When should I start my seeds? First, find out your frost date. If you're planning to transplant from containers, start peppers 8 to 10 weeks ahead of the last frost date, eggplants and tomatoes 6 to 8 weeks, cole crops (such as broccoli) and leafy greens 4 to 6 weeks, melons and squash 2 to 4 weeks. Flower seeds are variable, so look them up at the following resource...
Finnish Garden Encyclopedia
Find growing information for annual flowers, including germination time and other seed propagation facts. Unfortunately, this site is still under construction so you will only find entries up to the letter L.
Tom Clothier's Seed Germination Database - Perennials
Tom Clothier's Seeding Timing Database
You will need to download this and use it with your database software. Filecard for Windows will do, but a proper database like Excel is best. Over 700 plants are listed along with seed starting and cultural information. Based on personal experience, the data shows the week in which to sow the seeds so that the seedlings are ready for the ground at the same time as the ground becomes ready to receive them.
For the rest of the seeding instructions, you will find a lot of information on the internet, but I have pointed out what I think are the best and easiest to understand here.
Sow That Seed
From IcanGarden.com, reprinted from the GardenNotes newsletter.
Starting Seeds from Scratch
From the Virtual Garden
Lovely Seed Companies on the Web!
Territorial Seeds
Seeds for Pacific Northwest Gardeners. Excellent selection and fast shipping.
The Cook's Garden
Seeds and Supplies for kitchen gardeners.
Heirloom Seeds Address List
This list contains sources recommended to gardeners interested in preserving diversity, through the planting of Open Pollinated and heirloom seed varieties. No links here; just print it out and order those catalogues! It's inevitable that some of the best seed companies have no webpage.
Seeds of Change
Suppliers of open pollinated, organically grown seed, along with many heirloom and rare traditional varieties.
