Steps
A Sunny WindowPlace trays in a sunny wi
... Read Morendow. Invest in some cool-white florescent bulbs if you don’t have a lot of sun.
Containers: I use everything from old egg cartons to take-out food containers to the old standby peat pots. Whatever you use, don’t reuse without sterilizing.
Seeds:
You can start almost anything inside. Don’t start root most root crops like carrot, beet and turnip inside.
Growing Medium:
Spend the money. By growing medium.
Sowing Seeds
Place a few seeds in your growing area. Don’t overcrowd. Cover with ¼” soil or more depending on seed size. Usually double the seed depth.
Moisture and Humidity
I keep my seeds covered until they germinate. Don’t overwater they will rot. Keep lightly moist thereafter.
Light
Check the type of seed to see if like light or dark to germinate. They give it as much light as possible.
Seedling Care
Watch the seeds to be sure they don’t lean into the sun. Keep evenly moist but not wet.
The first two leaves you see are not actually leaves they are cotyledons they help the plant get established before the leaves grow.
Hardening Off
One week before transplanting your seedlings outdoors, start to harden them off. This process acclimates the soft and tender plants, which have been protected from wind, cool temperatures, and strong sun, to their new environment. Move the plants to a shady outdoor area at first, and bring them indoors for the night if night temperatures are cold. Each day, move them out into the sun for a few hours, increasing the time spent in the sun each day. Keep them well watered during this period, and don't place them directly on the ground if slugs are a problem. Monitor them closely for insect damage since tender young seedlings are a delicacy for insects.
Transplanting
Put your plants outside after they have been hardened off. Hardening off means you slowly acclimate the plants to the outside. Put them outside a few hours at a time in the shade at first and then slowly into the sun. The sun outside will burn the plants if you put them right out into the sun the first day. Be sure to transplant late in the day to give the plants the night to overcome shock. Now also give them water and you are good to grow!
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