How to Plant Seedlings Indoor
Starting seedlings indoors is an effective way to make the most of your growing season. Because many areas experience frosts as late as April and May, the outdoor growing season is insufficient to grow popular vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers. By starting seedlings indoors you give your plants more time to grow at temperatures at which they will thrive. By the time the weather is warm enough to plant them outdoors, they will be hardy and mature enough to withstand full sunlight and nighttime temperatures. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Start seeds indoors about two months before the weather in your area typically frosts for the last time. For example, if the ground usually frosts until late April, start seedlings indoors in early March.
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Start seedlings in sterile soil or a commercial seedling medium. This will protect your seedlings from fungi that can live in outdoor soil and it will also provide them with an environment free from unwanted seeds that can compete for nutrients and water. Sterilize soil by heating it in the oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternately, purchase a seedling mix or blend one yourself from peat moss, ground limestone and organic fertilizer.
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Plant seeds in small plastic containers several inches deep. Punch holes in the bottoms of the containers for drainage. Prepare the soil by watering it enough for it to hold together in clumps but not enough for it to be soggy. Fill the containers up to half an inch from their tops. Plant seedlings to a depth of about four times their diameter. If they are too small to measure, simply cover them with a thin layer of soil.
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Place potted seedlings by a window that receives plenty of sun or under a grow light for 14 hours a day. Water them regularly, keeping the soil moist but not wet.
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Transplant seedlings outdoors two weeks after the last frost. Acclimate them to the outdoors before transplanting them by bringing them outside and putting them in the sun during the daytime during the week before you will be transplanting them, as long as the weather is relatively mild.
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