Starting Vegetable Seed Indoors

1. Start seeds in a flat or a seed starting tray with holes in the bottom for drainage. If you don’t want to buy containers specifically designed for starting seeds, you can create your own out of egg cartons, cut-off milk cartons, or deep-sided aluminum disposable pans. Make sure you punch drainage holes in the bottom.

2. Fill the tray to about 1 1/4 inches from the top with a sterile growing medium made especially for starting seeds. Avoid using potting soil, which becomes too dense after a few waterings and doesn’t allow good air and water circulation. You can create your own by combining two parts peat or sphagnum moss with 1 part perlite and 1 part vermiculite. Put the filled tray in a larger pan and add water to about halfway up the sides of the flat. Let the flat stand overnight to moisten the soil.

3. Press the seeds into the planting mix to the depth recommended on the seed packet. Water with a misting spray bottle or with a fine overhead spray from a watering can. Keep the growing medium evenly moist, but never waterlogged.

4. Ensure sufficient humidity by placing a thin pane of glass on top of the flat, and keep it in a spot where you can provide the soil and air temperatures and the amount of light recommended on your seed packet.

5. Make up for any deficiency of sunlight by placing fluorescent light above the flat. Keep the lights on around the clock until the seeds germinate.

6. Watch for signs of germination: The first thing you'll see will be a set of what appear to be small leaves. These are actually food storage cells called cotyledons, also known as “false leaves” or “seed leaves.” (Germination times vary greatly; again, your seed packet will tell you when to expect the first signs of life.) Continue to water so that the soil stays evenly moist.

7. When the first set of true leaves appear, thin the seedlings to the spacing recommended on the seed packet.

8. Choose the smallest and weakest-looking seedlings, pull them out gently so you don't disturb the remaining plants, and add them to your compost pile. Begin to feed the plants once a week with a good fertilizer.

9. Transplant the seedlings to individual pots filled with potting soil when you see two or three sets of leaves. Just before transplanting, water the seedlings, then gently lift them out with a spoon or a garden trowel.

10. Set each seedling into its pot, carefully firming the soil around the roots. Water gently but well, and continue feeding until it's time to harden off the plants and move them to the garden.

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