The Best Seeds to Start Indoors in February

February is the secret engine of a great garden. While the ground is still cold, you can bank weeks of growth under lights and hit spring ready to plant sturdy transplants. Start the right seeds now, and you will save money, widen your variety choices, and harvest sooner.

Success in February comes down to timing. Your last frost date and the crop’s lead time decide what to sow. Use the guide below to match seeds to your climate and give each one the light, warmth, and care it needs. From vegetable to flower and herb seeds, you can utilize our seed collections to build a February seed-starting list that fits your climate and indoor gardening goals.

TL;DR

• Start slow, long-season crops now, including onions, leeks, peppers, eggplant, celery, parsley, and many cool flowers.
• Time your sowing from your average last frost date; many long-season crops you start in February need 6 to 12 weeks inside, while faster crops like lettuce and brassicas often need just 4 to 6 weeks.
• Give seedlings bright light 14 to 16 hours a day, steady warmth, and a barely moist, sterile mix.
• Harden off for 7 to 10 days before planting out; tender crops wait until after frost.

How to Decide What to Start in February

Start with two basics. Your average last frost date is the spring date when the final 32 degrees Fahrenheit night usually occurs. Your USDA hardiness zone describes your typical winter lows; it helps compare climates but does not replace local frost dates. 

In February, many U.S. gardeners are roughly 6 to 12 weeks from their average last frost, which is prime time for starting long-season crops indoors. Seed packets list “weeks before last frost” or “days to transplant". Count backward from your local date to land on a sowing window. If in doubt, choose the later end of a range to avoid leggy, rootbound seedlings.

Best Vegetables to Start Indoors in February

Knowing these early-start seed options allows you to maximize your garden's productivity by giving long-season crops a necessary head start and enabling an earlier spring harvest.

Peppers and Eggplant

Peppers and eggplants require a long, warm growing period, making them excellent candidates for an early February start. Sow their seeds 8 to 10 weeks before your anticipated last frost date. They germinate best when provided with bottom heat and bright light. 

As heat lovers, they are sensitive to cold. Transplant them outdoors only after all danger of frost has passed and night temperatures consistently stay at 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer.

Onions and Leeks

Starting onions and leeks in February is a classic practice, as they need approximately 8 to 10 weeks indoors to develop into sturdy, pencil-thick starts. Sow the seeds densely across an open flat. 

To keep them strong and prevent flopping, regularly trim their tops to maintain a height of about 4 inches every couple of weeks.

Tomatoes

The ideal time to start tomatoes varies based on your local climate and last frost date. Most gardeners do best starting tomatoes 6 to 8 weeks before their last frost. From seed to harvest, you can grow heirloom tomatoes in well-draining soil enriched with organic matter.

In warmer zones, where the last frost is in March, it often falls in mid to late February. In colder zones with April or May frosts, it’s usually safer to wait until early to mid-March so seedlings don’t outgrow their pots before the garden is ready.

Broccoli, Cabbage, and Cauliflower (Cool-Season Brassicas)

You can start with cool-season brassicas, such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. They need about 4 to 6 weeks inside before they are ready for transplanting. 

For gardeners in Zones 7 to 9, February is the perfect time to start the seeds, allowing you to move them outdoors while the spring weather is still cool. In colder climates, it is better to delay the indoor start slightly so that the seedlings are ready to go out once the garden soil has thawed and warmed up.

Celery and Celeriac

Celery and celeriac are slow-growing but offer a rewarding harvest. They typically demand a long indoor growing period of 10 to 12 weeks. 

Unlike peppers, they prefer steady moisture and slightly cooler germination temperatures: aim for 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit for germination, then grow them in the 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit range once they’re up. A light layer of fine potting mix or vermiculite sprinkled over the tiny seeds will help ensure good contact with the seed-starting mix.

Parsley, Rosemary, and Artichokes

Starting parsley and rosemary from seed requires a degree of patience due to their slow growth rate. Plan to start these herbs 10 to 12 weeks before your intended date for setting the plants outdoors in the garden.

In mild climates, artichokes can be started now and successfully grown as annuals. To encourage bud formation in the first year, these plants generally benefit from a brief period of chill after they have established indoors.

Lettuce, Spinach, and Asian Greens

Lettuce, spinach, and Asian greens are fast growers and are perfect for early spring transplanting. Planting these quick-starting greens in February allows them to be moved out to a cold frame or under a protective row cover as soon as the weather breaks, resulting in a very early harvest. 

If you prefer to keep things simple, you can also direct-sow these greens outdoors as soon as the soil can be worked. Starting indoors just buys you a slightly earlier harvest.

Flowers and Herbs Worth Starting Now

Snapdragons, pansies, and violas thrive in cool weather and benefit from an early start. They handle chilly spring nights and bring color to beds while warm-season flowers bide their time. Coleus needs warmth but grows fast inside for lush, shady containers later.

Perennial flowers like echinacea and milkweed often need cold stratification, which is a moist chill that mimics winter. Start that process now so you can sow in a few weeks, or direct-sow outdoors in pots you can protect from critters.

Herbs break into two groups. Slow starters like parsley and thyme belong to February. Faster, warmth-loving herbs like basil can wait until 6 to 8 weeks before planting out, which for many gardeners means late February into March.

One-Page Timing Cheat Sheet

Use this compact table to sanity check your February plans. Weeks are counted back from your local last frost date.

Setup Tips for Strong Seedlings

Implementing these setup strategies minimizes the risk of disease and promotes the development of stocky, resilient young plants.

Use a Sterile Seed-Starting Mix

It drains well and lowers the risk of damping off, a fungal disease that topples seedlings at the soil line. Moisten the mix before filling trays so it is damp like a wrung-out sponge. The paper towel technique is among the best ways to germinate vegetable seeds in indoor seed-starting stations.

Give Seedlings Bright Light for 14 to 16 Hours Daily

Affordable LED shop lights hung a few inches above the canopy work well. Raise the lights as plants grow so leaves do not touch the bulbs, and keep the lights close enough to prevent lanky stems.

Warm the Roots, Not the Room

A simple heat mat speeds germination for warmth lovers like peppers and eggplant. Once seeds sprout, remove the humidity dome and let temperatures sit around 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit to build stocky growth.

Water From the Bottom Whenever Possible

Set trays in a shallow pan of water and let the mix wick up moisture. Allow the surface to dry slightly between waterings, and run a small fan to improve airflow and strengthen stems.

Plan to Pot Up Crowded Seedlings

When they have 2 to 3 true leaves, move them into roomier cells or small pots. Begin a gentle fertilizer routine at quarter strength once seedlings have their first true leaves and are growing.

Harden Off Before Planting Outside

Over 7 to 10 days, gradually expose seedlings to outdoor light, wind, and temperatures. Start in bright shade for a couple of hours and build up daily.

Common February Indoor Planting Mistakes to Avoid

Being aware of these common mistakes allows you to adjust your practices for optimal, compact, and transplant-ready growth.

• Starting too early: Early planting, then fighting leggy, rootbound plants for weeks, is a common mistake. Aim for compact, transplant-ready seedlings.
• Giving too little light: Windows are short and weak in February. Use lights unless you have a greenhouse.
• Overwatering in cool rooms: This invites damping off. Keep the mix barely moist and use airflow.
• Skipping labels: Use plant name plus sowing date; it saves guesswork later.
• Forgetting the transplant plan: Make sure beds or containers will be thawed, fed, and ready when seedlings are.

Examples

Reviewing these scenarios helps you visualize a successful planting timeline and apply the general guidelines to your specific gardening climate and goals.

Zone 5b Vegetable Start

A Midwest gardener with an average last frost around May 10 starts onions and leeks on February 10 in open flats. Peppers and eggplant go in on February 20 on a heat mat, and tomatoes wait until March 15 to avoid getting oversized. 

Broccoli and cabbage are sown on March 1 for transplant in early April under fabric. By mid-May, tender crops move outside after a week of hardening off, and harvests begin earlier than in prior years.

Zone 8a Spring Color and Early Harvest

A Southeastern gardener with a March 20 last frost date sows snapdragons and pansies on February 1. On February 10, they start onions, parsley, and the first round of lettuce. Tomatoes and peppers follow on February 15, and broccoli is started on February 5 to catch the cool weather.

Seedlings are hardened off in the first week of March; flowers are planted out right after, and lettuce goes under row cover. By late March, tomatoes and peppers wait for a warm, settled forecast before transplanting.

Actionable Steps / Checklist

This checklist provides a sequential guide for starting seeds indoors, from determining the optimal sowing dates based on your last frost to the final steps of hardening off and transplanting.

• Look up your average last frost date and circle it on a calendar.
• Pick 4 to 8 crops from the table that match your zone and goals.
• Count back the listed weeks to set sowing dates in February.
• Gather gear, including clean trays or pots, sterile mix, labels, light, and a heat mat for warmth lovers.
• Moisten mix, sow at the depth on the packet, and tag each tray with crop and date.
• Use a heat mat for peppers and eggplant; skip it for lettuce and brassicas.
• Give 14 to 16 hours of bright light daily; keep lights close to prevent stretch.
• Bottom-water, provide airflow, and remove humidity domes after germination.
• Pot up when crowded; begin light feeding after true leaves appear.
• Harden off for 7 to 10 days before transplanting; wait until after frost for tender crops.

Glossary

Here are key terms essential for the February planting timeline and care.

• Last Frost Date: The average date of the final 32 degrees Fahrenheit night in spring for your area.
• Hardiness Zone: A map rating of average winter lows that helps compare climates.
• Stratification: Giving seeds a moist chill to break dormancy so they sprout.
• Damping Off: A fungal disease that kills seedlings at the soil surface in wet, still conditions.
• True Leaves: The first leaves that look like the mature plant, not the initial seed leaves.
• Potting Up: Moving seedlings into a larger cell or pot to keep growth steady.
• Bottom Heat: Gentle warmth under trays that speeds germination for warm-season crops.
• Row Cover: Lightweight fabric that protects plants from frost and wind while letting light through.

FAQ

Q: What if I started too early, and plants are getting leggy?

A: If plants are getting leggy, pinch back if appropriate, pot up to larger containers, and keep lights close with cooler day temps to slow growth.

Q: Do I need a heat mat?

A: You can use a heat mat if you need help for peppers, eggplant, and basil to germinate quickly. Cool crops like lettuce and brassicas do fine without it.

Q: Can I reuse last year’s potting mix?

A: It's best not to reuse last year's potting mix for seed starting. Use a fresh, sterile mix to reduce disease risk and ensure good drainage.

Q: How many hours of light do seedlings need?

A: For seedlings, plan on 14 to 16 hours daily from LEDs placed a few inches above the canopy.

Q: When do I fertilize?

A: Begin a diluted, balanced fertilizer after the first set of true leaves, once seedlings are actively growing.

Final Thoughts

February seed starting turns late winter into momentum. Choose crops that match your timeline, give them steady light and care, and you will plant confident, compact transplants the minute spring opens the door. Start exploring with our seed collection for containers so one February seed-starting session can fill your indoor planting garden.