It is the beginning of the 2010 garden season and it is time to start my first seeds in my SunPod Signature. The weather outside, though mild for this time of year is still wintery and as always it is a stretch to think of starting outside in the garden in January. The thing is that by the time April rolls around I am always so thankful that I did get started early because there is so much to do once the warmer weather comes, including planting out my new transplants.

Seeds need bottom heat and lights to thrive at this time of year. The Pod creates a moist warm environment for the seeds and seedlings and nurtures and protects them from the winter rain and wind. Starting seeds in a greenhouse or mini greenhouse using only bottom heat (not other heaters and fans) produces stout instead of leggy seedlings because the air above the flats remains cooler. This is far better than starting seedlings under lights indoors. Seedlings started under lights in a warm, inside room tend to grow more quickly (which often results in weak and leggy seedlings) and it is hard to keep them moist enough. Weak plants are more prone to insect invasions and bacterial infections.

It is possible to start most cold-tolerant herbs and vegetables at this time. Always look at the recommendations on the seed package and then plan how you will transplant out to your greenhouse to grow on until the ground has warmed up. Timing and organization really matter at this stage.
I have chosen container vegetable varieties for my first seeding. Container varieties are generally smaller than their garden counterparts, come to maturity faster and are often harvested for baby vegetables. I plan to transplant my vegetable seedlings into containers and place them back inside the Pods to enjoy early harvests. I will be starting my full size greenhouse soon to begin many more varieties.


Now is also the time to plant any unusual perennials that you want to start from seed, particularly if you want to see flowers in the first year. I highly recommend starting your own flower seeds because you truly get what you want for your garden. Other reasons are the cost savings in buying seeds instead of plants (especially if you want to plant groupings of the same plant) and the unique and unusual varieties you can grow that nurseries do not usually offer. Most importantly if you grow your own perennials you will be able to transplant them at the right time and not allow those with a taproot to stay in a pot for too long as this significantly reduces the life of the plant. The Delphinium is a good example because it is often listed in garden books as being a short lived perennial (2-4 yrs). The Delphiniums I seeded and planted 9 years ago are still thriving in my garden and are robust healthy plants that flower abundantly twice a season.

photos and content by Rachel Lloyd.