February through May is the time for indoor garden seed, starting in Zone 8a (Pacific Northwest of the USA). We aim for tax day when starting tomatoes, peppers, okra, and eggplant – since it is an easy date to remember – but, other seeds can be started earlier or later.

I have a beneficial planner for you! It even includes an adorable template to cut out and glue into seed packets to save seeds from your garden for next year!

You can use this planner and the tips to succeed with your garden! Include your children in a great educational opportunity that will last a lifetime! You can read about how we use gardening in our homeschool & grab another free printable for gardening HERE.

Garden Seed Starting Tips

Planning & Tracking

Write down your goals for the year (garden size, varieties, yield, etc.)
Check inventory of seeds from previous years
Write down the seeds you need to buy
Determine seed starting dates for each plant variety
What are the ideal temperatures and environment needed for your seeds?
Choose the potting soil – store-bought or homemade?
Choose the best location for your seed-starting project – indoors, enclosed porch, basement, greenhouse?
What supplies do you need? Gather the trays, tiny paper cups, wood craft sticks, markers, etc. that you will need.
Record start date, germination date, transplant date, and harvest date

Record Outcome

Germination success
Transplantation success
Track harvest yield
What worked? What did NOT work?
Note changes for next time

Save Seeds

Use the templates to create seed packets
Save, dry, and store seeds according to best practices
Label each packet with as much detail as possible

At the end of the season, you can rejoice that you have experienced seed starting and growing your own garden! No matter how it went, you learned something and that is what matters!

If you want to use a homeschool curriculum to teach homesteading skills then you will want to check out Homestead Science! It is NOT Christian (they claim to be neutral, but the curriculum is “old-earth”). However, it teaches a lot of basic and practical homesteading skills. My son started this when he was 13; it has been a good fit for him. It is a unit study on homesteading that incorporates many subjects but is heavy on science. They have textbooks for children in preschool through middle school! I recommend it to anyone wanting to learn all about homesteading. It would make a great family study! LEARN MORE HERE

New to “farm life”? Read Why You Should Start a Mini Farm or Homestead

Isaiah 55:

⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

¹¹So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Seed Starting Supplies

Plantable Pots, Square, 4-In., 12-Pk.
Bootstrap Farmer Microgreen 1020 Trays, Green 10 Pack, Extra Strength with Holes Shallow Seed Plant Tray
HOMENOTE 200 Pcs 4
Garden Tool Set, 3 Pack Aluminum Heavy Duty
Spring Water [26 Pack] 4
Metal Watering Can for Outdoor and Indoor Plants,