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The first day of spring passed a few weeks ago with little fanfare around here, and understandably so, since the daily morning temperatures are still hovering just above freezing. That’s not entirely unusual, though; these temps are fairly typical for this time of year. Still, March and early April can feel like a bit of a tease. We’re all eager for warm sunshine and blooming flowers, but spring clearly isn’t ready to commit yet. That doesn’t mean it’s too early to start preparing. There’s actually a lot of early spring balcony garden prep you can do while you wait for true spring to show up.
Any gardener, balcony or otherwise, knows not to plant outdoors until the risk of frost has passed. But what does that actually mean? These early spring mornings have felt very cold lately, but there hasn't been any frost on the ground. It might feel too cold to start planting, but we should remind ourselves that plants can be surprisingly resilient, capable of surviving various extremes. Some thrive even in cool conditions. With that in mind, I’ve already sown a few seeds directly into containers on my balcony.
Planting watermelon radishes outdoors
The first thing I planted outside were some watermelon radish seeds I picked up last year. I have strong childhood memories of growing radishes in my elementary school garden and snacking on them during the bus ride home after harvest day. I haven’t grown any since, but after learning they can do well in containers, I figured I'd give them a shot.
Radishes are very tolerant of cold weather and many gardeners even plant them in the fall for winter or early spring harvests. I didn’t plan that far ahead this year, but the seeds I sowed directly into a deep container less than two weeks ago are already starting to sprout. I’m hopeful that in about two months, I’ll be harvesting my very own watermelon radishes which are one of my favorite salad additions.
Tatsoi and garlic are a new experiments
I also planted some Tatsoi seeds directly into my vertical planter outside. Tatsoi is a variety of mustard green I’ve loved cooking with for years, but this is my first time trying to grow it. Like radishes, Tatsoi handles cold weather well. It’s also my first time growing it. I frequently buy Tatsoi or similar veggies at the store when I have the opportunity, so I’m testing to see if it’s something I can grow myself successfully. The seeds were very quick to sprout, so I’m hopeful they will be productive.
Another experiment I'm trying is garlic. I had a handful of whole garlic cloves that started sprouting on my kitchen counter, so I decided to plant them in a container just for fun. The sprouts are growing tall and I'm pretty curious to see what happens!
A grow light makes a difference for indoor starts
Last year, I missed the boat on germinating seeds indoors in time for transplanting outside. This year, I made sure to get a few things going early. I’m happy to report that the perilla seeds I saved two seasons ago are still viable and growing well! I started them early in peat pellets, and they sprouted much faster than last year, when I had to germinate them using the paper towel method.
This year, I had the help of a new grow light, and it made a bigger difference than I expected. The seedlings are now big enough to transplant, but it’s still too cold outside! I’m crossing my fingers for warmer weather soon, otherwise they may get too big and suffer transplant shock when they finally go out on my balcony.
Waiting for Serrano peppers
I also planted some Serrano pepper seeds I picked up recently. They went into covered germinating trays filled with potting soil at the same time as the perilla seeds. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to see any sign of growth yet.
Chili pepper seeds prefer warmth, so I invested in a heated germination pad. It’s definitely warmed things up—the condensation on the lid proves that—but still no sprouts. I’ll give it another week, and if nothing happens, I might do a germination test to see if the seeds are still good.
Stocking up on greenhouse finds
Finally, while on a recent drive, we stopped by a greenhouse and found a fresh batch of seedlings for sale. They had a great selection of herbs, tomatoes, and peppers, and we ended up bringing home two full trays.
We picked our favorite Sungold tomatoes and a determinate variety called “Patio” (a generic name, but fitting!). I also grabbed two jalapeño pepper seedlings, plus the usual sage, thyme, and mint that are my usual herb crops. We added dill and tarragon to the mix as well—two new herbs for me. I may look for a few more seedlings later in the season, but for now, these will all be transplanted outdoors once the weather warms up for good.
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