February Seed Starting Activities

Here’s a quick update on some of my recent seed starting activities. The parsley I sowed early in February is up and ready to be potted up into individual containers. Parsley can sometimes take a while to germinate, but these were all up in just over a week. I’m growing all flat leaf types this year, including Splendid, Cilician and Einfach Schnitt 3. We use a lot of parsley here, and I try and have some growing year round. Currently I have several plants out in the greenhouse, plus a couple more inside in containers. These will all bolt to flower come spring so I need to have plants ready to replace them.

parsley seedlings

The lettuce and arugula I started in a 128 cell plug tray last week is coming up nicely. I’ll thin it in about another week or so. I’ll let these grow for another couple of weeks before I start planting them out in the cold frame bed and greenhouse, weather permitting.

lettuce seedlings in plug tray

I also started some eggplant that is destined to go in containers. Those are up and also will need to be potted up in individual containers as soon as the true leaves are showing. I can already see the leaves forming so it won’t be long! I’m growing Fairy Tale and Patio Baby, two AAS Winners that do great in containers and should give us an early taste of this heat-loving veggie. Last year I was harvesting the first ones in early June, a full month before the ones planted in the ground started fruiting. I’ll start the rest of the eggplants for the main garden next month.

eggplant seedlings

Next on my to-do list is to start some Wave petunia seeds. I always plant quite a few of these in containers where they will give us color all summer long. It’s also time to start the spring broccoli, cabbage and kohlrabi, which I will sow in 72 cell plug flats. I hope you have enjoyed today’s update and I’ll be back soon with more happenings!