Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors

Spring is just around the corner, which means in mid to late April I will be planting the majority of my summer vegetable garden. I'll be planting a few cool season veggies sooner, but April, and into early May, will be the time that all of my warm-season veggies get planted in the ground. This is when the day- and night-time temperatures have gotten warmer allowing the soil temperature to get warmer, which is essential for the success of warm-season veggies.

Many veggies can be planted as transplants and are available at planting time at nurseries, garden centers and from catalogs. Sometimes I end up buying transplants, but I really prefer to get a head start by planting seeds for some of my crops indoors. Planting seeds indoors instead of buying transplants allows for a much bigger variety to choose from. Seed racks at the store have many varieties, and if you check out the various catalogs, the choices seem nearly endless.

The particular types of plants that I like to start indoors include tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and squashes.

This year I am planting several varieties of heirloom tomatoes from www.rareseeds.com and www.territorialseed.com, which include Brandywine, Green Zebra, Yellow Pear, Roma, and Beefsteak.

Tomatoes should be planted indoors about six to 10 weeks before you plan to put them outdoors in the garden, so for a mid- to late-April planting time, now is the time to get those seeds going indoors.

Tomatoes need a soil temperature between 70 and 90 degrees in order to germinate. If you keep your house warmer than 70 degrees, a heating pad is not necessary, but if you are like me and keep your home in the low 60s during the winter months, then something to keep the soil warmer is in order. I use a heating pad specifically designed for starting seeds. I no longer have the box (or brand name) because I have been using it for many years, but I have seen them available at garden centers and in catalogs. Once the seeds have germinated, the heating pad can be removed, but try to maintain a daytime temp of at least 70 degrees and a somewhat cooler nighttime temp.

Tomato seeds should be planted about 1/4-inch deep and kept moist, but not soggy. They generally germinate in six to 14 days – sometimes sooner – depending on the variety.

I am also planting yellow, orange and red varieties of sweet bell peppers, plus Anaheim chilies and two kinds of Jalapenos - Early Jalapeno and Purple Jalapeno.

Peppers, which are in the same family as tomatoes, have nearly the same requirements, except that they should be started eight to 10 weeks before you plan to put them outdoors, and they take a bit longer to germinate - eight to 25 days.

Eggplants are also related to tomatoes. The only planting difference is that they should be started about six weeks before the outdoors planting time. They need a soil temperature of around 80 degrees to germinate, and will do so in about five to 17 days.

I always plant a number of squash varieties including Zucchini, Crookneck, Golden Zucchini, Benning's Green Tint Scallop, Tromboncino, and Butternut.

Squashes prefer a soil temperature of between 65 and 85 degrees for germination. The seeds should be planted 1- to 1 1/2-inches deep. Expect germination to happen in five to 10 days.

Other varieties of warm-season veggies can also be started indoors, which include corn, melons, pumpkins, and okra.

The soil for germinating seeds and growing seedlings should have a fine texture that allows for good aeration and water retention. There are commercially produced seedling soil mixes available. I went to OSH and found they carried two different brands, one made by Miracle Gro, and another by Black Gold, which is formulated for organic gardening. There are numerous brands depending on where you shop.

You will also need containers/pots to hold the soil and the new seedlings. There are many to choose from including plastic, peat, and coir pots, plus an assortment of seeding trays. I like to use containers in the 2- to-3-inch size range. Smaller ones can be used, but transplanting into a larger container will be required a few weeks before they can be placed outdoors.

Seedlings need plenty of light to keep them strong and healthy. Place them in a windowsill with bright light, or place them under grow lights or a fluorescent lamp. When using grows lights or a fluorescent lamp, the plants need to be close enough to the light so they don't get leggy, but not so close that they burn from the extra heat.

Water should be applied daily to keep the seeds, and seedlings, moist but not soggy.

Diluted fertilizer such as fish emulsion should be applied every week or so once the seeds have germinated.

About a week or so before you are ready to plant the seedlings in the garden, start transitioning them to outdoor conditions by placing them in a sheltered area outdoors to harden off. Bring the seedlings in at night or cover them to protect from potential frost.