Fine Gardening Project Guides

Fruits and Vegetables

Guide Home
Chapter
How-To

How to Start a Vegetable Garden: Starting Seeds Indoors

Growing from seed is cheap and easy, and it allows you to grow vegetables that you won’t find in your local nursery

Starting Seeds
Starting seeds indoors is cheap and easy, and it allows you to grow vegetables that you wouldn't find in your local nursery or garden center. Watch this video to learn how to start plants from seed.
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      Steve Aitken, Danielle Sherry, Gary Junken, Kate Geruntho Frank, Cari Delahanty

      So you’re wondering how to start a vegetable or kitchen garden? Not to worry. Our seven-video series How to Start a Vegetable Garden will help you get your first veggie venture off to a good start. We’ll cover the basics: choosing a location, preparing the soil, building raised beds, starting your seedlings, and planting your garden.

      Episode 5: Starting Seeds Indoors

      Starting seeds indoors is cheap and easy, and it allows you to grow vegetables that you wouldn’t find in your local nursery or garden center. Most seeds can be started six to eight weeks before your last frost date.

      Here’s what you need to start seeds:

      • Containers (peat pots, jiffy pots, or recycled containers)
      • Seed-starting soil mix
      • Light source
      • Heat source (a heat mat, a heating vent, or the top of your fridge)
      • Water
      • Seeds
      • Plastic wrap (containers should be covered so they retain moisture)
      • Fan for ventilation
      • Liquid fertilizer

      Fill the containers to the top with seed-starting soil. Moisten the soil until it turns dark and water runs out the bottom. Check the back of the seed packet to see how deep to sow the seed. Put two to four seeds in each container and cover them with a light dusting of soil. Water the seeds in again. Then cover them with plastic to lock in moisture and heat. Finally, move your seeds to a place where they can get lots of light. A sunny window may work, or you can use an artificial light source.

      As your seeds begin to sprout, remove the covering so they can get plenty of air. At this time, you may want to put a fan on them to provide air circulation. Seedlings that are too damp or that don’t get good circulation are susceptible to a disease called damping off.

      The four most important things to remember with seed starting are moisture, temperature, light, and ventilation.

      See more videos in this series:

      1. Selecting a Site

      2. Testing Your Soil

      3. Removing Sod and Vegetation

      4. Building Raised Beds

      5. Starting Seeds Indoors

      6. Direct-Sowing Vegetable Seeds

      7. Planting Out

       

      Previous: Learn How to Use Manure for a Healthier Garden Next: How to Start a Vegetable Garden: Direct-Sowing Vegetable Seeds
      No comments yet

      Comments

      Log in or create an account to post a comment.

      Fruits and Vegetables

      Fruits and Vegetables

      Growing your own food is easy with the help of this comprehensive step-by-step guide

      View Project Guide

      View All Project Guides »

      Become a member and get unlimited site access, including the Fruits and Vegetables Project Guide.

      Start Free Trial

      Basics
      Tomatoes
      Cool-Season Crops
      Warm-Season Crops
      Herbs
      Fruits