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seeds when to start my seeds, ILL.

kcso53

kcso53

Hello all. I live in climate zone 5a, western suburb of Chicago, I'LL. For those of you within the same zone, when do you start your seeds so they're ready for plant out in the spring?
 
started mine last year on Jan 1. Could have waited another month, all of my plants were pretty root bound by the time I finally got to put them out and I actually had to top a few of them while they were still inside due to space constraints.
 
Even in zone 3a, I start in March, I find any earlier the plants tend to slow their growth and wait for the late spring to get their growth spurt. Every year I start to panic around July when I don't see flowers but like every year about mid July flowers kick in and by the end of august my pods are starting to ripen and by end of september the freezer is full of pods. I bring the plants in the house for further ripening and today I will be eating my first bishop cap - they took a long time to ripen.
 
I started mine Jan 1 like TPGM he's my neighbor.. :crazy: but I was using standard flouresent lights..and he had t-5's

Mine were all good. I will probably start about the same time this year as I am going to stagger my seedlings...and add a t-5. :)
 
Great. My biggest concern is the plants getting too big before plant out and running out of room in my grow shelf. Well trial and error I guess but I'll definitely follow everyone's recommendations.
 
I was in Zone 5, but thanks to the USDA I'm now Zone 6. I start my superhots (Bhuts, Scopions, 7-Pods) on December 26. The rest are the middle of March, for a plant-out in the middle of May.

A lot depends on your growing medium, lighting, nuits.

Mike
 
I'm starting in Rapid Rooters. Then they are transplanted into ProMix BX. Using Botanicare products. Using 2 4' double fluorescent fixtures in each grow shelf.
 
Zone 6B here, I believe; my plan is to start them early February, and early March depending on varieties. The March date includes c. annums and tomatoes. My frost date is April 27th, so I'll most likely be putting my guys out around early may when I move to a new place with (hopefully) a yard.

I'm also overwintering a Choc Hab and a Brain strain, hoping they'll pump out a few extra pods when the time comes.
 
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