Starting seeds indoors
Now that you’ve planned out what you want to grow and where (see our Garden Bed Planning guide), the next step is to decide which plants, if any, you should start growing indoors.
This step will be determined by where you live. This guide is assuming a winter season that prohibits year-round gardening. You will want to check with a local resource on when the last average frost date is for your specific area. I would recommend doing an online search for your county’s state extension office. Most will have this information on their website.
Next, make a list of the plants you intend to grow, including recommended “Start Indoors” date, recommended “Transplant” date, and recommended “Direct Sow” date. Most of these dates will be found on the seed packet or product description page if you are purchasing your seeds online. See our Gardening Resources page for online sites where you may be able to find this information.
I would recommend making a simple worksheet (see below) listing the following information: Date of Last Average Frost; Plant Name; Indoor Start Date; Transplant Date; and Direct Sow date.
This step will be determined by where you live. This guide is assuming a winter season that prohibits year-round gardening. You will want to check with a local resource on when the last average frost date is for your specific area. I would recommend doing an online search for your county’s state extension office. Most will have this information on their website.
Next, make a list of the plants you intend to grow, including recommended “Start Indoors” date, recommended “Transplant” date, and recommended “Direct Sow” date. Most of these dates will be found on the seed packet or product description page if you are purchasing your seeds online. See our Gardening Resources page for online sites where you may be able to find this information.
I would recommend making a simple worksheet (see below) listing the following information: Date of Last Average Frost; Plant Name; Indoor Start Date; Transplant Date; and Direct Sow date.
At the appropriate time (based on the “Indoor Start Date” from your worksheet), there are a number of options for starting your seeds inside including seed starting trays, peat pots of various sizes, or homemade options (see Gardening Resources links).
You will need:
You will need:
- Sunny location (preferably near a south-facing window)
- Seed-starting tray, peat pots, or other growing container
- Potting soil
- Seeds
Fill the tray or growing container approximately 3/4th full of potting soil. You will notice that I used a large tray with 12 6-pack inserts. I made a separate worksheet with corresponding cells to track which seeds I had planted in which insert (see below). Another option, especially if you are using larger peat pots, would be to use a marker and write the name of the plant on the outside of the pot. However you choose to do this, make sure that you have a way of knowing which seeds you planted in which containers. These tray cells from Amazon include plant label markers, another good option.
Place one to three seeds in each section, cover with a thin layer of potting soil, and then water.
Place the tray or growing container in a sunny spot and water when needed. The tray that I purchased came with a clear plastic top, producing a greenhouse effect which helps the seedlings emerge sooner. You don't necessarily need this but I have found that it works best for me.
Place one to three seeds in each section, cover with a thin layer of potting soil, and then water.
Place the tray or growing container in a sunny spot and water when needed. The tray that I purchased came with a clear plastic top, producing a greenhouse effect which helps the seedlings emerge sooner. You don't necessarily need this but I have found that it works best for me.