Early Gardening - Start Your Seeds Indoors

If you want to give your plants an early start while you are waiting for the frost outdoors to clear, start your seeds off indoors. It usually takes four to six weeks to be transplanted outdoors, when the plants have had at least two sets of leaves. Start your planning ahead of time and have a beautiful garden earlier this year.

When planting indoors, your seeds will need the same treatment they would need if they were outdoors: light, water, and soil. However, indoor plants will need extra attention to make sure they are properly taken care of.

For starters, the soil used must be sterile, otherwise a commonly known fungus called "Damping-off Disease" can kill your seed before it has a chance to grow. If this were to happen, you could find all of your hard work go right down the drain. It should be clearly indicated on the package of soil whether or not it is sterile. As you may find it is much easier to purchase soil that is already sterilized, you do have the option to sterilize your own soil. One well-known way to do this is using your oven. You will need to spread the soil about three to four inches deep in a non-plastic container, such as a metal or glass baking pan. Cover each container tightly with foil and insert a meat thermometer through the foil and into the center of the soil. Set your oven at 180 degrees, heat the soil to this temperature and keep it there for thirty minutes. Remember, do not allow the temperature to go over 200 degrees, as this could produce plant toxins. After heating has completed, remove the containers from the oven to cool, leaving the foil on until you are ready to use the soil. Keep in mind, it is normal for the heated soil to give off a slight odor.

Once you have the soil ready, you will need to make sure that you can provide sufficient light for your growing seed. Even a window with direct sunlight can not give off enough light sometimes, so it may be necessary for you to provide artificial lighting, There are special bulbs made specifically for growing plants. Be sure to place the light about one foot above your planted seed. You will need to keep the light on for at least fifteen hours a day to insure your seeds are getting the right amount of light to grow.

Finally, you want to make sure the growing seeds will have plenty of water. Be sure to keep the soil moist, but it should not be too wet or soggy. If at all possible, you should water the plant from below so the soil can soak it up like a sponge. Before the plant begins to sprout, you may cover it with plastic wrap, this will help to retain moisture.
As long as you provide special attention to the growing seeds, you should find that you will have a great start on a beautiful garden. Think of your seed as a young baby that needs a lot of tender love and care and you will have a healthy plant, ready to be transplanted in about six weeks.