Begin growing tomatoes, peppers, or even herbs, in a jiffy by starting indoors, then transplanting the starts into your container garden, without threat of frost.
Starting with seeds
Begin in early spring by selecting the seeds you would like to grow. Many varieties of tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, herbs, zucchini, and cucumbers are excellent choices for container gardens. Make sure to read the information printed on the back of the seed packets, which pertains to your region. The information in this article was based on the climate and temperatures of the northwest region of the United States. The growing season and climate information may be different where you live.
Purchase small pots, containers and soil for starting seeds. Jiffy peat pots and pellets work excellent for this, as they are a pot and soil all in one. Plant the seeds according to directions on the seed packets, paying attention to seed depth. After sowing the seeds, water pots generously until soaked. Find a warm, sunny location, but not direct sun, for the pots. Jiffy container domes act as a small greenhouse, trapping moisture and heat. Moisture and warmth are ideal for starting seeds. In this same idea, place a plastic sandwich bag over the pots to create a similar “greenhouse” environment.
Make sure soil remains damp but do not over-water. Each plant variety may have a different germination time. Some, like tomatoes and peppers, take about a week to start. Others, like some herbs, may take 20 days or longer. Just make sure the pots have enough moisture and light. When the first leaves begin to show, set the top of the Jiffy dome at an angle or make sure the plants have air circulating from under the plastic bags. Place the pots in a sunny location in ensure their growth. If these seedlings do not receive enough light, they will become tall and spindly, resulting in the plants toppling by not being able to hold up the weight of their leaves.
Transplanting to containers
After several weeks, or when the plants have developed their leaves fully, it is time to transplant them into the permanent containers, which will be their home for the rest of the growing season. Each plant should have about a gallon-size pot. You can plant several plants in one pot but make sure they have adequate spacing and room for growth. Dry out the small pots by ceasing water for a day or two. If the plants have become spindly, bury the stem deeper in the soil, but make sure the roots will have enough room to extend. Surround each plant with soil, patting down the loose soil. Water each plant until soaked. Apply Miracle-Gro or other fertilizers if you so wish. Place the plants in areas according to the environments they need. Water and watch them grow. Make sure to provider stakes for those plants that need to grow vertically.
