When to Start Seeds Indoors

Knowing and understanding when to start seeds indoors can help ensure gardening success. Gardener Scott discusses why to start seeds indoors and when to start seeds. To start seeds you should know your last frost date and then check the seed packet for recommended sowing time. With a calendar it becomes a simple matter of choosing the best seed starting date. In this video, Gardener Scott also discusses which plants are best to start indoors and which plants you should never start inside.
Learn more about your last frost date: • Video
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[@jeanenviedapprendre]

I appreciate how you explain why you take certain steps instead of offering blind instructions. I'm in zone 9, so the specifics almost never apply, but understanding the PURPOSE of common instructions helps me discern what the plants may need. I'm hoping for some modest success starting a garden later this year.

[@Playingwith3D]

I grew up on a farm and my dad and mom knew all this stuff, so I took it for granted. Now all these years later I find myself on you tube researching stuff I should already know.

[@iowanne]

perfect explanation on when to start your seeds indoors. Gardener Scott, your videos are so helpful! Thank you!

[@GardenerScott]

You're very welcome. I'm so glad you enjoy them.

[@sibylc2908]

I follow a lot of YT gardening channels and I love them all for various reasons, but your videos are hands down the best, most informative ones out there. The information you provide is always thorough and clearly explained. You are an excellent teacher!

[@GardenerScott]

Thank you very much.

[@pacog6866]

Very useful information Thanks Scott

[@susanneziebarth8379]

So easy and concise as to planting seed starts for spring gardening.

[@idahohoosier8989]

Thank y'all. Many blessings, julie

[@user-rq8og7mm9f]

What a great educational program! I've got my calendar set up. Now I need to figure how many flats for space and lighting needed.

[@landomilknhoney]

Planting Sorghum for the first time. Also some Hemp. Advice greatly appreciated. TIA

[@CharliePFoogo]

What an awesome video. Totally informational and fun to watch. Thanks for posting!

[@francesbatycki404]

Glad to see you using the calendar from such a great organization! ❤️❤️

[@apreju7298]

I saw this post a few months ago and have your list in my gardening notebook. Planned what, where, etc. Shop lights, shelving, mylar drape, seeds, et al. Ready and waiting!! Thank you so much for a great, informative channel/post.

[@Opalvet]

Where’s is this list please?

[@queenSummerKeli]

You are such a great teacher!!! Thank you again!!

[@mrhulbs7660]

Doing our very first garden with raised beds made from old fallen trees. Excited to start some indoors. We’ve just started some tomatoes indoors! Going to try and grow several greens this year!

[@dianekulback2430]

Oh my goodness. This was the best video on starting seeds from indoors! Understanding warm and cold season plants really explains how to determine seed starts. Also loved the calendar idea.

[@bc24roxy4]

going to start tomatoes and peppers indoors for spring garden.Great information thank you

[@goupigoupi6953]

My growing season is a little longer, zone 6B here. I give them all 1-2 weeks delay, better to start a bit late and be almost sure about good temperatures than to rush.

[@keniabalquier3172]

Thank you , Gardener Scott, I am excited for my first official beds.

[@edsauer2889]

Nothing unusual for my starts Scott: 4 tomato types (Brandy, Gold Medal, Hungarian Heart & Arkansas Traveler) and 3 peppers (Cubanelle, Dulce de Espana & Sweet Banana). I'm thinking of putting in the Egyptian Walking Onion sets very soon.....I've been propagating & growing these for scallions from my Grandfather's stock for going on 30 years. My Pop-Pop lives on in my garden every year. Your channel is one of my favorites. Thanks for all of the interesting info.

[@GardenerScott]

Thank you, Ed. I particularly appreciate the thought of your Pop-Pop living on. That's how I like to garden, by making and preserving memories. Sounds like you're off to a great start to the gardening year. Enjoy it!

[@strongstyleorganics4868]

I got into gardening and small scale farming a few years ago. I would have saved alot of time and money if i had found your channel first!

[@arndpelzer1227]

Valuable information about correct timings for seeds and keeping track with calender. Thanks, Scott.

[@florinnegru8104]

These are the most clear and needed informations that I`ve received about seeds ! Thank you so much !!!

[@GardenerScott]

You're very welcome.

[@VeganQueenV]

I love this guy!

[@bgrinner]

Excellent teacher for a beginner.

[@Bryan-or2wf]

Awesome! I do a lot of gardening and hold a graduate certification in extension from Auburn University and a Masters in Agricultural Leadership. Your a true inspiration and motivation for us all. My little boy and oldest daughter just seeded butter crunch lettuce and beets today, after building hoops. It is going into the low 20's soon. But they, as do I, enjoy being a part of gardening. I cannot tell you enough how much you help others gardener Scott!

[@GardenerScott]

Thank you so much. I'm so glad to hear your children are involved in gardening -- thank you for that!

[@bkerr1]

Good advice! I started late this year. 2021 will be better planned!

[@ritasenergyherbs3650]

This IS the video I needed...going to start seeds this year. Inherited my mother's plant stand that has a grow light at each level. I just figured out I am at 8 wks out from the last (spring) frost date.

[@ginajust-me2445]

I live in Missouri I use baker Creek seeds too. I'd like to start tomatoes indoors first. This year.

[@abnercorpuz7164]

Thanks for sharing,big help for me coz I’m a starter gardener,👍

[@ingekaivola4685]

I tend to start earlier than I probably should! Zone 5 and I have started onion seeds and several peppers, also have started oregano. Thanks for the video!

[@GardenerScott]

Hi, Enge. You will probably be okay. The onions take a long time to grow and transplant well even when they're big; I started some onions this week. Oregano is also a bit slow to grow big and transplants well. It is a bit early to start the peppers, but plan to transplant into bigger pots as they grow. I've started a few for my zone 5 garden too. I plan to put them in Wall O' Waters and under plastic hoophouses so I can get them out early this year.

[@boblevey]

This is very helpful!

[@buzzyanderson4131]

So well done

[@floridasaltlife]

Really enjoy you kind and personal candor. You are of high caliber people. :)

[@theaquaticexperience6135]

I live in southern Arizona. I have a year round growing season. So I rarely start indoors, but carrots. For some reason I can't get them to germinate outside. I found I can get them to grow straight if I start them inside and transplant them outside as soon as they germinate. I use a step up tray rather then a start tray. As soon as they break the ground I put them in the ground. I learned that if I wait even a few days my carrots come out looking like hands, but if i get them in the ground the day they break ground they grow like normal. Same with turnips, radishes, and parsnips but potatoes must be direct sown even here.

[@kimberlycowger9909]

This is an awesome video! I'm glad I saw this now, not next spring when it would be too late to start planning!

[@ednak1965]

Thank you so much Scott. I had been looking for someone to explain this process in a clear way and you did that so easily.. Thank you!

[@nataliaf8517]

Gardener Scott you’re very informative and on point. Love your channel.

[@amypage8141]

This video was exactly what I was looking for! Thank you for sharing. I can’t wait to get started!

[@OurCrazyGypsyLife]

So glad I found your channel! I’m in zone 6b at 7000’ elevation. Starting my first garden this year. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers to name a few. I’m sure I will have lots of challenges ahead. Wish me luck! 😊

[@GardenerScott]

You can do it!

[@dr.masque2903]

Well this video saved me some mistakes. Starting my seeds for the first time and was going to start anything and everything. I ended up doing just tomatoes, onions, broccoli, peppers and some others. Thanks!

[@markpnw8745]

Trying something new this year, growing in buckets (in doors). Then more to the greenhouse and eventually outdoors. Just can't wait. Winter experiment.

[@rachelfitch2517]

THANK YOU SO MUCH! NEW GARDENER HERE AND KNOWING WHEN AND WHERE TO START MY SEEDS IS SO USEFUL

[@heatherkarow8399]

Thank you for the easy explanation! I appreciate it! Love learning from you!

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks, Heather.

[@fishtailfred8686]

Wish I had seen this video last year, it would have saved me several hours..Oh well, Thanks for making the video.

[@georgez234]

I start lettuce indoors very densly in 10-12 in pots in February , long before the last frost here in southeast Virginia. A lot of varieties especially Romaine and Mesculun. I move them outside in March and they really take off. Right now I have some almost a foot tall.

[@elainethepain9418]

I learn so much from you... thank you for your videos!

[@thinkathena2]

Very thorough! Thank you for this, very clear and concise. It makes so much sense to mark it on a calendar :)

[@redredwine1277]

Awesome❗clearly explained and illustrated. Thanks for sharing🌹

[@soniamarshall9293]

Thanks, great planning, I needed this information.

[@atulpatel2850]

Awesome planning! Thank you.

[@saxpoobielex7769]

Thankyou, I learned alot and was able to organize better.

[@xuyahfish]

I started 1 potato inside in a 10 gallon container & then the other outside. The 1 from the container had a head start & transplanted great! It grew better all season long. Ended up decimated by chipmunks but ....

[@Tea-dm4ke]

Just found your channel today and super excited to try some new ideas and methods!

[@smhollanshead]

I’ve started beans indoors in 20 once solo cups with good success. It’s a way of getting a jump start on your beans. Beans do mot the cold. You can start your beans indoors 10 days to two weeks before the last frost date.

[@noelleparris9451]

This was super helpful, thank you! I am going to plan my seed starting today! 🤞🏽

[@jose_da_gymrat]

This helps sooo much!! Thank you! I’m in Zone 9A (Houston, TX). So this really clears it up for me. Luckily, we’ve a very long growing season here.

[@justjoan4010]

First time watching. I’m okay with electronic charts, but I still like a good hand written chart more. Great video.

[@momarino5984]

Excellent video Scott. Subscribed!

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks! Welcome to the channel.

[@rmoretz1]

Great info

[@genie6322]

In Thornton co. Just recently found your channel. So appreciate. Thank you.

[@bijipop]

I start my bush beans inside and it works much better than outside in central NJ.

[@paolomaggi8188]

Very enlightening and helpful video! thank you!

[@dn41287]

Just ordered my Mylar blankets today I never would have thought of using them

[@GardenerScott]

Glad to hear it!

[@judyhowell7075]

I’m so cheap I use aluminum foil

[@seanconnolly1372]

Gardener Scott.... you're the bees knees bra. Dig your approach,.... appreciate your advice. This will be my first go at sowing early seedlings and I have a feeling that this video will be my template. Cheers!

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks, Sean. Glad I can help. Enjoy every step in the process.

[@seanharris5592]

Love ur videos Scott! Been binging on them being new to the wonderful experience!

[@GardenerScott]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@leeannmillet8215]

THANK YOU SO, SO, much.

[@kengibbs3523]

Sounds good I'm in NJ get a good long season I believe this year I'm starting seed in a 50 gallon fish tank in peat pots to get the south facing window to get the greenhouse effect then when they get in green breaking seed soil /peatmoss then hook up my Grow lights an small fan with ventilation... Good luck !

[@jwstanley2645]

Thank you. Very Good.

[@Ontariogardener2022]

Luffa feb 2 zone 5 ont Canada 220 days from seed to sponge. Date on pkg is to consume it as a veg

[@hudson8865]

Thank you.

[@dustyflats3832]

Last year for first time I started squash, watermelon and pumpkin in a small pots outdoors because we sometimes have crazy late frosts. This allowed me to put in unheated greenhouse if frost threatens, but it also serves another purpose that the Western people don't have--The dreaded Vine Borer!! I'm trying to miss that life cycle date of the vine borer. It seemed to help, but needs perfecting as we still had to wrap stems in tin foil and do the dreaded surgery with Exacto knife and BT--Ugh! You have no idea how those blasted things can wreck a crop of squash. Nothing worse than observing wonderful robust squash plants and having that vine borer zipping around your squash. Makes you feel helpless as they can drill into a vine not only at the base (their 1st choice), but also down the stem. The eggs Are Very difficult to see and find.

[@darlenesgardenandhome]

Helpful as my last frost date is more or less the same as yours.

[@sherrimize3004]

Great video! I’m gonna use your method. But, I’m in the south so I have alittle more time before I need to start the stuff in door. Sherri from Alabama 😊🌻

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks! Enjoy it.

[@richardcranium8066]

Hello and good afternoon! I've been watching your channel for the past month and have learned so much! I feel I now know at least enough to start my garden. I just wanted to say thank you for all your content and knowledge and also for sharing it with the world @gardener scott

[@brittmyzone8agarden]

Thank you for the video . I’ll probably need to rewatch this again but you writing down the guide helped. I’m in zone 8a in Georgia and I’ve been trying to journal and plan . I went out to get the seed starting containers and mixes . Tried to google in different sites my last frost and work with a calendar to see when to start but idk if I’m just overwhelmed or clueless.... I’m still unsure that I have the timing right. I was thinking towards the end of this month should be right . Also I’m glad I watched your video because I was going to start my rutabaga and kohlrabi inside

[@seedsandsanity5525]

Just discovered your channel and am loving the educational videos!!! I’m learning so much and can’t wait to share it with others

[@GardenerScott]

That's wonderful. Thanks for letting me know.

[@dn41287]

Thanks Scott very informative this is going to help a great deal love your very informative videos

[@GardenerScott]

Thank you for the nice comment.

[@kengibbs3523]

Sounds good I'm in NJ get a good long season I believe this year I'm starting seed in a 50 gallon fish tank in peat pots to get the south facing window to get the greenhouse effect then when they get in green breaking seed soil /peatmoss then hook up my headlights an small fan with ventilation... Good luck !

[@GardenerScott]

That sounds like quite a setup, Ken. You have it figured out. Enjoy!

[@marilynmadelyn6819]

Thank you so much, I've learned so much!!

[@leonarddavis3684]

Thanks Scott, that will getting me going in a better direction than I was in my 1st year of gardening. I shot from the hip with mixed results.

[@GardenerScott]

Now you can shoot at a target, Leonard. Hope to hear about the better results you get this year.

[@leonarddavis3684]

@@GardenerScott A person in my area says she does not transplant until June 1st. Our average date is May 12th. I know I need to watch the weather, but if it is 3 weeks later am I going to be ok, or should I be thinking of pushing my start dates back. She says it is because she has lost a lot of plants.

[@GardenerScott]

Leonard, a lot of it depends on what plants you want to start inside. Cool season plants can handle a dip in temperature after transplanting, but the warm season plants will be damaged. Many Zone 5 gardeners, like us, have learned from experience that if you plant too close to the last frost date you run the risk of losing those warm season plants to a late freeze. I use June 1st as my target for transplanting most of my tomatoes and peppers for that reason. However, I do start some at the beginning of May using Wall O' Waters and I did a video on that kzbin.info/www/bejne/inyqXqSeiKaLa80 Season extenders like those and plastic hoophouses and cold frames can allow you to get plants in the ground with less worry about frost. If you don't use a season extender, it's probably better safe than sorry and plant later. Pushing back your start dates by a couple weeks may be wise for this year and then you can get a feel for what works best for you. Remember that recommended start dates are usually a range of weeks, so if tomatoes are 6-8 weeks before the last frost you can start your seeds 6 weeks before the last frost date and the plants will go in the ground at the 8-week point.

[@julesmbc]

Thank you for this :)

[@keynote9342]

I find that if you start herbs in flower pots and keep them off the ground and put them on your deck. You can start them indoors but you don't need to because they grow fast and will be ready way before any vegetable. Chives will come up year after year so put them where you don't till like in the corner of your garden or a separate spot. Also I don't pull the whole chive I cut the chives greens with scissors about 5 to 8 inches when they first sprout. This when they are tender If you let them grow longer they get woody and hard. when you cut the chives with scissors bring them in and cut them about one quarter inch and dry them at low temp in oven on a cookie sheet. They will shrink up and dry and you can store them in jars with lids. they will keep all year as long as you have a cap with a seal on it.

[@GardenerScott]

You're right. I have the same chives for three years now.

[@wross5961]

got me because it still feels like winter here in ohio with 32 degrees at night still in may 10th

[@judyhowell7075]

I’ve gotten ahead of myself on my tomatoes and a few flowers. Peppers in soil for hopefully planting later

[@GardenerScott]

Judy, use this as a good opportunity to see how it works with the plants you chose to start. And then modify as necessary for next year. :)

[@margaretdrake1978]

EXCELLENT

[@maryglidden2943]

Such a great, easy to follow video! It especially helped me since I live in Colorado and have the same zone so just copied your dates!!! LOL

[@yahushaismyshepherd1179]

I am in a short season cold climate so I have to start my corn early.

[@Rhodeislander]

Just what I needed, subbed.

[@GardenerScott]

Welcome to the channel, Bud. Glad to help.

[@christiensgarden3325]

❤️ your channel

[@sunnytian4551]

Thank you gardener Scott! Just what I need! Very helpful information!👍 Would you please tell me which planting zone are you at?

[@GardenerScott]

I'm in zone 5b

[@JimKat5646]

Thank you 3/12/2024

[@xoarama7817]

Great video, very informative

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks!

[@richardjosephnovak]

The Bob Ross of gardening.

[@mindyobidness9554]

When it's raining out side, first thing in the morning with coffee, when there's nothing else to do, anytime's a good time to start those cannabis seeds !

[@jeffd6540]

Thumbs Up! Where the calendar at. LOL!

[@eileentenenbaum1613]

Great explanation. Other than basil, are there any other herbs that I should start indoors?

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks. You can start just about all of them. I also start rosemary, thyme, tarragon, and sage inside because they take longer to grow.

[@trooper11c]

Gardener Scott, thanks so much for all your valuable knowledge. I live in south FL zone 10b and am wondering if you could do a video dedicated to starting seeds in trays outdoors/indoors for areas that have no frost or very little risk like my own. The real threat here is the heat, humidity, and summer rains. Thanks so much!

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks, Tyson. Good suggestion. I am planning a future video about starting seeds and growing in a greenhouse with those same conditions, but it will be awhile before it comes out. I'll see if I can put together a video later this year that discusses your concerns.

[@trooper11c]

@@GardenerScott thanks again!

[@StiffToshi]

Just started two Alaskan Purple Kushes, One Critical Purple Kush and a Wedding Cake for may.

[@dahv3370]

Kush is one hell of a vegetable!

[@SM-oy4lt]

Thank you Gardener Scott! I plan on marking my calendar soon. Do we need to account for an additional week to harden off the plants as well? Thanks for your advice. I love your videos!

[@GardenerScott]

Good question. I don't include the week of hardening off in the starting calculation.

[@michellediehl5485]

I'm new to the channel so let me first say, Thank you Gardener Scott. I've been doing my own thing for a while now, but now I am finally learning why some things have failed. The one veggie I like to grow is lettuce. Would you start that ahead of time? Oh, and I live in zone 6b.

[@GardenerScott]

Lettuce can be started ahead. I start a few lettuce indoors and then sow seeds at the same time I transplant them. That gives a steady supply for harvest.