Spring Seeding
Contributed by Jolene Ottosen for the Chaparral Green Thumbs
As I write this, January’s mild weather is coming to a close, and February is bringing colder temperatures and more snow. This winter season began with a record-breaking single-day snowfall—17.8 cm officially, though some parts of the city saw 20 to 30 cm. While I didn’t love shovelling the unusually wet snow, I was happy for the moisture. The Farmer’s Almanac predicted heavy precipitation this year, and I wondered whether we’d see similar snowfalls in the coming months. Apparently, December and January didn’t get the same memo November did—Calgary’s official snowfall for November was 40 cm, while December and January saw only 6 cm and 5.2 cm, respectively. Perhaps February is trying to catch up! That said, I do hope the rest of the season ignores the bitterly cold part of the prediction.
As has become my tradition, I am using March to share my seeding chart, which includes recommended times for starting seeds indoors (if you choose to do so), transplanting seedlings outside, and direct seeding for those who prefer to skip indoor starts. No judgment here—I’ve been known to seed as late as June! Now you see why I’m a garlic fan—just plop it in before the snow falls and forget about it.
Please remember these are general guidelines, and planting a little later is usually fine. Seed packets provide details on how many days each variety needs from sowing to harvest, so choose types that fit your timeline.
Happy gardening!
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