February is a bleak and frigid month here in the midwest. Not much is growing at this time of year, but it’s about time to start seeds indoors. The smell of fresh soil and tiny green shoots give me hope that spring is on the way! Caring for indoor seedlings is the main task on my February garden to-do list, but it also contains a few other items as well.
I am sharing monthly garden to-do lists here on the blog for two reasons: for my future self to refer back to and for fellow gardeners to see the types of things I’m doing each month to stay on top of the garden. Go back and check out my Gardening To-Do List | January to see what I was up to last month.
Here’s what I’m planning to do for the garden this month:
- Purchase seed starting soil.
- Create a seed starting area.
- Start peppers and tomatoes indoors.
- Begin planning how may of each plant we’d like to have.
I’d like to share the tasks on my garden to-do list for February. Though it may seem like nothing can be done for the garden during these bleak winter days, so much planning takes place now! Curious what other gardeners do during the winter in preparation for the new gardening season? Continue reading and I’ll share my list with you. I also plan to share a list like this one for each month of the year, so come back for more all year round!
Purchase Seed Starting Soil
Soil is an essential part of getting seeds going indoors, so I’ll be purchasing a few bags. We had some trouble with the first bag of soil we purchased last year, so we had to restart everything in new soil a few weeks late. I hope we’ll have a better experience this year!
Create a Seed Starting Area
This is something that needs a major revamp from our system used in the previous years. For 3 years now, we’ve just placed the seed starts in a makeshift area in our bedroom. With a crawler and toddler running the house, this will not do this year!
Step one is deciding where the new seed starting are can be.
Step two is setting it up with heating mats, hanging grow mats, and filling trays with nutritious soil.
Start peppers and tomatoes indoors
Pepper and tomatoes are high priority when it comes to starting seedings indoors. Where I live, here in Missouri, planting these seeds directly outdoors just doesn’t allow them enough time to grow and produce before fall. Mid-February is the best time to get these seeds going inside.
Begin planning how may of each plant we’d like to have
This step should take place before I start my tomatoes and peppers indoors because it’ll determine how many seeds to plant. There are methods for predicting how much a plant should produce and how much you’d like to have for the amount of people in your home. I plan to look up some of these sources so I can better plan the amount we need.
I always aim to plant more than necessary just in case a portion of them do not grow.
Tasks such as the ones mentioned above, though they seem small and mundane, are what kick-start my excitement for the coming garden. Dreaming as I flip through seed catalogues, preparing my supplies for future plants, and anticipating what this year will hold for my garden. Spring will be here before we know it!
More on Gardening
- Gardening To-Do List | January
- My Gardening Schedule
- A Tour Through my Summer Garden
- How to Plant Tomato Starts
- Using a Grow Light | Seedlings
- The Basics to Starting Seeds Indoors