A seasonal workflow for Kamloops gardeners

Get ready for gardening with our seed starting guide and prepare for a great growing season.

January: Review, Prepare, and Set Up

Garden Planning

• Review your 2025 notes:
  • What worked well
  • What didn’t
  • What you ran out of
  • What you want more of in 2026
• Sketch a rough layout for beds, containers, and greenhouse space.

Indoor Seed‑Starting Prep

• Choose soil:
  • HP Pro Mix Seed Starting
  • Pro Mix HP Mycorrhizae bale
• Keep soil indoors and warm before use.

Clean & Organize Supplies

• Wash and sterilize used plastic seed trays and pots (bleach solution).
• Fill milk jugs with tap water and let sit overnight to dechlorinate.
• Prepare spray bottles for misting seedlings.
• Set up lighting:
  • Old lamp with 26W SunBlaster bulb, or
  • Spider lights / greenhouse lights.
• If possible, add a small indoor fan for airflow to prevent whiteflies and fungus gnats.

Safety & Tools

• Wear a face mask when handling soil.
• Use gloves (medical-style).
• Use a bamboo skewer for seed depth instead of fingers.

Seeds & Plants

• Check viability of 2025 seeds stored in cool conditions.
• Order any seeds needed for 2026.
• Start slow-growing annuals like geraniums.
• Check all overwintered cuttings:
  • Geraniums
  • Begonias
  • Coleus
  • Succulents
  • Any indoor cuttings
• Start indoor lettuce if you have space and lights.

February: Cool Crops & Early Starts

Late-February Indoor Sowing

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• All onions (bulb, bunching, storage)
• Leeks
• Peppers
• Tomatoes

Germination Setup

• Use clear plastic domes for warmth and humidity.
• Keep under greenhouse lights.

Fertilizing

• Only fertilize after green growth appears, and at half strength.

Organization

• Label everything clearly (popsicle sticks, dollar-store labels).
• Always check Days to Maturity (DOM) — peppers often 65–80 days depending on variety.

March: Beans, Squash, Herbs

Indoor Starts

• Soak and start all varieties of beans for a head start.
• Start all squashes (check DOM carefully).
• Begin herbs that need longer lead time:
  • Rosemary
  • Sage
  • Thyme
  • Oregano
• This is the calmer month after the February rush — perfect for herbs.

April: Transition to Greenhouse & Outdoors

Moving Seedlings

• Depending on weather, move seedlings to an unheated greenhouse.
• Use a low-wattage bulb at night if temperatures dip.

Hardening Off

• Toward late April, begin the in-and-out method:
  • Out during the day
  • In at night
• Increase outdoor exposure gradually.

Direct Sowing (If Soil Is Workable)

• Cool-season crops:
  • Peas
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Lettuce
• These thrive in cool soil; warm-season crops must wait.

Soil Prep

• Add compost or Sea Soil.
• Replenish nutrients — vegetable beds are heavy feeders.
• Add fertilizer only if needed based on last year’s performance.

There are some helpful seminars coming up to guide you with your plant growing hobby.  No preregistration is required.