Starting Onions and Leeks Indoors
Chinese Baby Napa Cabbage Planted Using Winter Sowing
Spring is inching closer. Inch by inch. Still miles to go however. Late last week we were treated to a few days in the 40s. Felt like summer. Well maybe not quite.
That being said, it’s time to start seeds indoors. The time is here. The gardening process has begun. As I am writing this, Winter has returned with a vengeance. Only a dusting of snow, but wind gusts in the 50s last night, wind chill this morning below zero.
Oh well. In the end, Winter will lose the battle. Spring and Summer will prevail. So will the garden.
In a previous article, I wrote about Winter Sowing. Those containers are planted, nestled outside in the snow, waiting for Spring to germinate. Planted and forgotten, to be discovered on a warm sunny day. As Spring approaches, I will look through the opening of the containers, and I will see tiny sprouts breaking through the surface.
On the last day of February, I planted Chinese Napa Cabbage using this method to add to the collection of containers already sitting in the snow. I purchased the seeds from Renee’s Garden, a seed company which I highlighted in another story. The onions (except for the Sweet Spanish) and leeks planted on this same day were also purchased there. Renee’s Garden is a great company with some unique vegetable varieties.
Regarding the onions and leeks, I planted French Baby Leeks (Primor) and Heirloom Torpedo Onions (Rossa Lunga di Firenze). The leeks are from France, are non bulbing, and grow to size quickly, so they can be harvested as small plants during the summer, or allowed to mature to full size towards Fall.
The containers I used have plastic lids that have ventilation holes. I use a good quality potting soil that has plant food already added. The containers are kept in a warm location until they germinate. Once sprouted I try to place the containers in sunlight at least a few hours a day.
The Torpedo onions are shaped as the name implies, and are a purple-red sweet onion. They are typically grown in Italy and France.
I also planted Sweet Spanish onions, one of my “go to” varieties. They produce large softball sized sweet beauties that also store well.
I will write follow up stories on the onions and leeks once they germinate. In 2 to 3 weeks I will be planting my tomato seeds. I am still deciding which varieties to plant. You can be assure however, that they will be heirlooms. At least most of them.
Once my seeds germinate and we start getting temperatures at least in the 40s during the day, I will set up my portable greenhouse on the porch. Stay tuned.
