Has the weather been teasing you into thinking you might be able to plant seedlings early? What do you do when you have seedlings that are ready for transplanting into larger containers or into the ground but the last frost is still a month away? Is there a way to possibly beat Mother Nature outside by a month?

I think a lot of gardeners besides me are beginning to start seeds in the garage about now. We have heating pads, full spectrum lights, water monitoring meters, fans, and frequent check-ins for the baby plants.  We might be rewarded with seedlings that are 3-4” tall that should be outside, but the weather is still too chilly and we need somewhere to put them.

An easy method is to use transparent storage bins with removable lids.

Simply place one or two of these and place them upside down in your flower or vegetable beds.

Push them down into the soil.

Press them down hard enough into prepared soil to make an outline of the tub, giving you a clear view of where you can plant your seedlings. You then can safely plant the seedlings inside the outline of the box without crushing the plants. 

The tubs are easy to take off to examine the progress of the seedlings as well as the moisture of the soil.  To make extra ventilation, use a 3/8” drill to make holes around the top edge for air exchange until the weather warms up and the chance of frost is gone. 

So, if you are itching to plant early, this may be helpful. Don't overwater your plants and remove the tubs on the nice days to allow more direct sunlight to reach the plants. Remember to replace the tubs at night and in cold weather. 

Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143.  Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.

Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.

Photo credits: Bob Niklewicz