How to Start Vegetable Seeds in Soil

Outdoor Sowing

• 1

  Break the ground with a pickax and shovel when the soil isn't soaking wet, but has some moisture in it. If it sticks like a mud cake when you handle it, wait until it dries to the point it crumbles if you press it.

• 2

  Submit a soil sample for testing to find out its pH and nutritional content. Contact your cooperative extension office for the procedure it wants you to follow when you collect the dirt.

• 3

  Incorporate manure or compost into the soil based on your soil analysis report. It will also recommend an application of lime if your soil is acidic.

• 4

  Rake the seedbed to a smooth surface and insert a thermometer into the soil to measure its temperature. Sow your seeds when the temperature becomes ideal for germination, a condition that varies from species to species. The optimum temperature for onion seeds is 75 degrees Fahrenheit, for example. Okra prefers 95 F.

• 5

  Make furrows at the correct depth for each seed. In general, seeds need holes twice as deep as their diameter. Seed packets also list planting requirements and the same information is available from a nursery and your cooperative extension office. Plant cucumber seeds 1 inch deep, for instance, and carrots 1/4 inch below the surface.

• 6

  Cover the furrows with topsoil and tap the surface to firm it. Lay a soaker hose 2 inches from the furrows and irrigate to a depth of 4 inches to envelop the seeds in a moist environment. Water the seedbed as often as it takes to maintain the first few inches of its surface hydrated to promote germination.

Indoor Sowing

• 7

  Buy seed-starter soil or make your own. Blend two parts loam, one part sand and one part compost. Sift the mixture through a 1/4-inch mesh screen to refine your homemade soil.

• 8

  Fill your flat with soil to within 1/4 inch of the rim. Press the surface with your fingers to firm it.

• 9

  Make holes twice as deep as each seed is wide or follow the instructions on the back of the seed packets. Sow one to three seeds per square inch and cover them with soil.

• 10

  Place your flat in a shallow tray of water for the soil to absorb moisture through the drainage holes. Wait until the water reaches and spreads through the entire surface.

• 11

  Cover the flat with a piece of clear plastic film to keep the conditions warm and humid for the seeds. Place it in a warm and well-lit area, but away from direct sunlight.

• 12

  Check the soil daily and irrigate it when the surface begins to feel dry to the touch. Permanently remove the plastic film when the first seedling germinates. Gradually introduce the baby plants to more and more sunlight until they're in full sun all day.