While most of my time is devoted to Golden Hill Studio and our glassware designs, I do have a few hobbies, gardening being one of my favorites.

We’ve had a few “warm” days here in the northeast and it’s such a tease. All I want to do is get outside and watch my flowers and veggies grow! Alas, as I mentioned, this is the northeast, and not only are we far from fear of frost, but it’s likely we’ll have another snow storm or two before we start to see those Crocuses and Daffy’s poking up through the ground.

Don’t dismay, however, because there are some seeds that can be started inside and transplanted outdoors once the ground is thawed for good! In this part of the country, our growing season is relatively short, so starting some plants indoors helps to gain a few extra weeks on the growing season.

Not everything should be started indoors. Almost all root vegetables can, and should be started outdoors as they are much heartier. Some of the more popular vegetables that can be started from seed inside include broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, peppers and tomatoes. Most annual flowers can also be started indoors.

A typical rule of thumb calls for starting flower and vegetable seeds indoors approximately 6 weeks prior to the (anticipated) last frost. Once fear of frost is gone, the seeds can then be transplanted to your outdoor garden.

I, for one, am headed to the local garden center to stock up on seeds, potting soil, and growing containers. When the time is right, I’ll transplant my seedlings to the gardens outside my studio, but for now, I’ve cleared a nice sunny spot in my kitchen and can’t wait to get my hands in the dirt!

For more information on starting seeds indoors, visit this very thorough article from The Old Farmer’s Almanac: https://www.almanac.com/content/starting-seeds-indoors#