Author: Catherine Wissner, retired University of Wyoming Laramie County Extension Horticulturist and Laramie County Master Gardener

This in-between season of seed catalogs, but not being able to go out to garden, is a great opportunity to plan your vegetable and/or flower gardens.  The best vegetable varieties and choices will be from catalogs and starting from seed.  

First, put pencil to paper, or use a computer program, put down what vegetables you want to grow. What will the family eat, and do you want to preserve any? Fine tune your list by putting in days to maturity or harvest. That number can be found on the packet of seeds.  Draw out a map of where you want these vegetables to grow.

Seed packets have a lot of important growing information on them. Find the days to fruit harvest or fruit maturity. If the packet shows 80 days to harvest add another 7 to 21 days for seed germination, or what is listed on the packet. Add another 14 to 21 days for the plant to grow to transplant in the garden size.  If planting the last week of May, start your seeds mid- March.  

A couple rules for starting seeds inside. Once planted never let the seed starting soil dry out, this requires daily inspections.  Only mist water over the soil, never pour water on. Seeds need to start in a consistently warm environment of 65 to 75 degrees for proper germination.  Only, use good quality seed starting soil, never soil from your garden.  The packet will tell you how deep to plant the seed.   

Tomatoes are the easiest to start, germinating in 5 days, peppers can take 2 to 3 weeks to germinate.  No need to start root vegetables, like carrots or beets, from seed, they have a high transplant mortality rate. 

Your plan must include an irrigation system. Vegetables are not drought tolerant, skimping on water will lead to a low harvest.  Garden vegetable need water every 24 to 48 hours during the growing season.  Never let the garden dry out. The best watering method, a soaker hose or drip tape system that is on a timer.  Timers are inexpensive, battery operated, easy to set up and work consistently, even when you are away.   The worst way to water, is with an overhead sprinkler system.