Hi! I feel the same way. I need to see something growing.Some of my Cannas have already started to send up some shoots and I moved them under lights. I have way too many seeds to list that I'm going to start under lights but I'm waiting till late Feb or early March. Otherwise they are too big by the time it is ready to plant. The store I get my starting mix from hasn't put it out yet. I'll just have to be patient.

Copper, I agree with Cathy. You gotta wait. Try getting your hands dirty with WS. I'm starting Flat #3 tonight. It's wonderful (sigh).

Con.

Hi Copper Lilac:

I'm starting Pelagoriums under light next week, they took forever to get going and now they should be just right! Do you winter sow? Lots of fun getting dirty right now with that!!!

I've had tons of stuff started already! But, of course they are all perennials. Annuals are way too early yet. There were alot of seeds that needed a warm/cool/warm period first as well...Astrantia, Eryngium, and some of my bulb seeds(cyclamen and anemone). I found that starting in Dec. and Jan. for alot of perennials is very wise...I'll have bigger transplants in May..and for my plant sale(my exras!)

Have fun
michele

Hi Copper,
I'm still making lists of seed to order after digging thru all of the seed catalogs. Though we have alot of perennials I am a closet annual fan...shhhh...don't tell anyone! I usually start around 2000 annuals every year, they're fun to mass plant and also to incorporate into the perennial beds to extend the season. I can start 40 flats in our dining room on a plant stand my husband built--but this year I think I'm going to move the operation to the basement to conserve room in our very small house. Our yard is scheduled for a large garden walk for the Green Bay area in July and I need to get the annuals going a little earlier so they're actually blooming by then. Timing is everything with annuals, and I'm on the fence this year as to the best time to sow. Wish me luck, please. :-) Karen

Hello Wisconsin Gardeners, I'm an avid Minnesota gardener (hope you don't mind sharing info) with some questions about starting some perennial seeds indoors. I gathered lots of seed this fall from many types of lilies, daisies, etc. I would like to have a well established plant to set outside this spring as well as some vines such as morning glories, trumpet vines etc. that are growing like those found at the garden centers at planting time. When do I start these seeds so that the plants are so well developed? I have heard starting the plants too early- they become tall & leggy- what works for you?? Thanks for you help, Cleo

Hi Cleo,

The big difference that I see between perennial and annual seed is in the 'when and how many' category. I start all my seeds in 3-4" pots...when annuals germinate they seem to have a 'wave' of germination, but not necessarily so with perennial seed. Depending on what you are trying..those seedlings could come up in 4 days(for exm.) or you can hold those pots for a year and see germination occuring all along.

Yes, some perennials do come up in 'waves' too, but most of what I am starting I am consistently pricking out the seedlings over a length of time...that is why I've learned to start 'most' perennials early. And yes, with some perennials you can start too early(foxglove, foxglove, foxglove...trust me I know!). A great book on when to start(and when not to) to get to a certain size is 'Ball Perennial Manual' by Jim Nau...it is my favortie resource. It is a little pricey, but I wouldn't trade it away! But just remember, everyones conditions are different, and there is no substitute for trial and error...YOUR trial and error.

As for the morning glories...I started mine quite early here...the 1st week of April. And this worked out good for me. They really respond well to pinching off...very bushy, thick healthy plants...that were planted out the end of May for me here. I know if I had started later, they would have never been the plants they were. Just a note, they don't like to get chilly, so don't put them out too soon.

And finally, starting plants too early doesn't mean you will get tall and leggy plants. If those lights aren't close enough, that will give you leggy plants. It all depends on your set-up and the room you have. If plants get too tall for you...pinch them back...this will give you a healthy,bushy, many branched plant. Heck, take those cuttings and start some more! You'll soon find out which plants love this treatment and which plants don't. The only leggy plants that I have come up with are some of my cyclamen....and thats because they germinate in darkness and I missed the timing on them.

Experiment...don't be afraid....it is how we learn and how we ourselves grow.

Above all.....have fun

michele

Today is the first day of seed starting for me. I am going to start pansy, penta, datura (white), cardoon, downy leaf sage, lavender (Lady) and coleus. I actually slowed down last May long enough to jot down some notes on my seedlings. If they were too big or small I adjusted my start time. I am hoping this will help! Some of the plants I am starting a little early for a plant sale in May.
Linda

It's so hard to WAIT in Wisconsin! I started some annuals a few weeks ago, how long can I leave them under lights?

The plants tend to get too leggy and never make it if you plant them too early. Not sure when the perfect date to start annuals would be, but I'm aiming for near the end of March. I do have hosta seeds growing under lights right now, but they take a long time to mature.

Like Margo, I'll be waiting until late this month to start my indoor plants; tomatoes, peppers, basil, zukes and cukes. I started early March last year and had to leave the plants in their plastic cups way too long before planting them out, as I didn't have enough room to pot them up a size. It IS hard to wait, but WSing is helping ease the transition.

I just started a couple perennials yesterday inside (slow stuff), but most other things won't be for another 2 weeks and annuals I start throughout April.

My general rule of thumb is annuals 4-8 weeks before planting in the ground and perennials 8-12 weeks.

"Not sure when the perfect date to start annuals would be..."

It depends on the annual. Impatiens & petunias should be started late Feb. Coleus, melampodium, hellenium & alyssum can be started now, asters, zinnias, & celosia around Mar. 22 and verbena, cosmos and lavatera on Apr. 1.- Just to name a few. These dates seem to work well for plants under lights in SE Wis. (at least for me it has ;-))

tj

What kind of light, TJ?

I ask because as I read through this thread it occurs to me everyone starts plants weeks earlier than I do.

I use HID lighting and the plants are in front of a south facing patio door. That may be more light than most are giving their plants, but I want to make sure I am not missing something here.

I will start zinnias end of April, 4 weeks before a May 20th plant out date. When do y'all plant out warm weather stuff that won't take a frost?

Petunias I won't start until 6-8 weeks before May 20th.

Maybe everyone else sets stuff out earlier?

justaguy2-

If you are using HID lighting, then yes, you can wait. I use simple fluorescent lights with a 50-50 mix of warm and cool white in my basement which is 60 degrees right now. After germinating in a warmer part of the house, the seedlings grow pretty slow (but not leggy) in that environment. They have a healthy root system when I start to harden them off around May 10-15 (although it may be later this year if it doesn't stop snowing).

tj

Yeah, I hear you on the snow. Every time an inch melts, another one falls. Ridiculous I tell ya ;-)

Thanks for the feedback.

Hi y'all,
I have about 30 ws containers out and now have some more to do. I broke down and started the basil, peppers, eggplant and a few pansy's indoors. I also did some cobea that I got from elvis. Thanks Con I never had luck with them before from seed, but now I think I did them too early as they are 6" tall already. I put them in a bigger pot and I guess I'll just have to put some sticks in for support and keep repotting until I can at least get them in the greenhouse. I think they are pretty tender aren't they?
Catrina