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Sowing in flats vs. in the ground

20 years ago

It's nearly time to sow seeds for spring. Here are some I'm planning to grow from seed: basil, chervil, dill, bronze fennel, fenugreek, mitsuba, parsley, sweet cicely, sweet marjoram, Greek oregano, English thyme, French thyme, Welsh onion. I'd appreciate advice on which to sow in the ground about six weeks before the last frost (that would be April 1 for me, since last frost is about May 15), and which to start in flats and put out after the danger of frost has passed. Is there a good general rule?

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Comments (2)

Heathen1
20 years ago
Well, you will have the most luck with basil if you wait till it's fairly warm, it appreciates 80+ degree weather, so I'd either seed it indoors or wait.
The only thing that I have to say is slugs... if you have slugs or snails, then I'd start everything in flats. I have sown in situ and had them mowed down like no one's business.
Ina Plassa_travis
20 years ago
the dill and fennel ought to be fine (I've had them regrow from seeds left out over the winter) the parsely, thymes, and chervil also...but the basil, and anything that tends to be more juicy than woody might be better off in flats.
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