Now there’s a catchy title.  For transplants that will go into the ground during the second half of April, now is the time to plant those seeds into packs and start them growing.  However you decide to get them started is up to you.  For bigger seeds like Swiss Chard, I like to use a 6-cell pack filled with soil-less mix that has been moistened and firmed down but not just crammed down.  Into each cell, I place 2 seeds and after all the placement, I use a little “tool”, like a large cocktail toothpick or a pencil or a chopstick, to push the seed down about the depth of the seed.  I cover the seed and firm to make sure the the seed makes contact with the moist soil.  I, then, slip the pack into a loose plastic bag to keep it moist and place it somewhere warm and out of the direct light like the top of the fridge.  The moment I can see some green sprouting from the soil, I remove the bag and place the pack directly under the light for 16 hours per day. e.g. 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on your timer.  I’m talking 2”-3” from the light.  There should be no watering while the packs are in the plastic bags.  But once they are under the lights they should be monitored for moisture.  If possible, place them in a bigger container filled with water and let them drink up the water from below.

So, you can see from the chart below that the vegetables to start right now are:  Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, Endive, Radicchio and Swiss Chard.  Honestly, Swiss Chard always does better for me as a transplant.  Notice that Potatoes are marked as being planted from a transplant.  That means they are planted from a “seed” potato.  These may be purchased from several of the catalogs that I have suggested.

The half-hardy vegetables that are direct seeded during the second half of April should now be put in a second manila envelope marked HALF-HARDY.

HALF-HARDY

APRIL 16-30

Beets                       D         S

Brussels Sprouts        T     M

Carrot                D        C

Cauliflower        T        M

Chinese Cabbage        T     M

Endive                 T       L

Potatoes          T       N

Radicchio          T       L

Swiss Chard        D or T     S

T=Transplant

D=Direct seed

Key to Families

M=Mustard

L=Lettuce

O=Onion

B=Bean

S=Spinach

C=Carrot

N=Nightshade