeds indoors to get a head start on the season, resulting in healthy seedlings while still having room to eat on the dining room table. As you buy your seeds, read the packages too because they will offer advice and timing on the variety you’ve selected. Just count back from May 15th or so to get the weeks away from planting date. Check back for more blogs on hardening off and planting out your seedlings.
February
- Veggies: Celery, Onions, (from seed, not the bulb sets) Artichokes, Eggplant, Rosemary and some of the early Tomatoes
- Flowers: Columbine, Echinacea, Lavender
March
- Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Peas and Peppers.
- Direct sow outdoors: Onion sets, Peas, Spinach, Radish and Potatoes
- Flowers: Black Eyed Susan, petunias, dahlias (from seed, not the tubers), Salvia, Yarrow
April
- Beans, Corn, Cucumbers, Melons, Okra, Peppers, Squash, Tomatoes
- Direct Sow Outdoors: Asparagus, Beets, Carrots, Lettuce, Peas, Potatoes, Radishes
- Flowers: Asters, Bluebells, Coreopsis, Delphinium, Hollyhock, Impatiens, Phlox, Poppies, Scabiosa, Shasta Daisy
May
- Pumpkins, Squash
- Direct Sow: Beans, Corn, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Melons, Squash, Tomatoes
- Flowers: Aylssum, Cosmos, Flax, Marigold, Morning glory, Sweetpea, Zinnia
