It all starts with a seed. Food fuel and flourishing flowers for the garden.
It’s time to think about which plants you’ll start from seed indoors and which seeds you’ll sow directly in the garden.
The advantage of starting seeds indoors is that you get a head start on the season.
I love seeds. One pack of seeds can produce hundreds of plants costing me much less than a four-pack from the local nursery.
You also have more choice and greater variety when using seeds since you’re not limited to what can be found at the local garden center.
It’s wonderful to control your food supply from start to finish, the only way you can be 100% sure your produce is safe and organic.
Starting seed indoors extends my gardening season.
Seed also lets me experiment with varieties that require longer growing times than what a Western New York growing season allows.
And if they don’t germinate, seeds are inexpensive.
Want to save some serious cash by planting a few seeds with me this year? The hottest trend imaginable.
Homemade seed tape fast fact!
How-to buy seeds
- Species and/or variety name
- Mature height
- Packing date (Never buy seeds packed more than a year ago.)
- Make sure the seeds haven’t expired, plenty have on store selves so inspect.)
- Special planting instructions. Consider if you’ll have room for the full-sized plant.
- Germination rate (should be over 65% at least.)
- Look for open pollination and hand-picked
- Untreated seed
- Organic and Non-GMO verified
When to plant
You typically start seeds 4-8 weeks before the last frost. Your average last frost date is considered the first day of the year when there is less than a 50% chance a frost will occur.
If you don’t know your last frost date, I’d call the local garden center or the local county Cooperative Extension Service Office and ask. You could also find various websites online to consult.
But start seeds too early and you’ll get weak, tall and spindly seedlings; some of which are less likely to survive transplant.
Start too late and and your little plants may not be big enough to transplant when the time comes.
So keep track of when you started each type of seed indoors, and write down how each of them did. It’s not a perfect science.
You have to experiment with the seed starting process and it may take a few years to come up with a working schedule.
Even so, if I’m a bit too early or a bit late, many of the small plants grow fine.
With vegetables, you have to be extra careful because you want to make sure you give the plants enough time to grow before harvest.
Nothing worse than a massive frost killing your plants just before harvest resulting in zero produce.
With flowers, I’m willing to take more of a risk and plant later hoping for the best!
It’s also helpful to know your average first fall frost date so you can determine the number of days in your growing season. This date will also help you plan your summer and fall sowings for crop succession.
Fast fact…
The soaking process gives the seeds a big boost that affect their ability to germinate, grow and produce over the long haul.
Optimal seed conditions
- Light. Your seedlings like 12-15 hours of light a day. Grow lights are really nice to have, but pricey. You could also use a shop light with cool white or a mix of cool and warm white fluorescent bulbs placed 1-2 inches above the seedlings. I find that my house is very sunny, especially in March/April and I’ll make do with a sunny window.
- If it’s warm enough where you live, expose your seeds to a bit of outdoor light. But short intervals at first in a shady spot under a tree. Dappled sunlight only, never direct sun. Direct sun will fry the plants!
- Gradually increase the seeds outdoor exposure to light and sun over the course of a week or several weeks.
- Water. Seedlings require consistently moist soil. Moisture triggers the germination process and softens the hard outer covering of the seed so the sprout can emerge.
- If you plan on using a seed starter kit they tend to dry out quickly. Waterlogged soil is just as bad as dry soil. It causes the plants to rot while encouraging pests. So check moisture levels regularly.
- To avoid overwatering, mist using a spray bottle.
- It’s always better to water from the bottom up and this rule applies to your full-size plants as well. Make sure the container has drainage holes even if you have to poke them in. Drainage trays are a fantastic way to keep the growing medium moist without disturbing the young seedlings.
- Heat. Providing bottom heat to your seedlings promotes germination. You can buy a heating mat or:
- 1.) Prop up your plants against a heat vent if you have forced air or even a radiator.
- 2.) You can use a space heater to keep those seedlings warm. But keep a sharp eye on the moisture level of your little plants. Any heat you use will quickly dry the seedlings out.
- Ventilation. Once you’ve noticed that most of your seeds have popped up in the flat it’s time to begin ventilating them. Air circulation around seedlings can help prevent disease problems while strengthening seedlings.
- Prop the lid off the tray just a hair so that the seedlings can acclimate to the room.
- Continue to prop open the lid an inch each day until you’re ready to take the lid off completely. You can even use an oscillating fan on low to spur on ventilation. Just don’t aim the fan directly at the soil which will cause rapid dryness. Point the fan toward the wall or place the fan above the soil.
Fast fact…
Plants that require a long growing season to reach maturity.
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Easiest Edible Seeds To Grow Indoors
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Easiest Flower Seeds To Grow Indoors (Transplant well)
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Why start veggies & flowers indoors?
Many varieties need warm soil temperature to germinate so if you don’t start them inside, you may have to wait to sow outdoors until 2 to 4 weeks after your last average frost.
Who wants to wait that long? Not me. Not you!
Free mini greenhouse options
- Rotisserie chicken cases ~ Love that “greenhouse” dome-top.
- Take out salad containers from McDonald’s ~ it comes with that clear lid.
- Olive Garden takeout containers make perfect little seed starter greenhouses ~ clear lid and all.
I planted in my rotisserie “greenhouse” and plan to break up the tiny plants when the time comes using a butter knife and my fingers to gently pull apart the roots. I may have to thin the seeds, too!
Clear domes help me see progress without disturbing the seeds and increases humidity to aid germination. You can also use plastic wrap for this exact same purpose.
It’s also essential to poke holes in the bottom of your makeshift “greenhouses” for drainage purposes. You don’t want your seeds to get waterlogged or to mold, either!
In fact, any container with drainage holes poked in the bottom can be used including yogurt cups, egg cartons, empty jello and pudding containers. Just use that plastic wrap.
And keep in mind that any time you reuse a container, it needs to be cleaned and sanitized prior to adding your soil and seed.
Hardening off isn’t all that hard!
It is a 7 to 14 day transition period that helps the tender seedlings adjust to outdoor conditions, including exposure to direct sunlight, wind, and changes in temperature.
Take it slow on day 1 leaving your tiny plants outdoors for only 1 – 2 hours then bring them back indoors.
Each day, leave them outdoors longer, and gradually move them into more exposed areas. Make sure to frequently check the soil moisture, they dry out quick!
How long do seeds last?
Keep your seeds away from heaters, vents and sunny windows. Also, don’t store in a damp basement, bathroom closet, etc.
Many seeds that don’t store great after the second year come from the onion family, including leeks, chives and shallot seeds, parsnips, possibly peppers and lettuce.
Sow plenty of extra seed to compensate for relatively low germination. (Only if seeds are old). So plop a few extra seeds into your planting hole and cross your fingers!
But be aware that if more seed germinate than you had expected, you may have to thin the seeds. Seed thinning sob story here!
In my experience, most garden seed will keep longer than just one year. In particular if stored in a mylar bag!
Many types are worth planting even after 2-3 years of storage.
Squash, beans and tomatoes can give surprisingly good results even at 5 years.
Just remember, germination drops off gradually with most types, so as seed ages, plant more seed to account for reduced germination rates.
Quick labeling tip:
You can also buy wooden craft sticks for the exact same purpose. Sometimes, writing directly on the container is a quick and easy labelling technique!
A quick note on soil
Bacteria and fungi in the soil, water and even air can deter even the best seeds from germinating property.
This is why it’s so important to use fresh seed-starting mix from the get-go.
A quality seed-starting mix fresh from the bag is formulated to discourage common pathogens that cause seedlings to rot and mold.
Even adding a bit of vermicompost (worm poop!) can be beneficial in your seed-starting mix. But don’t use more than 10 percent by volume.
I like adding perlite to the bottom of the pots to increase drainage.
What you never want to do is head to the backyard with a shovel and use soil from your yard in your flower pots or seed pots. This soil will introduce weeds, diseases and insects to your new seeds. Big no-no!
In fact, I wouldn’t even use the same seed starting mix that I grew my seedlings in the year prior, even if the pots were still in tack. Toss it all in the compost bin and start afresh, please!
Even using potting mix is a bad idea as it’s just too heavy for the tiny seeds.
Remember: the fewer obstacles your seeds face, the better they can grow!
Last thoughts…Should I start my seeds indoors or outdoors?
Large-seeded crops such as beans, corn, and squash germinate quickly when sown directly into warm soil, often within days of planting.
Root crops such as carrots, beets, turnips, and radishes should always be sown where they are going to grow so their roots develop undisturbed!
I start all my tomatoes, peppers, collards, cabbage, celery, bazel, and many more for my garden each year!
Tomatoes, green beans, and pepers. I will be growing more items next year but hope to travel this summer and can only grow during certain months in New England. CT.
We have just started planting our spring seed. I am always looking for more great tips! Thank you!
I live in a condo and am restricted with what I can grow outside 🙁
I’m glad you wrote this I need the information so I can order my seeds and get everything ready for planting this season too.I have a list of plants I want to grow this year with some herbs too.
Great information! Thanks
great info, can’t wait for spring!!
We’ve had our seeds going for quite a while now
I miss having a garden.
Hi, I am Marilyn and I just want to say that there is so much wonderful information on this process. We recently moved into a home and I am thinking we may start a garden here. Thank you for all the great information! 🌿🍓🍅
I cannot wait for it to get warmer so I can start planting
We love our veggies garden.
My youngest daughter loves planting , gardening , growing her own veggies , love to hear new ideas
I used to have a garden and would can and freeze all kinds of things. Now I live in the city and I miss the fresh vegetables.
My little niece loves to try and grow things
Have my seed. Just waiting on the right time to plant.
Can’t wait for fresh veggies
great
Nice tray.
Cannot wait to plant ours, wish I had a greenhouse to get started early!
Nothing yet, trying it out for the first time.
I’ve been wanting to try planting by seed in the house. I usually get plants that are already started and put them in the ground, but this looks pretty easy!
I love your blog
Thank you so much for this! I am not great at growing things but I have really been trying to get better so this really helps thank you.
Super helpful and informative! Thanks!
This is my first time at this site and I found the information and products
amazing. I can’t wait until my first order arrives.
I plant lettuce, arugula, corn, beans and onions from seed.
Hoping to figure out how to plant seeds without the backyard squirrels digging them up before they can really take root.
thanks for these great tips
Very helpful information to a novice planter. Thanks
I’ve been thinking about having a garden this year. This gives me all the info I need to get started!
I’ll have to try soaking them. Usually with seeds I find that a lot of the seeds don’t ever germinate.
Tomatoes and peppers are all that I start indoors. The rest I direct plant seeds in the ground. I don’t know why I even bother with a garden, I give most of it away.
Interesting. I live in south Florida so will have to start my seeds in the fall! It’s too hot and wet to grow things in our summer.
I have a small, dark apartment. I don’t have a good place to do seeds and my cats think it’s for play.
We now can plant a garden since we bought our property and I can’t wait to start my veggie plant soon………
These are great tips. I will try and grow something this year.
Thanks for all the great tips! I need to start some seeds!
I have tried many times to grow plants from seeds and fail more often than not. I hope these tips improve my results.
I don’t plant a garden but my father in law has a big garden, I know he saves the seeds from his Zinnia’s to replant. My Dad used to start plants from seed.
I love this web site and all the helpful tips
We are getting ready for spring planting by starting our seeds indoor.
We don’t have a yard anymore, but I still start herbs from seeds and keep them in pots.
My wife used to have a garden, but we live in a small place with no yard space to grow food.
Ty for the great informative Laura, And this is how we do our gardening 👩🌾. We live amongst rock & gravel not good soil. I would use Thai so much. Thanks so much for the is pretty raised table love it and the design is so amazing 👩🌾🤞🥒🥬🧅🫑🌱❤️ Btw. Love your name.
Laura Fesmire
Thank you for the hints and comments. I found some things I am doing wrong.
Neato!
Great information to help me get my herb garden planted!
I started Celosia, African mallow, and a lot of Canna seeds right now. I will start tomatoes, peppers and a few it other flower seeds when the right time comes.
GREAT TIPS AND REMINDERS TO GET STARTED…THANKS
I love indoor gardening in my small apartment. Thanks for the article.
I love planting both seeds and started plants. I think it signifies hope and optimism.
I can’t wait for Spring/Summer. We get our garden situated well my Step Father does and start planting a whole bunch of different things. It’s amazing and so pretty when it’s in process.
I can’t wait to start plating.
Thanks for the tips I have never tried indoor gardening before but may try it .
I started a planter of lettuce on my deck and a rabbit climbed all 4 steps to get to it. I need a Plan B!
I never have a great deal of luck with seedlings…..I try, though!
I’m attempting to plant mint, basil and parsley right now. I have not had much luck growing basil and mint lately and cannot understand why I’m having so much trouble since they are both so easy to grow. However, I am determined to make it work and keep trying. Hopefully I will have success much sooner than later. Thanks for the great tips in this post.
Lots of helpful tips! Hoping to plant this spring!
Great tips. Thank you
So excited to start gardening this spring. I could use all the tips I can get. Thanks
I never thought of starting brussel sprouts, broccoli or radishes indoors. We always start beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini indoors, along with herbs.
I need all the help I can get with seed starting. It seems to require patient and I am not very good at that but I plan on trying again. Thanks for all the tips.
Thank you for the tips!
thanks for the tips!
I thoroughly enjoyed this article. I didn’t think about checking seed packet dates, presuming they’d be fresh! Goodbye assumptions; and, hello date checking! My husband is the one who selects & sows veggie seeds indoors & I defer to his preferences. For flowers, Zinnias and Mexican Sunflowers are planted from seeds I’ve harvest from our plants the previous year. And, thank you for the tips, which I’ll be sharing with my husband.
I’m saving this page.
I can’t wait to start planting this Spring!
Counting the days to Spring when I can prune my plants and get them outdoors again.
This is all wonderful advice regarding indoor seed planting tips! We appreciate this important information!
Sunflowers!
I am just setting up my seed starting area today. I am so excited to get started.
Started some of my seeds and can’t wait to put them in my garden! Love Springtime!
I need or rather really want to, but I might not do a garden this year
Thank you for the information. I really need to start doing this. I live where there is a short growing season, but I always seem to start too late or forget to take them outside every day for a nap to harden off and they die when I plant them. Maybe one day when I am a grown up, I might get it done right. (I am a grandma raising a toddler, so not sure when I’ll grow up.)
Always an exciting time of year. Each year, we try and expand our garden, it’s always fun to try new things.
great varieties to read on
I was not aware that starting seeds indoors extends the growing season.
Thanks for the tips.
Love to try tomato seeds
Seeds, they offer us unlimited promise and hope after we emerge from a long winter.
Great info and ideas. I live in a small apartment and would love to plant some herbs and other indoor veggies/ fruits.
This is a very informative article, love getting a head start on growl g veggies and herbs!
I am planting a lot of herbs. Fresh tarragon, thyme, basil, etc to add inspiration to my culinary creations!
Cant wait for Spring! Great tips! Love to plant seeds and grow my own veggies and flowers!
This year I’ve started New Zealand Spinach, Giant Mustard, and Collards from seed.
Thi year is like last yeaar. Still not n our house. This pandemic has played games trying to get contractors.
Awesome tips! Thank you.
We plant everything in our garden from seeds and try to grow something new every year, this year is okra!!
Good info and ideas right in time!
Great tips! I can’t wait for my fresh veggies😋 Thanks for sharing!
You have so many genius idea’s to make gardening fun and easy!
I can’t wait to start planting! This is my favorite time of year.
I start my seed planting indoors in recyclable egg cartons. It works well! Great tips!
I normally start planting in the fall. It’s good to know about planting a few weeks before the end of frost season.
Thanks for the great tips. I’m planting a small veggie garden and a new flower garden this spring. Thanks!
This would be a HUGE money saver as compared to purchasing plants to put in my garden! I worry about not having enough sunlight, though.
I grow tomato, green beans and lettuce. This would be a wonderful addition. I’ve always wanted an indoor garden.
Oh and yummy pineapple. I know it’s not the same category, but it’s delicious.
I enjoy growing from seed, so maybe your tips will help me be more successful. I’ve always been able to grow morning glories, but the last two years, the seeds have been very tiny and not done well. I’m going to have to look for another supplier!