Tips and Tricks for Starting Seeds Indoors

Producing your own food can be a healthier, more affordable alternative to supermarket products, and is extremely satisfying. Get the ball rolling with your garden by planting seeds inside, and get our expert advice.

Best Seeds to Start Indoors

Select your vegetables according to the foods the family members will consume, and then purchase top-quality organic seeds for the most effective results. For those who live in areas with colder temperatures, it might be advantageous to plant a larger selection of plants indoors due to the shorter growing season. You can choose from the following options:

• Basil
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Eggplant
• Kale
• Parsley
• Peppers
• Tomatillo
• Tomatoes

When to Start Seeds Indoors?

As a general rule, it is recommended to plant your garden seeds inside between six and eight weeks after the typical date of the last frost in your region. Check the instructions on each seed packet for the recommended dates to start planting.

How to Start Seeds Indoors?

Start by making your tools and other materials to ensure you have everything you require in your reach:

• Top-quality seeds
• Seed tray to plant seeds
• A top-quality seeding mix for potting
• A pencil with an eraser
• Fertilizer (optional)
• Heat mat for seedlings (optional)
• The Grow Lights (optional)

1. Check the instructions on the package to determine whether you'll require chilling, scratching, or soaking seeds prior to planting.

2. Put your potting mix in the container of your choice and then moisten it with warm water. Mix it thoroughly.

3. Fill your containers with the mix to just below the edge.

4. Check the label for each kind of seed, and follow the instructions for planting. Pick the largest seeds, and then use the eraser at the pencil's end to gently push the seeds into the soil.

5. Cover each tray with plastic wrap on sides of the tray. Then, make use of a skewer to poke many holes that allow air circulation.

6. Take care when you water because too much force could displace the seeds.

7. The best temperature range to start sprouting your seeds is between 65 to 75 degrees. The bottom heat is the ideal. A top-of-the-line refrigerator might be ideal, and you could also choose to make use of a heating mat.

8. Make sure the potting mix is wet. Once the seedlings begin poking through the soil, remove your plastic wrap.

9. Transfer or move your tray(s) to an east-facing window or put them in a grow light. A minimum of 14 to 16 hours of sunlight is needed for maximum growth, which is why grow lights are the best choice.

10. After the seedlings have developed their second set of leaves, it's time to move the seedlings into pots that are individually filled with pots of soil. Place the new pots in indirect, bright sunlight and give them a few weeks to adjust. The first set is not real leaves but cotyledons that are an element of seed. Most vegetables will be able to see two cotyledons appear before the first set of real leaves.

11. Plant the seedlings in a hard, sturdier place prior to transplanting them outdoors by watering them less frequently in their final week indoors. A week before transplanting, you can begin putting the pots in a shaded place for a period of several hours, making sure the soil is damp.