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It has started….Seed Starting 2011

January 18th, 2011

I’ve officially started the 2011 gardening season. I started 1 flat of onion seeds so far and some celery seeds. Most seed starting guides will tell you to start your onions and celery a month later than this, usually mid-late February. I find that these do much better if started earlier. Onions can be planted outside early as they can take some cold weather. I have found that my celery does much better if I plant it earlier rather than later.

I’ll be starting a few more flats of onions this week when I have some time, and I’ll probably start a few little containers of herbs that I want to be of decent size when when spring comes. This year I’m experimenting with soil blocks. I think I’m going to be doing some experiments to see how they compare to cell flats, they’re certainly cheaper.

What is the first thing you typically start for your garden?

18 Comments to “It has started….Seed Starting 2011”
  1. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by mark mile, Susy Morris. Susy Morris said: It has started….Seed Starting 2011 http://goo.gl/fb/QCUv2 #seedcompany […]

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  2. louisa @ TheReallyGoodLife on January 18, 2011 at 9:06 am

    I’ll be starting some greenhouse tomatoes and cauliflowers at the weekend – but I actually planted my first seeds of the new year about 10 days ago (some winter-start lettuces) — they started poking their heads above the soil yesterday, which made me squeal with glee – the 2011 growing season is underway!

    Reply to louisa @ TheReallyGoodLife's comment

  3. denimflyz on January 18, 2011 at 9:28 am

    I will be starting some early Stupice tomatoes, and some herbs. I still have to order some seeds.
    When I get a break in the weather here in zone 5 Nebraska, I will set up my cold frames and start onions, and cool season veggies. I did not set them up during the fall, I needed a break from gardening.
    Let all of us know how your success witht the soil blocks goes, I have been thinking of those to try.
    Have fun and a great opener to the 2011 season.

    Reply to denimflyz's comment

  4. alecia on January 18, 2011 at 10:13 am

    Have started some violas, arugula and kale indoors and they are under the grow lights-although I have been using arugula like sprouts this week. Starting some lettuces and brassicas along with some herbs this week-maybe starting some vinca as well. Like you mentioned – i sometimes like to start things earlier bc i want them to be a good size when planting time arrives. Plus – it fits in my homeschooling curriculum well and teaches my daughter to plan ahead and being patient.

    February – tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes and a few peppers.

    Wanted to add – I was inspired by all your carrots posts and have started building a raised bed just for the carrots since we have quite a bit of clay and rocks. Bought some fresh carrots from a farmer last year and promised I would grow mine own.

    Reply to alecia's comment

  5. Dave on January 18, 2011 at 10:15 am

    I definitely need to get on this! I’ll be starting some spinach and shallots first I think. Sugar snap peas will go in the ground in Feb.

    Reply to Dave's comment

  6. Amy W. on January 18, 2011 at 10:50 am

    My Dad usually plants peas first.

    Amy

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  7. Terry on January 18, 2011 at 11:16 am

    You are so organized! I usually notice things getting green and then plant some random things. Last year I had a lot of nice plants even with my crazy unplanned methods. I have cilantro and oregano that comes up on its own.

    Reply to Terry's comment

  8. Kathryn on January 18, 2011 at 12:05 pm

    I’m rather clueless on gardening, tho i’ve “tried” for a couple of years now. A few tomatoes and some parsley (besides peaches and apples from trees that were on the property when we bought it) are about all i’ve done.

    Think i may try to follow you! Celery and onions, celery and onions.

    BTW, what will follow, so i can get the seeds?

    Reply to Kathryn's comment

  9. Kelly on January 18, 2011 at 12:45 pm

    I’m going to be starting peppers, eggplant, celery and cumin on Feb 2, then tomatoes and marigolds 2wks later and broccoli and onions 2wks after that. Somewhere in the midst of it all I need to pick up more flats and materials for hubby to make more grow lights because I’ll be running out somewhere in the middle of it all. I have no idea, yet, where I’ll fit it all in my office (where I start seeds).

    Reply to Kelly's comment

  10. Daedre Craig on January 18, 2011 at 12:58 pm

    My earliest crop is probably broccoli, but I won’t start any for a while yet. The earliest I can start my seeds is March! That seems so far away, yet it’s only about 6 more weeks!

    Reply to Daedre Craig's comment

  11. annie on January 18, 2011 at 1:46 pm

    I would love to get a soil blocker! I’ve used them before but I never invested in one myself. Plus I’d have to either buy a different type of flat or make them and I would need a more reliable source of top quality seed starting mix.

    The first thing I start is Solanaceae on December 15, which is 12 weeks before our frost free date.

    Reply to annie's comment

  12. Sincerely, Emily on January 18, 2011 at 2:07 pm

    A great reminder to get started. I put onion starts in last week and some more cabbage seedlings. Yesterday I started working on getting some seeds started – eggplant, red bell pepper and tomatoes. Our last frost date is March 2nd, so I want to be ready. Still trying to work out what works best for me in terms of starting seeds. Crossing my fingers. Emily

    Reply to Sincerely, Emily's comment

  13. Grant on January 18, 2011 at 10:20 pm

    I actually just ordered some seeds from Baker Creek and some from Pinetree Garden Seeds. Have you ever heard of Pinetree before? I ordered from them because they actually have reasonable prices many of which are under $2.00

    Reply to Grant's comment

    • Susy on January 19, 2011 at 8:54 am

      I haven’t heard of Pinetree Garden Seeds, I’ll have to check them out.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  14. Chris on January 18, 2011 at 11:36 pm

    I LOVE your blog – it’s seriously incredibly inspiring (just ask my wife – I never shut up…)

    Anyway, I also read Urban Homestead and poke around there regularly, and I stumbled across this, which I thought might be something interesting for you…. http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2008/02/27/soil-blocks/ – they include a recipe for mixing your own blocks.

    Thanks so much for such a beautiful blog, and keep it up – I can’t wait for the next post!

    Reply to Chris's comment

    • Susy on January 19, 2011 at 8:53 am

      Thanks for the link, I’m hoping to find a few different recipes and compare them to see which works best. For now my homemade seed starting mix seems to be working OK.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  15. Emily Jenkins on January 19, 2011 at 10:24 am

    I’ll be watching to see how you like the soil blocker. I’ve just ordered one for myself and am unsure of what kind of flat to use. I’ve actually considered just lining the shelves of my seed starter, which has four 2″ sides to each shelf.
    Did you make your flats from wood? Is it craft wood, lumber, or scrap? I’d love to have wooden flats but I worry about the initial cost and the wood transferring disease in the long run since it absorbs moisture.

    Reply to Emily Jenkins's comment

    • Susy on January 19, 2011 at 11:45 am

      Lining the shelves would probably work very well, then you could use a little spatula to pick up the soil blocks when needed. I’m considering doing this as well.

      I got these reclaimed cedar boxes from Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/listing/63660332/traditional-gardening-supply-seed

      I treated them with organic linseed oil. I don’t think the cedar will transmit disease, especially if you let them dry out between uses, which I will do. They’re not much more expensive that PermaNest Trays which is what I was considering, and I love that they’re not plastic and they’ll last forever being cedar.

      Reply to Susy's comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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