Start Your Garden In the Dead of Winter

Believe it or not, February is a good time to start your garden -- even if there's a blizzard raging outside.

Instead of waiting until spring and purchasing plants, get a jump on your spring planting by germinating your seeds indoors while it is still too cold outside. Planting your garden from seed is economical, environmentally friendly and rewarding.

"Starting seeds indoors allows them to start life in a controlled environment, greatly increasing their chances when introduced to your backyard garden," said Martin Havrilla,  Marketing Manager for MasterGardening.com, a company that sells seeds online.

New tools

Germinating seeds indoors is easier than ever with seed germination trays, grow lights and heat mats, which add to the chances of success. Once seeds are large enough to be transplanted, it is best to transition them to a cold frame before being exposed to the elements completely. This hardening-off period in a cold frame will give young seedlings the greatest chance of survival.

Starting the garden from seed allows gardeners to control what comes in contact with their plants, fruits and vegetables, such as pesticides and fertilizers. Growing organic produce at home costs significantly less than buying it at the store.

Also, by eliminating the energy and fuel it takes for produce to travel from grower to grocer and finally consumer, food harvested from your garden is eco-friendly. Since the economic downturn, more consumers have expressed an interest in growing some of their own food partly to save money.

Bigger variety

An additional benefit of starting your garden from seed is the variety of seeds versus plants at a nursery.

"Seed retailers will have hundreds if not thousands of seed to choose from. You just can't get that type of selection at a nursery," said Havrilla.

Green thumb tips

Plants like southern exposure, so try to find a window where the pots and seed trays can receive direct sunlight. Cool white florescent bulbs can also help.

Pots need to be clean and have good drainage. If you are using a fiber or peat pot, soak it before adding soil. If you don't, the pot will draw moisture away from the soil.

Fill the pots or containers s to within 1/4 inch of the top with your potting mixture and rake the surface level. Go ahead and soak the soil before adding the seeds. Plant the seeds four times as deep as the seeds are wide. Water regularly and watch for spouts. Once the weather warms up and the last frost is past, you can transplant your plants outdoors.

Spring may seem like a long way off, but planning your garden now will save you a lot of time and money when spring planting begins.