by Jennifer Gerber

Created on: March 09, 2009   Last Updated: March 16, 2009

You don't have to be Martha Stewart to get motivated to begin your seedlings for this year's upcoming growing season. Now is the time to get started and with a few helpful tips, you too will have hearty plants ready for transplanting outdoors. The first thing that you want to do is get your area organized. Whether you have a professional greenhouse or a specific growing area in your home, you want to make sure that you will have all of the necessary equipment and essentials. Then you need to decide which seeds to plant. Not all seeds will require that you plant indoors. If they are fast growing, then you can wait and broadcast them directly into the garden.

Starting seeds indoors requires 3 main ingredients: soil, light and water. To begin, you will need sterile potting soil which can be purchased at any gardening center and consists primarily of vermiculite, sand and peat moss. For those growers that prefer to produce their own version at home, you will need to take your garden soil and sift out any clumps or stones then heat the final medium in an oven at 180 degrees for 2 hours to complete the sterilization process. Once done, take the soil and moisten it then place the mixture in your containers. Don't forget to add the drainage holes and read the package for planting depth. Some of the more popular containers are flats and peat pots. If you want to be creative and recycle items from your home, you could utilize your egg cartons or paper/star foam cups. Also try to keep in mind the environment and use something that is either biodegradable or reusable for next year's plantings.

The next part of the equation for successful growth is to set-up the area where the seedlings will be housed with the proper lighting. Inadequate lighting sources will lead to spindly plants. Just remember that seedlings need a lot of light whether it comes from direct sunlight or artificial means. If you do rely solely on artificial lighting sources then it is best to use florescent bulbs which produce less heat and are placed a foot above the plants. You will want to keep the plants under light at least 14 hours per day.

Finally, the third piece of the puzzle is watering your seedlings. This can be tricky to get the right level because you want the soil moist but not soggy. One tip for successful germination is to cover the plants prior to sprouting. This will keep the potting mixture warm and moist. Once they sprout, you will want to remove the covering so they don't suffocate. As the plants mature, you can begin to feed them with a weak water soluble fertilizer.

Depending on your location, you will want to start your seeds 4 to 6 weeks prior to transplanting which should correspond to the last frost of the season. With a little preparation, you will have a plentiful harvest.

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