How to Build an Area to Start My Vegetables Indoors

Put together a collection of pots and containers for growing. Use 6-inch pots for seed starting, 16-inch pots for growing peppers and like plants, 20- to 22-inch pots for large plants such as tomatoes and wide, shallow flats for leafy plants like spinach, cabbage and broccoli. Give small plants 1 to 2 gallons of space and large plants at least 5 gallons of space. Use containers with drainage holes to increase circulation and drainage.

Mix a rich, moist and nutritious long-term potting soil with 1 part bagged garden loam, 1 part organic compost or peat moss and 1 part sand. Indoor potted vegetables dry out more quickly than outdoor vegetables and require a richer, more retentive soil for consistent nourishment and moisture. Use a fine starter soil for individual seeds, which require lighter soil for germination. Fill each container 3/4 full to allow for full root growth. Mix 10-10-10 or 14-14-14 granular fertilizer into the soil at 2/3 the recommended rate for best root growth.

Put the pots and containers in an open indoor spot with full sunshine or artificial light and good air circulation all day. The plants won't grow, bloom or fruit without enough sunshine and cannot pollinate without adequate air circulation. Put seed-starter pots at the edge, in partial shade. Seeds require gentler lighting for starting, but move them into the full-sun areas when they sprout.