It’s spring, you are getting excited about the warm weather and might want to start seeds and get gardening. But it is still too chilly outside to do anything but clean up some garbage or rake leaves. First consider how long it takes to get the seedlings ready for planting. Some take longer to germinate, some grow slowly, some need a nice warm place and some only require two weeks. Generally most seeds like annual flowers like sunflower, snapdragon, nasturtium, hollyhocks, four o’clock and Nicotiana (flowering tobacco) will need to be sown indoors by mid April. Herbs like dill, parsley, basil can be done in pots anytime or in the ground outside by the end of May. If you want to start tomatoes or peppers you need to start them in pots indoors by March. All other veggies like cucumbers, squash, pumpkin, melon can be started in the house by mid to late April.
Read seed packets for any special instructions to help germinate. Some large hard seeds need to be soaked first in a saucer of water to soften overnight. Some need to be covered with soil and some just sprinkled onto soil surface. Cover planted seeds in a container with a lid to keep them moist and warm by placing in a sunny window or on top of your refrigerator. It acts like a tiny greenhouse. They can be uncovered once they begin to sprout. (Be sure to sterilize your seed soil first by placing in an old roasting pan and heat on the lowest setting in oven to kill unwanted fungal bacteria.) Cook for an hour then let cool. This will cut down on fungal disease killing off the seedlings. Other good containers include large paper drink cups and plastic food or fruit cartons. Poke holes in the bottom for drainage and place onto plastic trays. Write on the outside of them to mark the name of the plant. You can water as many as ten or more at a time by pouring water in the tray to let it absorb from the bottom. Don’t over water, watch to see how much is absorbed in an hour to gauge the amount. If there's still water in the tray you have put too much. Seeds need to be moist not soggy and let them dry out in between.Generally add water each day if placed in a sunny location, but every ones house is different.
