Seed Starting Guide: Growing Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplants in Houston (or Anywhere else !)

Its seed starting season here in Houston. Timing is everything when it comes to starting your spring garden. Let me share what I've learned after years of trial and error.

 When to Start Seeds in Houston

Mark your calendars! For our area:

- Start tomatoes indoors: Late December to mid-January

- Start peppers indoors: Early to mid-January

- Start eggplants indoors: Mid-January

- Plan to transplant: Late February to early March (after our last frost date of February 14th)

-Stagger your seed starting, so it does not overwhelm you. 

-Start squash,melons & cucumbers mid February & plan to transplant them mid march. (They grow super fast & doesnt like to be root bound)

Decoding Your Seed Packet

Let's unlock the mystery of seed packet information! Think of it as your plant's birth certificate and instruction manual rolled into one:

Front of Packet

- Variety name

- Basic growing information

- Beautiful (sometimes optimistic!) picture

Back of Packet (The Good Stuff)

- Days to maturity (super important for our short spring season)

- Planting depth

- Spacing requirements

- Light requirements

- Special instructions

Houston-Specific Tips

Those days to maturity? Add about 10-14 days for our humidity. Trust me on this one!

Your Seed-Starting Shopping List

Here's what you'll need:

- Seed starting mix (I love FoxFarm/Espoma for our climate)

- Clean containers with drainage

- Bottom trays (get sturdy ones – you'll reuse them)

- Clear plastic dome (manages our humidity well)

- Grow lights (essential in our cloudy winters)

- Heat mat (optional but helpful)

- Labels (trust me, you think you'll remember, but you won't!)

- Spray bottle

- Small fan (fights dampening off in our humidity)

The Seed-Starting Process: 

1. **Prep Your Space**

   Create a clean, warm area. I converted a corner of my garage, but any steady indoor space works.

2. **Soil Mix**

   Pre-moisten your mix (I use rainwater when possible). It should feel like a wrung-out sponge.

3. **Planting Guide**

   - Tomatoes: ¼ inch deep (try Celebrity or Heat Wave - proven Houston winners)

   - Peppers: ¼ inch deep (Thai chilies love our climate)

   - Eggplants: ⅛ inch deep (try Ichiban or Ping Tung)

4. **Houston Humidity Handling**

   Our natural humidity is both blessing and curse. Monitor carefully:

   - Use dome only until germination

   - Run a small fan for air circulation

   - Watch for mold (our biggest enemy)

Hardening Off: 

Our weather can change hourly, so be flexible:

- Start process 2 weeks before transplant

- Begin with morning sun only

- Bring in during thunderstorms

- Watch for late cold fronts

- Protect from strong spring winds

Coming up next: maintaining your garden through our crazy Houston weather!