When is the best time to start seeds indoors

Start by separating all your packets of seed into two piles: those that will be "direct-sown" (planted right in the garden) and those that will be started indoors.

If there's no information on the seed packet, start all your seeds about 6-8 weeks before you'll plant them outdoors. Make note of which plants are too big or too small at planting time, and then you can make adjustments next year based on your notes.  Some seed should be planted directly outside in the ground. Like beans, sun flowers, peas, corn, radish do not like to be transplanted. 

It helps to know how deep the roots are, so you can choose the right size pot to start them in. Like Peanuts have 12 in roots. I did them in new paper folded cups. The roots went thew and under the paper of the other cups. They did fine. But made it hard to take the paper off with out disrupting the roots. 

I am in Zone 5 Missouri. My last frost date is April 15. With the weather changing so much. March was fine for potatoes to be outside. We had our last frost on April 2, 2015. So they had to be covered on that date. 

I use the lunar signs to start seed so after the new moon in Jan, Feb and March, I start seeds. 
The cold crop should be started first. Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, etc.  Jan 

Tomato and peppers are also one of the first ones to start. I prefer larger plants to transplant out doors. Feb, may be when I stat them.  I will also start, true potato seed, (TPS) not tubers in Jan and Feb also. Last year it was March. I found they were to small in April. 

How the Moon affects plant growth

How soil and water temperature affects seed germination

Harvesting Oca

On Nov 10, 2015 I had some frost damage to the tops of the Oca. Yet there was still green growth on many parts of the stem. I asked and was told by William. On the 23 of November ."The above ground parts of the plant will die in freezing weather. Tubers in soil are generally safe for overnight chills down to 25F, but they'll start to freeze if that continues for more than 8 hours. Frozen tubers are dead tubers."

So I continued to keep them outside and protected

The green gave me hope that the tubers were safe.

Tubers looked great.
Around the first week of December I took these 3 plants into the house putting them in a clear storage tote. I found they continues to bulk up and the tops stopped growing.

Th results of today's harvest

I have learned enough to be able to do a better job of growing them next year.
I will keep them in containers where I can move them around. And get them out of the heat on high heat and humid days. Because I lost 10 of 13 plants the first day heat went up to 97f.   But these were in a more protected area. I also will have them started early to obtain more top growth. As the 3rd plant and some of the others did not grow enough green to stay alive and develop tubers.

These are the 3 variety's,
Oca-OC-14-2x08x05

Yellow with	Light red (pink)

Country of origin Bolivia 
is an abundant flowerier, which set quite a bit of seed in it's state of origin. .


Oca-OC-14-1x14x08
Light red (pink) White

I may be the only person in the world with OC-14-1x14x08.

OC-14-1x10x15
 Purple-red
 The most promising variety for yield can have more than 2 pounds from the seedling. It appears I have none of these.
recipes for use