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seeds How early is too early to start seeds?

R

reverseapachemaster

I know typically seeds are started 8-10 weeks before the last frost but here in Denver I don't have tremendously long warm growing time as last frost could be late May and the weather starts dropping into too cold temperatures by the end of this month. I know this is a little too early to get started but how early is too early? Aside from having to deal with the occupied space of a lot of plants, are there any drawbacks to starting off the plants in early November instead of January?
 
What Willard said...
Just make sure they are in an acquit sized pot, get some air flow, and are under full spectrum lighting.
 
Idk if there is such as too early. I've watched some of Khang Starr's stuff on YouTube and seems he's got plants that grow inside indefinitely. I think maybe your best option, if you're going to plant outside, is to just determine how mature you want them to be before putting outside.

I'm not entirely sure of your temps but for a short grow season I'd want a pretty established plant with all the first flowers pinched ready to go out right before the good temps start, so it'll acclimate and then start flowering abundantly when the sweet spot rolls around. That's what I'm shooting for next year and will try to sow the superhots in December. Faster growing varieties a bit later.
 
This year, I have already started seedlings, just because I want early harvest for super hot next year.
I will start some others superhot in late December and early January ... everything else I will start in February/March ... there is no real answers, in theory with grow light you can start whenever you want to for growing inside.
 
I start several hundred plants in February:
  • Chinense in early Feb.
  • All others late Feb.
All plants get planted out in full sun raised beds in early May.  
 
First frost here is Mid Oct. and the last frost is Late April.
 
We get a full 5 month outdoor growing season. 
 
No issues with non-ripening pods and when the first frost does come, I'm pretty much done with them anyway.   
 
I only do 2-3 OWs.  
 
I have been starting seeds for the next season, as well as taking cuttings of the plants that I found did best in my conditions. 
 
In my case the next season is 6 months out, however I am also employing a 300 W ceramic metal halide grow light indoors so my situation is likely not the same as that of others. 

I also note that some super-hot varieties can have delayed germination and they can take up to 3 months to germinate in some cases and that should be considered in terms of when to start seeds. 

 
 
You need room for larger pots and big plants, fans to keep the air moving. Food ne the first thing that comes tho mind are pests. Aphids always seem tho find the plants ( not hard where I grow) just keep an eye on them and go for it I say
 
Never too early if you're indoors! Just depends on how long you would like to take care of them indoors until you can get them outside after the danger of frost has gone.
 
I know this thread is older, but just to add to this, my last frost is usually mid May and first frost Mid October, give or take a week or two. I normally start all my super hots/slow growers the first week of January, then the faster germinating/growing variaties late February to mid March. Most of them end up being 8-12 inches tall by the time I plant out which is normally around the last week of May, first week of June. 
 
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