Every spring I order hundreds of annual, perennial and vegetable seed packets. Over the years I have devised an easy way to file these so the seeds are planted at the correct time. Shoe boxes or saltine cracker boxes make perfect "file cabinets" and white envelopes, cut in half work for the dividers. Label the dividers as follows: "14 weeks," "12 weeks," "10 weeks," "8 Weeks," "6 weeks," "4 Weeks," "2 weeks," "Plant Direct Cool," "Plant Direct Warm,". As your seeds arrive, check the back of the packet to see how many days it takes to grow the seeds before the seedlings can be planted out. For example directions on Thompson and Morgan sunflower seed packets recommend that the seeds be sown outside where they are to grow. That’s fine if you want a row of sunflowers in the vegetable garden but I like to sow sunflowers in band pots and spot them through my perennial gardens. Looking under sunflowers in Parks Culture Guide I find these instructions-"For earlier bloom, sow 2-3 weeks before the last frost".  The sunflower packet is filed behind the divider marked "May 29-2 weeks". See the table below.
 

March 6	March 20	April 3	April 17	May 1	May 15	May 29	Plant direct cool	Plant direct warm
14 weeks	12 weeks	10 weeks	8 weeks	6 weeks	4        weeks	2 weeks
Leeks	Parsley	Carnation	Snaps	Godetia		Basil	Beets	beans
Broccoli	Broccoli	Scabiosa	Nasturtium	Candytuft	Zinnea	Lettuce	Radish	Corn
pansy	Stocks	Lavender	Petunia	Dianthus	Lobelia	marigold	Carrots	Squash
Eggplant	Statice	Tomato	Onions	Tithonia	Dahlia	sunflower	Peas	Sunflower
Peppers	Aster	Annual  Phlox	red cabbage Nolana	cucumbers		Coleus	leeks	Strawflower
Cauliflower	Nicotiana	Impatiens	Alyssum	Helchysum		Morning Glory	5/10 Brussel	Canterbury Bell
Torenia			Amaranthus	Four o'clock			Sprouts
Salpiglossis			Cleome

     These labels refer to the number of weeks each type of seed takes to grow before the last frost date in your area.. The backs of most seed packets have this info-if they don’t, get a copy of Park’s Seed catalog and refer to the Index, Germination and Culture Guide in the center of the catalog.
     Here at the nursery on the North Bench, I figure the last killing frost in the Spring to be around June 6^th . This can vary depending on the year and location. Last summer there was frost on July Fourth! Customers who garden in cold pockets like Curly Creek, Montana line, Coplands, Port Hill and Highland Flats can experience frost later than June 6^th. Look at the mountains-if there is still snow expect more frost.

     An easy way to sow seeds is to use 2 ¼" square plastic pots and plant one variety of seed in each pot. Fill the pots two thirds full with moist, sterile potting soil (Metro Mix or any peat and perlite mix). Top up with around one inch of vermiculite, it should come to ¼ inch below the rim of the pot. Put a label in the pot and sow the seeds as follows: sprinkle small seeds like snapdragons and petunias on the surface and water; place larger seeds like pansies, salvia and stocks on the surface and stir slightly to bury them, then water.  Place large seeds like tomato lupine hollyhock and marigold on the surface and cover with a thin layer of vermiculite and water. Place the pots in shallow plastic trays, water and cover with a clear plastic dome lid, plastic wrap or polystyrene. The covering insures a humid atmosphere essential for seed germination.

     Some seeds require darkness to germinate, while others require light.  The clear plastic cover is good for light lovers while a towel works for those that require dark. Bottom heat is nice if you have it, however it is not required. This time of year I germinate most of my seeds by placing the trays by a sunny window in a room with 68 to 70 degree temperatures during the day and 55-60 degrees at night. Peppers require extra warmth-a friend of mine places hers in the warming oven of her cook stove. Another friend places her seeds trays on top of the refrigerator-always a nice warm place.   I use a heating pad set at 75 degrees.

     Remove each pot (variety) of seed as it germinates and place it six inches below grow lights. Since each variety of seed is in a different pot there is no need to disturb seeds that haven’t germinated.

     A 2 ¼ pot of snaps may have 25-50 seedlings. When their seed leaves are fully expanded and the plants are easy to handle (in about 6 weeks) , turn the pot on its side, tap the edge of the pot on a hard surface to dislodge the media and the plants. Do not attempt to dig out the seedlings while they are in the pot. With the entire contents of the empty pot in front of you, gently separate the seedlings and move them into separate pots or into flats.

Happy gardening

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