Planting and watching garden seeds spring to life is one of the most rewarding events in a gardener’s year. While a greenhouse is ideal, many gardeners use a sunny windowsill and, some like myself raise healthy plants in a dark basement with a row of fluorescent grow lights.

Starting plants indoors gives them a jump on the season. Also, you’ll find much more plant variety if you shop for seeds. Some rather interesting plants are available in seed form only.

Follow these tips for starting seeds in the early spring:

1. Don’t start your seeds too early. Different seeds require different starting dates. Seed packets usually tell how many weeks to start seeds before transplanting. Count backwards from the recommended time to determine when to start seeds indoors. Here’s a general timetable:
   • Onions: 12–14 weeks before the safe planting out date (April 15–May 1)
   • Peppers: 8–12 weeks before the last frost
   • Eggplant & Tomatoes: 6–8 weeks before the last frost
   • Lettuce: 5–6 weeks before the safe planting out date (April 20–May 1)
   • Cole Crops (broccoli, cabbage, collards, etc.): 5–6 weeks before the safe planting out date
   • Cucumbers & Melons: 2–4 weeks before the last frost

2. Gather your equipment (flats or other containers, calendar, germinating non-soil mix, seeds, watering can, labels and marker; soil thermometer, fan, and lights), and then prepare your work space.

3. Fill your clean, sterilized flats with a non-soil starting mix (generally a combination of perlite, vermiculite, and peat). Starting seeds indoors with regular garden soil is the surest way to introduce fungi that cause “damping off” disease. You’ll know you have this problem if your tiny seedlings keel over in patches or if a fine, cottony “wool” appears on the soil surface. If a “damping off” fungal infection occurs, pull out and toss any dead seedlings and spray the remaining seedlings and soil surface with chamomile tea. To make, pour one cup boiling water over ¼ cup dried chamomile blossoms (available where bulk herbs are sold). Let sit until cool, and strain into a spray bottle. Chamomile has anti-fungal properties that can help with fungal infection. I have also used a very dilute solution of Simplexity Health Alpha Gold—½ capsule to one quart of water.

4. Cover the seed with a bit more of the planting mix. (Some flower seeds need light to sprout and these you do not cover. It should say on the seed packet). Seeds should normally be covered to a depth of three times their size. Keep soil uniformly moist but not soggy. Maintain the air temperature at 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit for best results. Providing bottom heat with heat tape, a heating pad protected from moisture, or even an old electric blanket will speed up the germination process. Cover the entire seed flat and place it somewhere warm.

5. Germination time will vary from seed to seed and species to species. However, the process is always the same. The first step is the absorption of water. As the seed swells it develops considerable pressure that eventually ruptures the seed coat allowing the root to emerge. Meanwhile, internal metabolic changes are gearing up for growth. Germination is dependent on several factors: the condition of the seed, the presence of water, sufficient soil air space, temperature, and darkness.

6. Provide plenty of light after seeds germinate. When using a sunny window, turn plants daily to prevent a permanent tilt as plants stretch toward the light. You can use a backdrop of shiny aluminum foil for more light reflection. If you’re using indoor grow lights, place them very close to seedlings—no more than six inches above the plant tops. By suspending shop lights on chains, you can raise them up as plants grow. Cool fluorescent fixtures are sufficient, although full-spectrum lighting may be used if available. Keep the lights on 16 hours a day. A timer is a big help in this regard. The absolute minimum light that seedlings need is 10 hours, and 18 hours of light is too much.

7. Thin seedlings so they have plenty of room for their roots to grow. Shortly after your seeds have germinated and soon after they’ve developed their first true leaves, you’ll want to transplant them into a deeper container with a richer growing medium. I use an old dishpan to mix up one batch of transplant mix at a time. I use a good potting soil and mix in two large scoops of Simplexity Health PLANeT Food® per dishpan. A kitchen fork works great to lift your seedlings out gently. Do not lift by the stems, as they are very fragile at this point.

8. From the start, seeds contain all of the nutrients they need to begin their growth. I don’t begin fertilizing until after I have transplanted. For two weeks, about every three days, I use a very dilute solution of a liquid kelp fertilizer that is a 2-4-2 mix. That means that it has a larger amount of phosphorous to promote strong root growth, which is so important at this time. At the end of two weeks, I switch to using a dilute solution of Simplexity Health PLANeT Food, which contains a vast array of micronutrients from volcanic rock dust and freshwater micro-algae. This is the best fertilizer I’ve found to support the plant’s immunity and to encourage lush green foliage.

9. Watch your seedlings and check for signs of wilting. If they droop, don’t pour on more water. Wilted plants should be kept shaded and cool until they perk up, which shouldn’t take more than a day or two. Temperatures should average approximately 70 degrees Fahrenheit in the day and 60 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

10. The light that a plant receives makes it possible for the leaves to manufacture starches and sugars, but a period of darkness is necessary for the plants to put these new compounds to use. Plants don’t rest at night; they digest and grow!

11. Harden off your seedlings before planting them outdoors. Slowly introduce them to sunlight, wind, and cooler temperatures over a period of a week or so before actually planting outdoors.

One of the best books to learn more about seed starting is called The New Seed-Starters Handbook by Nancy Bubel, Rodale Press.