Wednesday, December 17, 2014

What Seedlings to Grow in January?

Lots of car problems, of course.
We're at T-13 days and counting to our big move to Idaho. One of the things on my list after we get settled in is to start our garden. I'll have room in the garage to start seedlings and I'm wondering, since we'll be new to the state, what folks in the area are growing this time of year?

Of course, as we are getting ready for our  move north, just about everything is breaking down on us. I've repaired three vehicles in the past two weeks (some more than once) and finally got them in running condition to make the drive to Idaho. Then I noticed Lucky limping and took him to the Vet. They said he tore his ACL in his knee and will need surgery.

In the meantime, they found an ear infection and I'm giving him steroids and antibiotics twice daily. All the kids are getting their teeth and eyes checked before our insurance switches to the new job and we start all over again on deductibles.

Lucky at the Vet getting checked out
Sis and Macky are finishing up their last week of homeschooling tests. Their stress levels are running pretty high. I don't blame them...I always despised finals week in school. I finished my first semester in my Masters program with two A's and one B. Not bad for an old man working full time.

I have all the utilities set to be turned on when we arrive. We've set up minimal Christmas decorations so that we don't a lot to take down the week we move. But you have to have some Christmas cheer for the kids to enjoy so we picked up a tree from Home Depot and spent an evening decorating it with lights and ornaments. I am looking forward to NEXT Christmas when I can go crazy with the decorations like we used to do.

So, back to my original question for you guys and gals:

What seedlings can I get started (indoors) in January?

~OJD

9 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear that your dog is having problems. That is all you need on top of all the stresses involved in a big move. Good luck and hope all goes well for you and your family, including the dog.

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  2. When I lived near Missoula, I didn't start any seedlings until March. Kind of depends on which end of Idaho you are headed to. South, you might start a bit earlier, North, much later. But the ones you start first rarely change: it's always the cold tolerant like broccoli and cabbage. If you start warm weather seedlings, be prepared to transplant into ever larger pots, until a couple weeks after your last frost date when the soil has warmed up. You might want to build a cold frame for that if not this year, then next. I've heard of lots of luck with Wall o Water and it's copycats, but I never had any success with it. (it lets you set out plants early and insulates them from the cold).

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    1. I really want to build a cold frame hoop house. I had started to experiment with one (started on the frame) before we found out that we were moving. i just took it down today and loaded onto the truck.

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  3. I'm in Northern New Hampshire. Cabbage, kale, broccoli, have all been recommended to me by locals. February I am supposed to start pumpkin and squash, as well as tomatoes and peppers.

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    1. I'll probably stick with the cold -hardy, green leafy stuff. Thanks for chiming in!

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  4. Um... unless you have a hoophouse or greenhouse to put things in by April, I wouldn't start anything indoors until February. We get several months of reprieve, but come planting and then harvest season, it's an onslaught. :) Good news is that this means you have extra time to peruse seed catalogs, find short season seeds (that 130 day melon is going to be challenging up north), and plan. Even down south, depending on where you are, it's going to be windy/cold in areas.

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    1. We'll be near the Twin Falls area.

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    2. Hmm. The wind may be a concern. Had a friend near Rigby, she had to do short corn, buffeted by fenced and a greenhouse in order to harvest anything.

      Good news is that we haven't had much of a winter so far this year, so the chances of snow in June may be lower than years past.

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  5. I'm guessing that's a typo? Surely you don't get snow in June?

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