Think spring: Start cole crop seedlings now, and be ready to plant outdoors when the time comes

It's cold outside, and the forecast suggests it will get even colder. But if you are a gardener, you are looking past the immediate forecast and thinking about spring gardening. If you want to keep yourself thinking spring, get with the program by starting cole crop (cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli) seed inside now, so that it will be ready for transplant when the weather breaks.

I like to use a 1020 tray with dividers as a container. You can also use small pots, Jiffy 7's or just about anything that will hold soil.

Fill the container with a seedling and cutting starter mix. This soil medium is finely ground so that small seed will be able to imbibe moisture quickly and efficiently. It is hard for a seed to imbibe water (the beginning of germination) if the starter mix has a lot of coarse particles in it.

Place two cole crop seeds about 1/8 inch deep in each container. Sometimes a seed does not germinate. If you place two seeds per container, you can almost be assured of having at least one plant grow per container.

Next, place a paper towel over the seeded soil and then water the soil through the paper towel until the soil is saturated and excess water is running out of the bottom of the container. The paper towel keeps the seed from being moved in the dry soil during the watering process.

Brad Parker prepares a tray to get cole crops started indoors Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015 at Sunny Hill Gardens & Florist. (Glenn Landberg)

Cover the container with a transparent cover. This keeps the relative humidity above the container at 100 percent. The soil will stay saturated in this manner without having to water frequently.

The transparent cover also will allow light from a grow light to impinge on the new seedling leaves as they emerge from the soil. It is important to use a grow light in the process. Grow lights emit wavelengths similar to that of the sun. If you use any other kind of artificial light, the plants will not grow properly. They will become leggy and spindly.

Once the seeds have emerged, fertilize when watering with a high phosphorous fertilizer such as a 9-58-8. The phosphorous will encourage the new seedlings to put all of their energy into producing a good strong root system, a must for good growth after transplanting to the garden.

If room temperature is not above 75F where you are growing seedlings, then place a grow mat (heating pad) under the growing containers. The heat from the mat will keep the soil at or above 75F and will enhance the speed of germination. Cold soils slow down the germination process.

After the cole crop plants get some size to them and begin to put on secondary leaves, remove the transparent cover, and continue to shine the grow light on the plants for about 18 hours per day until you take them outside and transplant them at the end of February or early March.

(Glenn Landberg)

By planting cole crop seed now, you will eliminate that itch to dig in the soil and can pat yourself on the back later, knowing that the plants you put in the garden are the result of your own efforts.

Happy winter gardening!