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How to Start Garden Seeds in the House

by Margaret Bryant

Overview

Get an early start on your garden weeks before the frost has receded in your area by germinating garden seeds indoors. As soon as the soil outside warms enough to sustain plant growth you can transfer your seedlings and be weeks ahead of gardeners who start the germination process outdoors. Indoor gardening requires little investment and you may be able to use equipment you already have stored in your garage.

Step 1

Calculate the planting time for your seeds. Germination time can be found on the seed packets. If germination takes 21 days, start your seeds indoors three weeks before the last frost for transfer shortly after the ground warms.
Step 2

Locate a sunny, draft-free area of your home to set up your trays. It needs to be somewhere children and pets will not disturb and needs to be as warm as your seed packets specify.
Step 3

Fill your plant trays with potting soil and water thoroughly. Allow the excess water to drain off. Use small pots for items like seed potatoes that are too large for the trays. Biodegradable trays allow you to transfer the plant, pot and all, straight to the ground rather than having to detach it. You can make some out of newspaper and a mold.
Step 4

Plant the seeds at the depth and width as directed on the seed packet.
Step 5

Slide the trays or pots inside a clear plastic bag to retain humidity, much like a greenhouse, until after they germinate. To keep the trays moist without having to open the bag, set the tray on top of a cookie sheet or larger pan of water and allow the soil to take in what it needs.
Step 6

Place the seed trays and pots in front of a sunny window or on a shelf beneath a florescent plant light. If the plants do not have access to sunlight, give them as many hours of artificial light per day as there is sun in your area.
Step 7

"The Gardener's A-Z Guide to Growing Flowers from Seed to Bloom" advises gardeners to harden off plants before transfering them to the garden. On the first day, make a small slit in the plastic bag. The next day make the slit larger and allow the tray to sit outside for twelve hours. Increase the amount of time the plants are outside by a few hours per day until they are outside for 24 hours by the seventh day. Now they ready for planting in the ground.

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Planting trays Biodegradable plant pots Potting soil Seeds Clear plastic bags with ties Florescent light (optional)
Planting trays
Biodegradable plant pots
Potting soil
Seeds
Clear plastic bags with ties
Florescent light (optional)