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Start Seeds Step-by-Step
Step 1 – Plant Seeds
Purchase your seeds either locally or from mail order companies located in your growing zone. Consult your local university extension or gardening resource as to when to plant each variety indoors. For example, we plant cabbage about 6 weeks before the date of the last spring frost in our area. You can also follow the instructions on the seed packets, but these tend to be very general and not always applicable to your local area.
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| Clean seed trays |
Fill with Seed Starter Mix |
Holes in soil for seeds
Add plant markers |
Make sure your plastic seed trays contain no pathogens from last year by cleaning them first (90% water, 10% bleach). Fill the trays with either a seed starter mix or, as we do, with a 50/50 sterilized soil/seed starter mixture. Plant the seeds in the trays following the depth guide on the seed packets. Remember that if you plant them too deep, you risk them not germinating (making it to the top and producing leaves).
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| Drop seeds into holes |
Cover with soil and peat moss
water gently |
Place plastic dome on seed tray |
Water the seeds gently, sprinkle a thin layer of very fine milled sphagum peat moss over the top and place the trays in a warm spot. Don’t use regular peat moss but milled sphagum peat. The reason for the peat moss is to prevent damping off disease. Remember that in order to germinate, the seed pods require moisture and heat. Light at this stage is optional, but we normally place them under the florescent lights to add the needed warmth, as the basement is normally somewhat cold. Place a thermometer next to the seed trays to monitor the temperature. We cover our seed trays with a plastic cover to retain moisture.
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