• Home
  • ABOUT
  • VIDEOS
  • MY GARDEN
  • Contact

The Impatient Gardener

Garden

THIS YEAR’S MASTER SEED LIST

March 15, 2017

Since I started growing plants from seeds in earnest a few years ago the amount of plants I produce has increased almost exponentially. That is only problematic from a space standpoint. I plant or have homes waiting for all of the plants so none go to waste and I think my garden is better because of this exercise.

Tiny basil seedlings pop up giving hope for delicious herbs to come.  A few days past this stage I’ll thin out two seedlings so just one is left in each soil block or cell.
 

Last year, as I spent every day after work tending to plants, watering, moving trays, transferring things from the growing area in the house to the temporary greenhouse I set up to grow on and harden off plants I swore I wouldn’t grow so much from seed. You can guess how that turned out.

This year I’m growing more different plants than ever from seed, and an increasingly large number of flowers. I’m trying to limit the amount of each thing I grow (I don’t really need 15 parsley plants) and made a conscious effort to add flowers that can easily be direct sown.

Here’s what I’m growing from seed this year (links take you to the specific seeds I ordered):

Baby nasturtiums
 

VEGETABLES

  • Peppers *
  • Tomatoes (multiple varieties from several sources)
  • Eggplant
  • Kale
  • Cucumbers (multiple varieties, multiple sources)
  • Lettuce (multiple varieties, multiple sources)
  • Peas
  • Arugula
  • Carrots (maybe)
HERBS
  • Parsley
  • Basil (multiple varieties)
FLOWERS/ORNAMENTAL
  • Iceland poppies
  • Foxglove
  • Asclepsias
  • Gomphrena
  • Ageratum
  • Castor beans
  • Nicotiana
  • Calendula
  • Sweet Peas (multiple varieties)
  • Ammi
  • Night phlox
  • Zinnias (multiple varieties)
  • Lobelia
  • Nasturtiums (multiple varieties)
  • Spanish flag
  • Flax
  • Cosmos
  • Amaranth
  • Signet marigold
  • Verbena bonariensis
  • Plectranthus
* Some seeds from Renee’s Garden Seeds were given to me free as part of a garden writers trial program.

When you’re starting that many things from seed (and trust me, seeing the list in print makes me realize I’ve really gone overboard this year), you need a plan. And that’s where my geek flag starts flying. I’m not a big spreadsheet person, but it’s the only way I’ve figured to efficiently manage this seed-starting operation. I keep it pretty simple, using a combination of information from the back of seed packets, Annuals and Tender Plants for North American Gardens by Wayne Winterrowd (out of print but I found a used copy on Amazon) and online resources including Margaret Roach’s seed starting calculator. 

 
Plants grown in soil blocks are ready to pot on or transplant when the roots are coming out the sides.
 

When I get a seed starting date (X number of weeks before the last frost), I count back from what I think will be our last frost. That part is a bit of a guessing game, but because in general things have been warmer than usual here (well they were until we got a foot of snow this week), I used the 50% frost free date, meaning based on past data, there is a 50-50 chance the risk of frost has passed for the year. This year that date is May 14.

 

Once I figure out dates, I include notes on germination requirements, how to plant the seeds, germination time and anything else that’s necessary to know for the seed starting portion of growing. That way I don’t have to look up each thing when I’m planting. Here’s a copy of my spreadsheet that you can download. Keep in mind this isn’t anything fancy and all of the timing is based on my frost free date of May 14. You’ll have to adjust it for your date. 
 
I use large rolling shelving to start seeds on, making it easy to adjust the height of lights. In the off season the rack serves as storage in the basement.
 

For more information on how I start seeds, check out these articles:

  • How to start seeds in soil blocks
  • 5 steps to growing great plants from seed
  • 5 flowers that are dead simple to grow from seed
  • The one vegetable you must grow this year
What are you growing from seed this year?
flowers herbs links seed starting seeds vegetables
by Erin @ The Impatient Gardener 
7 Comments

About Erin @ The Impatient Gardener

View all posts by Erin @ The Impatient Gardener

Related Posts

  • Breakout dahliaThe dahlias you need for however you’re growing
  • group of dahliasMy top 5 dahlias (for now)
  • pink nicotiana flowers backlit during the golden hourThe best (and worst) new seed-grown annuals
  • Three nicotiana flowersMy brief but thrilling brush with plant breeding
previous post: THE SHRUB QUEEN
next post: FINDING A FOCAL POINT

Comments

  1. Ms. Wis./Each Little World says: March 16, 2017 at 2:03 am

    This is so amazing; I am in awe. What kind of foxgloves, unusual color etc.?

    Reply
  2. Kathryn Goldman says: March 16, 2017 at 12:21 pm

    I must disagree with you on the number of parsley plants you need. Fifteen seems perfectly reasonable. I use them as a border plant along the walkways in my vegetable garden. Because they are biennials, there's fresh green in the early spring.

    Another border-type flower I like is the gem marigold series. Lovely scent with bug repellent properties. I start them from seed because you can't find them in nurseries. Also, I need at least two dozen plants to line the borders and that runs into money.

    Let the season begin.

    Reply
  3. Lisa Greenbow says: March 16, 2017 at 1:18 pm

    I wish I had room for this big rollaway shelving. I just don't have room for such a thing. My windows are taken up with plants I over winter. I am jealous of all of these plants. Your garden will be full of color and food this year. Well done.

    Reply
  4. rusty duck says: March 16, 2017 at 2:05 pm

    Wow. I am exhausted just thinking about this. Having said that I've bought flower seed on a scale I've never done before. I am paring back on veg though. The critters eat more than me and it's becoming a fruitless exercise.

    Reply
  5. Kathy O'Gara says: March 16, 2017 at 3:06 pm

    I have the same seed starting set-up, only mine isn't on wheels. Mine is plain old shop lights and shelving from Menards. I really enjoy your blog. I'm in western Wisconsin, so we have pretty much the same climate. Keep up the great work!

    Reply
  6. Casa Mariposa says: March 19, 2017 at 12:11 am

    I'm growing loads of plants from seed, too. 49 different varieties! Ammi has a long tap root and hates to be disturbed so I grow mine in extra tall drink cups. They stay in the cups until I'm ready to move them into the garden. Gomphrena germinates best if you just surface sow the seeds and keep the soil warm with a heat mat. I grow it every year. :o) Good luck!!

    Reply

Leave Your Comments Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About

The Impatient Gardener

Do you love gardening? Me too! I'm Erin and I garden in Southeastern Wisconsin, zone 5. The Impatient Gardener is all about real-life gardening: the good parts, the bad bits and even the funny stuff. It's part information, part inspiration and a little bit commiseration. Thanks for visiting.

Here's some more about me.

CONNECT

Winner

Garden Comm award

MY FAVORITE GEAR

https://www.amazon.com/shop/impatientgardener

Instagram

Have I mentioned that Hydrangea serrata is trying very hard to become my favorite hydrangea? This is @pwcolorchoice Tiny Tuff Stuff and I do treat the soil to try to blue it up. This gradient effect was nothing I intended but I just loved how it turned out. Hardy, small in stature, beautiful blooms, it really does tick a lot of boxes. 

#tinytuffstuff #mountainhydrangea #hydrangeaserrata
My pre-sprouting sweet peas are already starting to presprout, which means bouquets like this are in the cards once again. I’m working on a sweet pea growing guide. I know some of you are way ahead of me but I’ll try to cover all the things so even if you’ve already got them going it may help. Side note: Damn that’s a pretty little bouquet. 

#sweetpeas #lathyrusodoratus #growyourownflowers
I’m really determined to have a good rose year. I go back and forth on having these in the garden. No matter what anyone else says, I do find them to be more work than other plants in our climate. But then I see this (Alnwick rose) and I get all melty and think, “Yep, totally worth it.”

#davidaustinroses #alnwickrose
A year ago today (sort of ... it was Feb. 29) we were fortunate to have @fergusmustafasabrigarrett and @nickmccland come to Wisconsin to talk gardening and drink old-fashioneds. I think it was the last big event for most of us. At least we locked down on a good note.

Follow me

SEARCH

Popular posts

  • 2 ways to plant dahlias
  • Raised bed garden construction part 3: Staining and sealing
  • HOW TO POT UP DAHLIAS FOR A JUMP ON SUMMER
  • HOW TO CHOOSE A MEMORIAL TREE

Find us on Facebook

Archives

  • ABOUT
  • TALK TO ME
  • TERMS & DISCLAIMERS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Home

STAY UPDATED

Copyright © 2021 · Prima Donna theme by Georgia Lou Studios

Copyright 2009-2021 ©The Impatient Gardener