The wicking container seed starting method
Fish Peppers thriving in wicking containers.
Some crops take a long time
Some of our warm season vegetables do better with indoor starting to give them enough time to produce in cold climates. Peppers, eggplant, okra are good examples of these. Some herbs might do well with earlier start dates like sage, thyme and rosemary. A more complete list of warm versus cold season crops is found at Penn State Extension.
Can you use the winter sowing method with warm season plants? Yes, especially so in April when better temperatures are likely. Warm season crops that are started with the winter-sowing method will lag a bit behind transplants grown indoors, though in most seasons, they catch up fine. If you are concerned about getting the most of your warm season crops, then starting them indoors may give you an additional weeks of production, depending on the weather.
With this post, I am sharing how to do this without the need for a traditional set-up of shelving with lights, fans and seed mats. You can certainly go the route of traditional seed starting, follow the link to find details how.
Wicking Container Method
Wicking Container method uses supplies you likely have on hand: deli-style containers (or similar like yogurt containers) to create a wicking seed starting system. This resource from the University of Wisconsin has a downloadable link for instructions to set-up wicking seed starting containers. I first learned about this technique from a Frogtown neighbor and then my friend Ana demonstrated the technique. I found it to be so much easier than traditional methods since daily watering is eliminated. Here are a few adaptations to the linked instructions:
Switch to regular potting soil if you have it, (instead of the soilless mix + fertilizer). Use what you have to limit errands. The winter sowing post includes some local sources of potting soil)
Upsize to the 16oz container for your soil and the 32oz for your water reservoir (skip the 8oz size unless you use it for a temporary lid until the seeds sprout). Upsizing will give more room for root growth and allow plants to remain in this system for a longer time.
Reduce the number of seeds to 4-6 to limit overcrowding. Go ahead and plant more, just be prepared to cull your emerging seedlings.
You are not limited to deli containers. Cottage cheese, yogurt and similar work just fine. You can find any 2 containers that nest well and give it a go as long as there is enough room in the water reservoir for both an air gap + water. You may need to adjust the number of seeds if the containers are smaller.
Simplify the lighting- set them under a table lamp that has a fluorescent or LED bulb. Have a timer available for that lamp? Even better.
Get your peppers into these containers in mid-March! Okra too. In early April, you can do this same technique for tomatoes. In late April, all of the cucumber family relatives such as squash and melons can be started this way, as well as your basil!
