Start Seeds Indoors: February Timeline Guide

By Sophia Martinez · October 7, 2026

Why Start Seeds Indoors?

Starting seeds indoors gives you a 6–10 week head start, access to unavailable varieties, and significant savings over nursery starts.

February Seed Starting Calendar

10–12 weeks before frost: Onions, celery, parsley, rosemary
8–10 weeks before frost: Peppers, eggplant, petunias, snapdragons
6–8 weeks before frost: Tomatoes, basil, marigolds, zinnias
4–6 weeks before frost: Cucumbers, squash, melons, sunflowers

Essential Equipment

72-cell seed trays (reuse annually after sterilizing)
Sterile seed starting mix (peat/coir + vermiculite + perlite)
LED grow lights, 2–4 inches above seedlings, 14–16 hours/day
Heat mat at 70–75°F for germination
Clear dome for humidity (remove once seedlings emerge)
Small fan for air circulation (prevents damping-off)

Sowing Technique

Fill cells with moistened mix. Sow 2–3 seeds per cell at 2–3x seed diameter. Mist surface and cover with dome. Once emerged, remove dome and lower lights.

Hardening Off

Two weeks before transplanting, place seedlings outdoors for increasing periods: 1 hour day one, adding 1–2 hours daily until full-day exposure.