How to Start Vegetable Seeds Inside the House

In late winter and early spring it's time to start thinking about the vegetable garden. Starting seeds indoors gives your plants a jump on the growing season so they go into the garden bed stronger, larger and healthier than plants started outside later in the spring. Even frost-tolerant plants such as broccoli benefit from an indoor jump-start before being moved outside. Follow the recommendations on the seed packets for when to start a particular plant indoors. It varies among plant varieties between 4 and 14 weeks.

Things You'll Need

• Bucket
• Soil
• Peat moss
• Compost
• Vermiculite
• Containers
• Plastic wrap
• Grow lights
• Fertilizer

Instructions

1. Fill a 5-gallon bucket with potting soil--either a commercial mix or a mixture of 1-part sterilized compost, 1-part peat moss and 1-part vermiculite. Water the potting soil until damp, then mix well with your hands until the soil is evenly moist throughout.

2. Fill seed-starting trays or pots with the moist potting soil. Fill to within 1 inch of the container's rim.

3. Sow seeds in the center of pots or in rows 3 inches apart in flats. Sow each seed to a depth equal to twice its width. Sow fine seeds, such as carrots, on the soil surface and cover in a 1/4-inch layer of vermiculite.

4. Cover pots or trays with plastic wrap. Place in a 65 to 75 degree Fahrenheit room to germinate. Light is not necessary at this point.

5. Remove the plastic wrap once seeds germinate---7 to 21 days, depending on variety. Move the seedlings to a warm, sunny window or place under grow lights.

6. Keep soil moist but not soaking wet at all times. Fertilize every 2 weeks with a half-strength houseplant fertilizer.

7. Thin out pots to the healthiest plants once seedlings produce their second set of leaves. Leave one plant per pot, choosing the largest and most developed.

8. Transplant outside when recommended on the seed package, usually after all danger of frost has passed for most varieties. Move seedlings outside to a protected area for 2 hours the first day, then bring inside. Continue moving outside each day, adding on an hour each time for 1 to 2 weeks. Transplant into the ground once this process is complete and plants are used to outdoor conditions.

Tips & Warnings

• Transplant on a cloudy day, if possible. This cuts down on transplant shock and sun scald. Choose seed varieties that are resistant to damping off to ensure healthy seedlings.

• Dispose of any plants and the surrounding soil if mold or fungus is present. This can quickly spread to other seedlings.

References

• Purdue Extension Office
• University of Illinois Extension