When is the best time to prepare my seedlings for the vegetable garden?

Even if the snow is still present and the cold still makes you shiver, in March you have to think about preparing the first seedlings. Organize your sowing and planting to enjoy a good harvest in your vegetable garden.

Here are the materials you will need to start your seedlings indoors:

  • Containers (boxes/fiber pots/multicells)
  • Pencil and labels to identify your pots
  • A watering can with a fine spray
  • Seeds (of course!)
  • Potting soil or homemade mix
  • A clear plastic cover

To germinate a seed, you need moist soil, good light (10 to 12 hours per day) and an ambient temperature of 19 to 24 degrees Celsius.

To help you know when and what to grow, refer to the vegetable garden sowing calendar :

VegetablesSowing indoorsSowing outdoorsPlanting
GarlicOctober or early May
EggplantLate MarchEarly June
ChardMid-AprilMid-May
BeetMid-May
BroccoliMid-April May
CarrotMid-May
CeleryMid-MarchMid to late May
KohlrabiMid-MarchMid to late May
Ground cherryLate MarchEarly June
ChicoryEarly July
Chinese cabbageEarly July
Brussels sproutsMid-AprilMid to late May
Siamese cabbageMid-May
CauliflowerMid-AprilLate May
Cabbage headMid-April May
KohlrabiMid-May
ChivesMarch Mid-MayEarly June
PumpkinEarly MayMid-May Early June
CucumberEarly MayLate May Early June
Fall ShallotLate August
Spring ShallotEarly May
SpinachMid-May
Beans (yellow or green)Late May to late June
Lettuce, leafMid-AprilEarly MayLate May
Head lettuceMid-AprilLate May
CornMid-May
Musk MelonMid to late AprilEarly June
WatermelonMid to late AprilEarly June
TurnipMid-May
OnionEarly MarchEarly May
ParsnipsMi-mai
ParsleyEarly MarchEarly MayEarly May
PepperLate MarchEarly June
LeekEarly MarchEarly May
PeasMid-May
PotatoEarly May
RadishMid-June
TomatoLate March to Mid-AprilMid-May