You really don't need to start lettuce indoors. You certainly can and some do, but even in my zone 5 I can sow lettuce outside now. The seed will just sit there (assuming no water run off to wash the seed away) until the time is right and then it germinates.

Onions are tricky from seed. You ideally want some decent grow lights and you want to start them about 3 months before they go outside. Onions are long day, short day and day neutral. This refers to what triggers them to form a bulb. You need the correct type for your area which in zone 7 is probably day neutral (but check at dixondale to be sure). If you have the wrong type they will still grow, but won't form much of a bulb.

Oddly, of the seeds you have it is the peas I would start inside. I find that the snow/sugar (any edible pod pea really) do not do at all well in the heat of late spring and they take their sweet time in my cool/cold early spring soil to germinate so I start them inside and transplant pretty much as soon as they germinate. Your mileage/climate may vary.

I agree. Of the seeds on your list it is the peas you should start. It is too late for onions from seed. You could try the Evergreen bunching but I'd just direct seed them and plan on picking them small for salads.

If you want to start something else in zone 7 it is broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage time. Good luck.

Dave

well shoot, I just can't win for losing.

Cabbage is the only one out of that list that I'd do, but I couldn't find any seed at Home Depot. Maybe I'll look at Lowes.

So I can direct seed Lettuce outside right now without the worry of covering it?

So I can direct seed Lettuce outside right now without the worry of covering it?

Yes, but there are a few caveats. You can literally sow lettuce seed on top of snow and it will survive and germinate in due season. As winter gives way to spring though rain/snow melt is common in many areas and this means running water, even in raised beds that aren't perfectly level. This can wash small seeds away or relocate them to where you did not want them.

Lettuce seed is definitely hardy enough to sow now, even in the north, but don't discount the affect spring rains/snow melt will have on relocating the seed.

In my zone 5 I generally sow lettuce seed in early April and wait awhile for it to germinate and get going. In your zone it might be sometime in March. Locals can tell you better than I can about the timing.

Yeah we direct seed lettuces Mar. 1st. Can you find some onion sets locally - the little bulbs? They have been available here for a couple of weeks. If so start them inside in individual cells and transplant them in a couple of weeks. Peas go in the ground same time if weather permits.

Seed potatoes? Plant them mid-February (Valentines Day) weather permitting. Want to do any peppers? Start seeds for them inside now as they need a good 10-12 weeks.

Home Depot must have been sold out of cabbage - big demand for it at this time here but Lowe's should have some. If not Walmart should.

Dave

"The problem is that I planted over 50 carrots last year direct in ground and didn't have a single one come up." How deep did you plant them? I used to have that problem, but once I quit covering them with anything other than a fine dusting of seed starting mix (or something equally as fine), that problem went away. I also water the bed very well before sowing so later watering can be finer and shorter in duration, thus less apt to wash them away which, as has been mentioned, is incredibly easy to do without even knowing it.

thanks for all the help.

I probably need to get some peppers and start indoors.

I have the cabbage and onion bulb that I can start indoors.

I probably did put the carrots a little too deep.

Hi Jason,

Plant the peas outside on Presidents day, and you can start spinach outside then as well. As far as starting seed indoors, I would wait until March.

I had always read that carrots should not be transplanted, but seeded directly out. I have not had much luck. Lately I have read alot from people who start carrots inside and have great success with it. Seems that the short, ball type work better for this than the long type. I think that you should try doing a search on "transplanting carrots" read some of the reasons people think it worked or did not and then make your decision. You could alway try a few each way and see which works.

As for lettuce I start my first batch of lettuce inside about 7 wks before last frost to be planted out about 4 wks after.

I also plant onion seeds inside about 10 wks before last frost to go out at same time as first lettuce.

I always wait to plant tomatoes and peppers until 6-7 wks before last frost, any longer and they get very leggy if they can not get out for a couple extra wks, even with putting them under light.

Good gardening, Mary