What happens when you realize you are about a month behind for seed starting?
Do you give up? Hopefully, the answer is NO!
You still have plenty of time you just need to adjust what you are doing in your garden and prepare.
For my family, being a month behind means that we will need ‘starters’ this year. Instead of panicking like I normally do I just pulled out my journal, the trusty Farmer’s Almanac, plus a pencil and ruler to get started. After reviewing our needs for the year, I checked out my seed stash and headed to our local Tractor Supply Company. As you get to know me, you will realize that TSC is one of my all-time favorite stores. I even wear some of their merch, LOL!
Being a month behind means…
- I will not be able to start onions from seeds this year for the spring.
- I can try again for late summer into early fall for a second harvest, but only time will tell with that one.
- That is why I bought $6 worth of onion sets to plant this year. If they do well, I’ll be up to my ears in onions and have plenty to share with my neighbors and friends.
Mind you, if you’ve never purchased onion sets – there are about 100 starter sets per bag. So even if only half work, I’m still going to be swimming in onions.
I want to take a moment and stress something. If you purchase starters or sets and have never saved a seed in your life, don’t let that stop you from trying. In the gardening community, there is a lot of shame often put on people about purchasing starters and not starting everything from seed. But if you are new to gardening or even a seasoned veteran, no one should ever feel shame in purchasing sets and starters. We all need a little help sometimes, but I digress.
If I want to plant brassicas (the scientific term for dark greens like broccoli, cauliflower, mustards, and cabbages), I will need to get starters from a local nursery. For Maryland, those should be coming in by mid-March. That’s when we will be ready to transplant anyway, so I should be okay.
The reason I want to have a spring planting of broccoli and brussels sprouts is that my fall crop was decimated by cabbage moths last year. Those cute little white moths that fly around in late summer and fall were downright mean! This year I will have to plan better and get bug netting to protect my plants.
So, a huge thank you to my favorite store for always having what I need for my garden!
Making do with what we have is the point of long-term sustainability in our home. So, stick around for our backyard adventures AND never give up, there is always more than one way to accomplish something. 😉👍
NOTE: There is currently no affiliation with Tractor Supply Company or Farmers Almanac. These are just 2 things I love and find to be incredibly useful in my own sustainable journey.