Seed Starting FAQ

Editor’s Note: from http://gardening.about.com

Starting plants from seed is a great, inexpensive way to get exactly the plant varieties you want to grow. Starting seeds indoors requires the same basic elements as growing plants outdoors: Light, Seeds, Soil, Water, and Food.

Lighting

The hardest element to provide indoors is light. It is possible to start seeds in a room or on a windowsill that receives a full day (at least 8 hours) of bright light. Most gardeners will need to supplement their seedling lighting with special plant or grow lights that simulate the full spectrum of the sun. Even then, the lights will need to be left on for 12 – 15 hours per day, for your seedlings to grow as strong and healthy as they would in sunlight.
Seeds
Another difficult aspect of starting seeds is deciding what seeds to grow. There are so many choices, it’s tempting to want to try them all. But keep in mind that as your seedlings grow, they will need to be moved into larger pots that will take up even more space. So choose wisely. Buy seeds of plants you’re certain you can’t find at local garden centers or plants that you want to grow in large quantities inexpensively. You might want to join forces with other seed starters and arrange to grow and trade different varieties.

Potting Soil

We’re always cautioned to use a good potting soil, but what difference does it make, really? Well, potting soil very often has no soil at all in it. It’s a mix of peat, vermiculite and other fluffy matter that has the wonderful properties of being both water retentive and well-draining, because it doesn’t pack down like garden soil. It’s also free of diseases and insects that may be over-wintering in your garden soil. Of course, it also doesn’t have any nutrients, so you’ll need to add those.