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Bedding plants can add an instant splash of color and texture to your garden. They are a great way to quickly fill bare spots in your borders or to disguise unsightly foliage from bulbs. Growing your own bedding plants from seed isn't very difficult. It does however require consistent care and a fair amount of patience.

Take small peat pots and fill them with a good quality pre-mixed seed starter mix. Don't be tempted to skimp and use garden soil, or last years potting compost. They do not have the correct texture or chemical balance necessary and may well contain disease or pests. Place the filled pots in a tray. Most garden centers sell trays specifically designed for this purpose. Many come with a clear plastic lid to help keep the atmosphere moist and help with germination.

Always make sure that your tray has ridges along the base to elevate the pots to prevent water logging, or fill the bottom of the tray with a thin layer of gravel. The aim is to keep the pots moist but not soaked. Too much or too little water will kill the seedlings.

Every seed has its own unique planting requirements. For best results read the instructions on the seed packets and follow them as closely as possible. Once your seeds are planted, place them a warm dark place until they germinate. It is important to check them everyday, as once they germinate they have to have light, and plenty of it.

A sunny window sill rarely offers enough light, particularly in early spring. Invest in a grow light from your local garden store. The light needs to be kept at a constant distance of no more than a couple of inches above the seedlings to obtain the strongest and bushiest plants possible. Too high, and all their energy is put into upward growth.

One year we were busy with a major remodeling project and short on time. Our seedlings sprouted and we had no time to set up our usual growing lights in the basement. With the intention that it would be a temporary solution, I placed them on stacks of books close to the newly installed under counter lighting in the kitchen and switched them to full power. The results were pretty god. Not perfect, but good in a pinch.

In just a few short weeks you should have healthy young plants ready to transition to your garden. Begin by placing them in a sheltered spot outside for just an hour or two a day. over the course of a couple of weeks increase the time they are left out. Make sure you keep them well watered and protected from bright sunlight at first. The plants will need to gradually become accustomed to being outdoors.

Many seeds prefer to be sown later directly into the garden. Provided all chance of frost has passed, and that you keep them well watered many annuals will quickly grow and produce flowers within a short few weeks. It is a lot less labor intensive to wait and sow directly into the soil, and if you choose a variety that readily sets seeds, your display may reappear each year.

Learn more about this author, Julie Wood.
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