Planting Seeds Indoors for Transplanting

Planting

• Seeds differ in planting depth. As a rule, plant seeds four times as deep as the seeds are wide. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on the back of the seed packet for the exact planting depth. Some seeds need a little light to germinate. Cover these seeds with vermiculite, a light and airy seed-starter mixture. Check the directions on the back of the seed packet for detailed information.

Lighting and Moisture

• Place the seeds inside near a window with a southern exposure. Keep the seeds out of direct sunlight and drafts. Artificial lighting is better than a window because the light is overhead and not to the side; the plants don't bend and grow toward the sunlit window. If artificial lighting is not available, rotate trays daily to prevent bending. Hang the artificial lights on a chain and raise them as the plants grow bigger. Place drip pans under the flats and cover with plastic wrap to hold in moisture.

Seed Containers

• Save space indoors by starting seeds in plastic or fiber trays. Each seedling grows in a separate cell so the tender roots aren't intermingled and don't suffer damage when the time comes to separate them. Another alternative involves using organic peat pots. Peat pots are especially good for seedlings that don't adapt well to transplanting such as cucumbers and squash.

Hardening Off

• Seedlings must "harden off" before they are transplanted. Hardening off means the seedlings must experience the outside for seven to 10 days before moving from the temporary seedbed. A week before hardening off, limit water. When you put the seedlings outdoors, place them in a shady area or under a tree where the leaves filter most of the sunshine. Offer a little more sunshine every day during this period. After you move them outside, keep the soil moist at all times until the seedlings reach maturity.

Planting Times

• Different regions of the United States experience different dates for the earliest and latest dates for transplanting outdoors. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, in Region 1, consisting of the lower part of the United States in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 10, transplanting may begin as early as February and March and continue all the way through September. In Region 2, or approximately USDA zones 5 through 8, the time to transplant most plants is March and April with the exception of broccoli and cauliflower, which survive when planted in August. In Region 3, or approximately USDA zones 1 through 6, transplant all plants in June -- no later. These are only estimates for planting times. Transplanting time varies from area to area, so learn about which plants grow in your area and when to set them out by consulting the USDA map or calling your local extension service.