Redwood Seeds Planting Guide

Start these 6-8 weeks before the last frost date indoors or in a greenhouse. This family of plants need soil temps of 60-85 F to germinate. They will really pop out of the ground around 75-80 F. If your home is not that warm consider using a heat mat with thermostat. This provides bottom heat which improves germination.

Source a quality potting or seeding soil mix. Bury small seeds by about 1/8 inch and keep moist. Seedlings will need direct light as soon as they germinate or will become leggy and weak. Depending on how big your initial container is you may need to pot them up before putting into garden beds. Transplant outdoors after frost danger has passed at about 2 ft spacing.

Depending on your climate you can plant peas in the fall or spring. These can be started in trays or directly sowed in the ground. Cover by 1/2 inch. If you start in trays be sure to transplant when they are only 2 inches tall or they may become stunted. They will germinate in soil temps of 40-75 F. Peas planted in the fall and overwintered will have a head start on pea production. Peas are light frost tolerant but hard frosts will kill them. Peas can also be used as a cover crop to fix nitrogen from the air into the soil. To use this way they should be tilled into the soil during flowering.

Plant beans directly in the garden once danger of frost has passed. They tolerate a soil range of 60-95 F and will generally germinate in 4-8 days. Plant them twice as deep as they are thick. If the soil is too cool, bean seeds can rot in the ground so wait until it is truly warm. Birds also love eating sprouting beans. If you have this problem you may want to start them in trays two weeks before planting or cover with row cover as they germinate.

Snap beans are eaten fresh and dry beans are harvested when the seeds mature and the pods dry. Many beans are dual purpose and can be eaten fresh when pods are green and left to mature for seeds.

For big heads of lettuce it is best to start lettuce using six packs or 50-100 cell trays. Fill with seed starting soil mix and plant 1-3 seeds per cell. Water in and cover lightly with soil mix, about 1/8 inch. Seeds should germinate in 5-10 days depending on temps. You can thin each cell to one plant or leave small clusters. Transplant when leaves are about 2 inches tall with 6-12 inch spacing between plants.

To germinate in the field, prepare the seed bed and plant in rows made with the fingers or sprinkle plant. Cover seeds in rows lightly or gently rake in sprinkled seed. Keep seed bed evenly moist. You will harvest a lot of baby greens using this method and will need to thin for large heads.

Most brassicas will germinate very easily in the field or greenhouse. To start in trays cover by 1/8 inch seed starting mix. Brassicas germinate well in cool fall and spring weather, 40-80 F. Transplant when seedlings have their first true leaves and are about 2 inches tall. Plants like cabbage and broccoli need large spacing at 18-24 inches while mustards and arugula will do fine at 6 inches.

To start in field draw shallow trench, 1⁄2 inch, with the blade of hand or a stick. Sprinkle seed in trench and lightly cover by no more than 1⁄4 inch. Keep seedbed moist and protected from birds! For large plants like kale, broccoli, etc you will need to thin to achieve at least an eight inch spacing.

These instructions apply to all squash, cucumbers and melons. In most climates these crops can be direct seeded in the garden after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to 70-90 F. Plant seeds 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep depending on size. The larger the seed, the deeper you want to plant. We plant our seeds in three foot wide beds.

If you want to get a jump on the season or your season is short, start these seeds in the greenhouse, under lights or outdoors. Beware, they grow quickly and you only need to start them 2-3 weeks before your transplant date. Cucumbers can be spaced 6 inches apart. Keep cucumber picked often to encourage more fruiting. Melons 12 -18 inches and squash 18-24 inches. Watermelon are ready to eat when the curly que at the stem end dries up. Allow winter squash to stay on vines as long as possible then store in a cool dry location for winter eating. Winter squash is ready for storage when your fingernail cannot easily puncture the rind.

Many medicinal herbs have very small seed. We fill trays with a good potting soil and sprinkle the seed on the soil. For very small seed such as nettle, do not cover, just water in. The seed will settle and be covered with the watering. Keep trays moist and be patient. Some herb seed can take up to 3 weeks or longer to germinate. Allow small seedling to grow then prick out the best plants and transplant into 4 inch pots. When they have reached a good size move to their permanent garden location.

Cilantro loves cool weather. Start in fall and allow to grow all winter and spring. It will go to seed in hot weather. Save seed to replant. It can also be planted in succession during the spring.

Dill and parsley are biennials that will overwinter in many climates. Direct sow or start in trays for transplant

Basil is a warm season annual. Direct sow in the field or transplant. Start small seeds in trays of seed starting mix and transplant to 8 inch spacing when 2 inches tall. Cut often to encourage new leaf growth.

Be sure soil is about 80 F before planting corn seed. Corn seed is very prone to rotting in the ground if soil temps are too low or a rain storm comes through with cool weather. Sow seed 1/2 -3/4 inch deep in well amended soil. Corn thrives with high nitrogen. Final plant spacing should be about 1 ft apart. You may want to seed closer together and thin the plants to ensure you have a good patch.

Corn can also be started in 1-2 inch cells and transplanted when about 2 inches tall. This method conserves seed and allows for adequate spacing.

Allow flour corn to dry on plant and harvest sweet corn when it is ripe. Ripeness can be judged by the silks drying or by peeling back the husk to have a peek! For sweet corn, plant in succession to have a steady supply of corn. Corn will cross pollinate easily so if you wish to save pure seed you will need to separate from other varieties by at least 1⁄4 mile.

Quinoa and Amaranth do best when started in trays and transplanted to proper spacing of 8 inches to 1 ft. Start 2-3 weeks before last frost date and transplant to field.

Sesame does well direct seeded when soil is above 80 F or start in cells and transplant to 12 inches.

Wheat can be direct seeded in the fall to overwinter as a winter grass. It will start setting seed in the spring and be ready to harvest in the summer.

Summer flowers are best started about 3-4 weeks before transplant time. Many flowers like zinnia, cosmos and marigold will grow rapidly as seedlings so no need to start them too early. Use quality potting soil and plant in 1-4 inch cells. The smaller the cell the more quickly you will need to transplant. Cover seeds by 1/8-1/4 inch and expect germination in 5-10 days.

In general larger flowers need more space. Zinnia, marigold and cosmos all do well transplanted at 12-18 inch spacing.

cc