In just a few short weeks, it will be time to start hardening off seedlings to prepare them for the move outside.  If you haven’t done so already, you will need to decide what plants you will grow this year and purchase the necessary seeds and supplies. 

If you have never started seeds indoors before, it is really simple and can add a lot of time to your growing season.  This is especially important in areas where the growing season is already short, and can be the difference between plants that produce and plants that hit their prime right when the frost comes in.

Peppers and tomatoes are perfect examples.  In our growing region, these do not have enough time to produce if they are started outdoors, so they must be started as seedlings indoors and transplanted when the frost is done.

All you need to start seeds indoors is a place to plant them, a way to provide light, and a good soil to start them in.  If you have a heat pad, it can help them sprout quickly and grow faster, but it is not necessary.  Egg cartons placed on a cookie sheet with sides make a great place to start some plants, or you can invest in pots from your nursery.

Seedlings must be watered regularly and not allowed to dry out.  Once they sprout, you can place them near a window to get light, or under a daylight lamp until they are ready to move out.

Planting seeds indoors will extend your growing season, give you something to do in the cold winter months, and help provide you with beautiful plants and flowers earlier in the spring.