I used to know the signs, long long ago, but have forgotten most of them.
I do know that dark of the moon is best for underground....I think.

We're still mostly or completely under snow cover with freezing nights outside. It's been too cold in my house to start them sooner.

I think new moon is always metaphorically seed starting time...,

I would have planted snap peas a few weeks ago, but the weather has been pretty bad. If I had planted in early March, the seeds would have frozen or rotted.

we only have about a 60-75 day window outdoors. We wouldn't be able to grow much of anything but snap peas by direct seeding. I'll start an indoor flat today -- sitting on a heating mat to warm the soil enough. I'll harden off the babies in late May. Memorial Day weekend is out traditional transplant to the great out of doors. Any sooner than that risks losing everything to frost!

I'll plant the snap peas in a few weeks, maybe.

To start seeds indoors, you need a warming mat. You lay the covered flat on top of the mat, which brings the soil up to 65 degrees or so, depending on your indoor air temp. After the seeds have sprouted, they can be taken off the warming mat and put under lights.

The lights hang down low to just above the flats. They can be lifted as the plants grow.

but we have too much ambient mold. We'd have to find money to tear out a downstairs bathroom with mold problems and rebuild it. I've done everything I can to remediate the mold.

I think one thing that helps up here is that the furnace is still going, which dries out the air quite a bit. Plus I keep the flats in a large, open room, so there is a lot of open space for the moisture to evaporate so it doesn't condense onto walls and windows...

My first years I started them in a smaller room, but it just gets too humid in there. Good for the plants, but also for mold.

Have you tried doing a small greenhouse or cold frame?

I'm in Maine, too, btw, so we probably share many of the same local stores


edit to add: ma says she wants to grow corn and peas. we're going to start a small raised garden and add a little more footage each year

I don't remember what it cost, but I don't think it was cheap. If you find one, pls let me know...

Ok, I just googled. At Johnny's they have Hydrofarm mats for $31.00.

However, the same brand can be ordered online through Amazon for ~20.00. And a different brand at Home Depot for ~20.00 (available online only).

Last edited Mon Mar 31, 2014, 09:54 AM - Edit history (1)

Been eating it for only one month.

that's why I start my seeds indoors. We have risk of frost right up until the end of May. The seedlings will go out then. Memorial Day weekend is our usual planting weekend.