Learning how to stay organized and start seeds on time can make all the difference in achieving a successful harvest. 

Perhaps last year’s garden didn’t yield the results you were hoping for, or maybe you’re just getting started with gardening and want to make sure you do things right from the get-go. Whatever the case may be, If you find yourself constantly behind schedule when it comes to starting your seeds then this for you.

In this article, we will explore practical tips and step-by-step instructions to help you master the art of creating a streamline seed starting process.

Know Your Growing Zone

To ensure that you start seeds on time, it’s important to know your growing zone. Your zone will help you determine when the last frost date in your area typically occurs and when it’s safe to start planting outdoors. This information is critical for the success of your garden.

Use a Seed Starting Week Calculator

Use a Seed Starting Week Calculator to help you plan and stay on track. This seed starting calculator from Johnny’s Seeds is amazing. You can access it at this link here. You can see how I use it in the video linked.

This handy tool will provide you with a timeline for starting your seeds indoors and when to transplant them outside. Simply enter your location and the calculator will do the rest, taking into account your specific growing zone and frost dates. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be able to start your plants on time and enjoy a bountiful harvest come summer.

Filter Plants by Week to Start Seeds on Time

One of the biggest challenges in starting seeds on time is figuring out which plants need to be started when. Once you have your seed starting calculator info copied to a spreadsheet (Google sheets or excel) apply a filter to organize the start dates in order. 

Use this information to make it easy to narrow down to which plants you need to start each week. I like to look ahead and highlight the plants I am planting this year (based on my garden plan). Then each week I look to see what seeds I need to start. I like to highlight the action items in yellow. Once they are started they get changed to green. 

This will help you break down the process into manageable chunks and ensure that you’re not starting seeds too early or too late. It also gives you an easy visual to see where you are at.

Organize Your Seed Packets

To ensure that you start seeds on time, you need to keep track of all the seed packets you have. 

Ways to organize your seeds:

• Group them by the week they need to be started. 
• Organize by type ie. tomatoes, herbs, cucurbits, flowers, perennials, annuals etc. 

Organizing your seed packets will save you time. With your seeds sorted and labeled, you are ready to move on to the next step of planning your garden.

Use a Garden Planning Notebook

Using a garden planning notebook will help you keep track of all your plants’ progress and ensure that you have a successful growing season. Not only will it help you keep track of the progress of your plants, but it will also serve as a record of your successes and failures.

Use your garden planning notebook to jot down notes on planting dates, weather conditions, and any issues you encounter while growing your plants. Make a note of which seeds and plants thrive in your garden and which don’t.

Highlight and make notes as you go to help you stay on track and make adjustments as needed. With a garden planning notebook, you can reflect on your experiences and learn from them. When the next growing season rolls around, you’ll have a wealth of information to reference and help guide your decisions.

Stay on top of your gardening game by mastering the art of organized seed starting and start seeds on time. Remember to know your growing zone, use a seed starting week calculator, filter your plants by week, organize your seed packets, use a garden planning notebook, and take detailed notes along the way. By staying consistent with your routine and utilizing these tips, you’ll be able to plant your seeds on time and experience a successful harvest.

If you don’t have a garden plan yet to determine which seeds you should be starting then you will want to start there.

You don’t want to blindly start a bunch of seeds without knowing where they are going and how many you need, as well as how many backups you should start.

Creating a garden plan can be exciting but also overwhelming. I have created a simple and  actionable mini-course to guide you right through the process. Register now for my Vegetable Garden Planning Mini-Course by clicking this link.