Personally I do hundreds of plants for sale as well as the gardens so most all my seeds are started in the greenhouse in plug trays filled with a sterile germination mix (ProMix BX), germinated in a temp controlled hot box about the size of a coffin, transplanted into cell flats and placed out on shelves under high intensity grow lights once germinated.

So for me, do you need a heat mat? Definitely. One for each tray. Do you need lights? Definitely. The more the better. Sorry, that likely isn't what you wanted to hear. ;)

Dave

PS: be sure to check out the Growing from Seed forum here if you haven't already. It has all the FAQs and how-tos covered in detail.

PSS: Be sure to also check out the Winter Sowing forum here. It is a totally different approach, much less equipment involved, and may be more what you are looking for.

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing from Seed forum

I have greenhouses, so my answer is I start my seeds in there when I am growing my product line. I am a commercial grower and I don't use germination boxes, or supplemental light. If you are just starting a dozen or so of each, you can take it to bare bones at home and pull it off OK.

First off, don't rush the season too quickly. That's where a lot of home seeders get in trouble. An old friend of mine used the top of his hot water heater for bottom heat, LOL. No, I'm not recommending that, just saying even ambient heat is sufficient, even though bottom heat is better. Light is necessary if you're doing this in a basement, and a shop light is fine. But your plants need to be very close, like a foot from the tube. You want a very light, sterile growing media. Not that heavy potting soil like you find at the X marts. Use something called seed starting mix. And don't overwater. Most hardware stores have cheap seeds on sale in late winter as a loss leader. I've seen common tomatoes and pepper go for a dime or a quarter. They're fine. If they fail, you're not out much and can still buy in your plants. It's not rocket science.

When using shop lights, I keep my plants as close as possible without having the leaves touch the tubes, definitely within 2 or 3 inches of the light. You can move the light if it is on chains or you can set your trays on various boxes, catalogs, etc. and adjust the stack as everything grows. Keep you seed starting mix moist...not wet and not too dry.

I am heading into my third year of home gardening. By far the best thing for me is coconut coir pellets from Planters Pride. It is very dry where I live and I have found it difficult to maintain an appropriate moisture level when starting seeds in small containers. The coir pellets hold moisture far better than anything else, for me.

I have not used any heat source, except putting things on top of my refrigerator. But I live in a warmer climate than most.

To raise the new seedlings to transplant size I plant them in fiber pots with the same compost/vermiculite mix that's in my raised beds. I have large windows in my kitchen and they seem to do fine on the windowsill. The fiber pots are plantable, you just plant the whole thing and the roots grow through the pot walls once in the ground.

One of the most important lessons for me was hardening off seedlings. In my climate they do far better when they've had a week outside in a sheltered area before going into the ground - makes a big difference.

Here is a link that might be useful: Planters Pride catalog

I start most of mine using the wintersowing method. The only things I don't use that method for are the ones that are direct sown like beans, beets, radishes and carrots and tomatoes and peppers which I sow on a heat mat.

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing Forum

Hi, CM!

You don't list your growing zone, which, as you can see, would impact how and certainly when you start seeds.

But generally, you need to supply warmth, light, the right amount of moisture, and moving air to get seeds to germinate and grow.

Others have given you good advice about how they start seeds, and you should have fun checking them out!

For years and years, people have started their plants in window sills. Downside is that the plants can get leggy and you need to turn the container at least once per day. Plus don't let the leaves touch the window pane if it is frosty.

I use regular flourscent lights and any type of tray with holes placed inside of a tray that holds water (just to keep the water from dripping onto floor and furniture). I use Miracle Grow with Moisture Control to start my seeds in. It's worked for me. I do have to watch carefully for mold or damping off disease.

Seeds are cheap, and you don't have to have alot of expensive equipment. Good ahead and try it. Read the back of the packets, to help determine which variety you want to try. If you have too many plants, give them away or trade for other plants that did not grow for you.

Hi guys!

Wow - thanks so much for all the wonderful tips and information!

Sorry for not mentioning sooner - I'm in Georgia, just north of Atlanta (zone 7).

I think I'll try growing some seeds via the winter sowing method, and some seeds via other traditional methods to see what works best. Worst case scenario is that I'll have to give away some seedlings!

Just a few more quick questions.. Has anyone had any luck with a Patio Greenhouse (like the one at Harris Seeds) or an Electric Mini Greenhouse (like the one at Gurney's)? I would still need to get trays and soil, but perhaps this would be easier than figuring out lighting and heat?

If you don't think this would be reliable, I may just go with the Harris Seeds BeginnerÂs Seed Starter Kit.. This would guarantee adequate heat and light and would probably be more reliable than, say, a Biodome in the windowsill..

As previous post have indicated, it depends a lot on your growing zone and also the size of your family's needs.

I grow all year round in So. Cal., so starting seeds is a round-the-clock yearly affair. I have small starts going almost all the time, getting ready for the next planting outside when the weather permits.

I also have a lot of seeds that I keep from year to year, so seal the out-of-season seeds in freezer containers until I defrost them for their next performance.

Soo - it is necessary and advisable to check the stored seeds viability. I do this my placing 10 or so seeds in a paper towel, dampen it, put it in a plastic bag and place in a warm place (grow light). If the seeds sprout, they can be used again. It is a bit delicate - but I put the sprout into some compost/peat mixture (my own mix) in a yogurt cup, and usually have 8 or 10 of these cups to put in a plastic shoe box. Then slip the entire box into a large plastic bag and put under a grow light - a miniature green house.

I have a pantry with shelves that I use for canned goods, and under the shelves, I have attached some inexpensive grow lights (any kind). My little miniature green houses are placed under the lights until the seedlings start to grow. When they are sturdy, remove the bag, and let them grow until they reach the light. Timing here is important, because they need hardening off outside before planting. I take mine outside, placing in a shady spot, with a plastic cover over them (another shoe box for a lid), until they show signs of growth. Then plant in good composted soil when the weather permits.

Seeds don't need any special mix for sprouting, and I don't fertilize until they are growing well in their final planted space. If using potting or seed starting mix, I would dry it out first, as fungus and mold spores find a warm plastic bag a great breeding place. I use my own compost that reaches high temps when decomposing and don't have damping off problems - but I definitely would dry out any soil mix before planting seeds in it.

Nothing to it - just a piece of cake. I don't believe home gardeners need a lot of fancy equipment - unless they have a very large family to feed.

Bejay

Welcome to the world of seed starting! It is addicting and if you are the nurturing type (and what gardener isn't?) you will likely fuss and fret over "the babies".
The first year I tried to start from seed (20 years ago) was a huge failure. I wound up buying all my plants at the store that year since none of my homegrown plants were worth keeping.
What went wrong? Well, I knew that I would need artificial lights. So I set up a spot in the basement on a table with a 4 ft. shop light suspended over the plants. Sounds good, right? What I didn't know was that regular 40 watt flourescent bulbs don't provide enough light for healthy plant growth unless they are only a couple of inches from the tops of the plants. I had them about two feet above the plants! The poor things didn't have a chance. They got so tall and spindly that they couldn't even stand up.

Now I have the plants so close that they sometimes do touch the bulbs. They thrive with that much light.
The challenge for me is to keep all the plants tops at the same height so that they are all 2 inches or less from the bulbs. I've got my light fixture on chains so it can be raised and lowered, but I still have to raise and lower the plants themselves to make all the plant tops even. I make little platforms out of my kids old lego sets to perch the shorter plants up closer to the lights. It looks funny, but works well.

I use regular seed starting mix in seed starting cells - the 72 cell variety which sits in a tray with the plastic dome. Be sure to take the dome off as soon as the seeds germinate or you will probably have fungal problems. I usually cut the tray into 6 packs and then put only one variety in each 6 pack. This way all the plants in that 6 pack will be roughly the same height and it is not too big to prop up on a lego platform.

I've got a good system now, I just need to restrain myself so I don't start the seeds too soon (It's so hard! I want to start growing NOW :-))

Check out Novosel Enterprises for seed starting trays (see link).
You can get lots more info on the seed starting forum.

I have been starting my own veg. seeds indoors for the last five years with nothing too fancy or expensive. I have had great results and its easy, fun and its been nice trying out all those tomato varieties that nurseries don't carry.

I set up a card table in my basement - 68F. Over that I hang a "normal" 4ft shop light that has twin bulbs w/ a deflector(mine has the newer skinnier bulbs). The light fixture is hung(from ceiling hooks) with wire or chain so that I can easily raise or lower the light as needed.

My "greenhouse" is a clear/translucent plastic tote box - its the kind you would store sweaters/clothes in under a bed. Its 18x40, 6 inches high, has a clear lid and has wheels. If you wanted to, you could line the inside with foil.

For pots, I buy a bag/sleeve of cheap styrofoam coffee cups - maybe 12oz(?) and poke a hole in the bottom with a pencil. You must use new/sterile pots. As a growing medium, I use Metro Mix - some use ProMix and others use Jiffy Mix. Whatever you can find as long as its a quality seed starting mix...

Label your pots, then theres a couple methods on the sowing the seeds part...Fill your pots/cups up half way, moisten the soil add your seeds(I use 3/pot), then add a 1/4" more soil and moisten. I do the seed sowing by my kitchen sink and carefully...use the faucet sprayer on this part. Btw, I only fill the pots up halfway now, and than add more soil mix once they get several sets of leaves(tomatoes). Some people transplant up to larger pots. Another method is to bottom water - don't water the individual pots - just pour some water into the "totebox" and the water will work its way up the pot/"dirt" like a sponge... Many ways of doing this, just experiment and read different methods on this forum...

The lights should be about as low as possible - just a couple inches above the pots and soon your seedlings will emerge. I keep mine covered with the totebox lid until the plants out grow the totebox. I keep the lights on 24hr a day for the first couple weeks and lower amt to about 14 on 8 off. Since the light fixture is hanging by wires or chains, you can raise it as needed. Eventually, I also use a little fan to help strenghten them. Water as needed but don't over do it. I add a very week solution of Miracle Grow a few weeks after they get going. as long as your room is heated...the tomatoes should come up in the 1st week. Peppers and some herbs take longer - I have had some take 2 1/2 weeks. I will be trying a heat mat for the first time this year, for the peppers and some wildflowers.

Its very important to slowly harden them off before planting. I also have a deeper version of my clear "sweater totebox". I sometimes put the plants in it during the early spring and place them on the deck. They are protected from the spring winds but you'll need to watch them so they don't get fried...

The keys are: good soil(less) mix, light - as close to the plants as possible and not overwatering. Its easy fun to watch them grow during the winter! I'll be starting mine in mid to late Febuary here in Cincinnati. I usually do a second smaller batch in mid/late March for "insurance". This is where that heat mat may come in handy as my basement gets cooler in the spring becuase the furnance isn't on as much by then.... Good luck.

I find that it cost so much to have the lights etc. Therefore I only grow what I cannot get as a plant. So I only have one shop light that I bought and I will do about 40 Pepper's, and get a head start on my muskmellon. Total for one shop light and one aqarium light would be about 60. I start sitting these outside 4 weeks after starting from seed. Last year was the first year for me gardening for 20 years. I'm now 42 and still just as firm, hard and fit and the day I was 23.

I find this thead very interesting because practices seem so different between the UK and the US. I'm not sure of the reasonss. Maybe it is the climate. We have a fairly long window of opportunity ie a long spring and I have never in 30 odd years of gardening needed artificial lighting for seed sowing. I either sow in situ outdoors (especially things with large seeds like favas and peas) or in an unheated glazed porch. I do have a small heated propagator approx the size of a tea tray with a plastic dome for things which need a little warmth to get going. Is it really not possible to start seeds without lights in the US? How did your grandparents manage? i wouldn't want th OP, who is a new gardener, to be put off by thinking you really have to have alot of kit to grow from seed.

2009 was my first rather successful year so I took lots of pictures of my set up
http://public.fotki.com/LeylaM/garden/growing-from-seeds-2009/

what does not work: those plugs (biodome?) - they never decompost in the garden and the plants did not grow after transplant

what worked and I plan to use it again:
Do I need a light? - shop lights from Lowes , hang them on chains from a simple structure (made by dear husband, and stained with green organic stain/paint that I got for free from freecycle). I started with just one, then two fixtures (had to add a cross-section piece on each side of the structure and suspend the lights from the cross-section), but soon found out the trays I was using were too wide and one light fixture was not giving enough light to all seedlings, so I had to add one more - total of three fixtures, 6 light "poles" total, spread the trays under them as needed. The chain on both sides of each fixture lets you lower/raise either end as needed - so that the light never touches the seedlings. I got tired having to remember to turn on/off the lights everyday, so this year I am buying digital timer that you can program to turn on/off light as you want.

A heat mat? - for fun, I used christmas lights string under the trays, but I stopped using them after a while, the plants were doing fine with just the heat in the room and the light

Is a mini-greenhouse reliable? - have not tried yet, but one day would like to have it

In what medium to I plant seeds? - I mixed my own mix - from vermiculite, perlite, peat moss and seed starting mix. then water with warm watter with small amount of balanced Miracle Grow fertilizer for seed starting; after I put the seeds in, I sprinkle top surface with more vermiculite.
I used peat pots - they dry out too fast; clay pots are good; but I still like plastic the best - either store bought cell trays, or basic plastic cups - transparent are good - you can see the root development. I collect yogurt cups of all sizes - for repotting as the seedlings grow. That watermelon seedling will need to be repotted 3 times.
Good luck

Flora, yes of course you can start seeds without lights in the U.S. I sow mine all in my greenhouses and use no supplemental light. One can use windowsills as well, but it's very hard to keep a constant temperature there and many people end up frying their seedlings in the sunlight. We have an enormous varietie of climate here because the country is so large, spanning from sub-arctic to tropical, mountain to plain, desert to swamp, and coastal to interior. For instance, I am in Appalachian Ohio, and I've recorded temperatures as low as -30C in winter, to 41C in summer. And, historically it has gotten hotter and colder than that in my state. Just four hour's drive north of me are the great lakes and they have an entirely different climate, and an hour's drive to the west is glaciated plains and they also have a different climate. So, many people opt to start them in the interior of their houses, and often in the cellars where the temperatures are more constant. Ergo, lights. It takes out the guesswork.

How did our ancestors do it? Sowing in situ for the most part, and I remember glasshouses from my childhood, heated by woodburning stoves for early starting and taking cuttings.

This is a super interesting thread. Even though I have been starting seeds for several years, I enjoyed reading how others do it. I use the clear plastic tote boxes as mini greenhouses too. They're $5 at Wal-Mart and each will hold a nursery flat. I start cuttings in them too, and right now they are all over my yard to protect plants from the deep cold we've had this week. My calendulas are blooming under one as we speak: today's low was 10.

daryl, I like your tip about only filling your containers half full of soil for your tomatoes. I am going to try that this year!

My added tip is about tomatoes. Germinate them in warm temperatures: 70 to 80 degrees. THEN move them to cooler temps: 50 to 60 degrees. It's the warmer temps that make the seedlings get leggy even though they are under lights. The cooler temps will help them put on "muscle". I learned this tip in the tomato forum last year.

I use cheap shop lights and the cheapest 40 watt fluorescent bulbs. You don't need the expensive light bulbs for plants. I bought a metal shelf unit four feet wide with adjustable shelves. I also use the under bed plastic boxes and various collected plastic cups and containers. This is in my cool basement. I am not real happy with the potting mix I have been using Expert Mix from Wal Mart. I got Fafard complete potting mix last time; it looks OK but I paid too much for it. I am not an expert but have fun. I grow tomatoes and flowers and coleus cuttings. You do need to harden your plants off if you haven't grown from seed before that step is very important.

My son works in a restaurant so he often brings home food in those plastic to-go trays - the ones with lids. Using a small (1/4") drill bit, I drill holes in the - lots of them. Add about 1.5" of good potting mix, something without large pieces of bark or other crap. I like Ferti-lome.

Put the seeds barely in the mix, then cover with about 1/4" of mix. Sit it in a tub of water until the mix is completely saturated.

Let it drain, then stick it over a heat source, such as a a lamp with the lid on. It stays like this until the first seed sprouts, then it goes under a 105 watt CFL bulb.

Once the seedlings get about 3-4" tall, I transplant them into 3" nursery flat containers.

YMMV,

Mike

YMMV?

To offer a dissenting opinion, someone in a frost-free area near Atlanta doesn't necessarily need to grow indoors at all or invest in any extra equipment. I certainly don't in L.A. and I germinate hundreds to thousands of seeds annually, depending on my need. But you do need to know at what temps the seeds break dormancy and reach those temps consistently for a week or so to ensure a good germination %.

Mailman,

YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary ;-)

When starting plants from seed, it is also important to keep pets away from them. A few years ago my cat managed to get into the room where I had the little 2-inch tall tomato and pepper seedlings. He decapitated half of the plants. Didn't eat them--just killed them. When I found him there, he picked up one of the decapitated tomato leaves and tossed it in the air--he wanted to show off his new "toys."

I'm very careful to keep the door to that room firmly closed in seed-starting season now.

I have been having the best results with Ferry Morse seed-starting mix in the 72-cell plastic nursery packs. They come with trays that allow bottom-watering. The hardest part of this setup is keeping track of the seedling varieties, so I create a table in my word processing program and write in what's what there so I have a record if the writing comes off of the little plastic labels. I put the clear plastic dome on for the first 5 days or so to maintain humidity, then take it off as the seedlings start to pop up. I also use the shop light on a chain method, and keep the light about 2" from the plants. Although it's not the most eco-friendly method, last year I bought Styrofoam drink cups from the dollar store, punched a hole in the bottom for drainage, and transplanted my best seedlings into those. I can then identify each cup by writing on it with a Sharpie marker. When they're ready to go in the ground, I cut the cup up both sides so the root ball comes out undisturbed (I sow cucurbits straight into these cups and have great transplanting results).

I find that although it's great to have a heat mat, it's not totally necessary. It is a little more challenging to get the peppers and eggplants going without one, though.

For lettuce, I've found the disposable tin roasting trays work great. The Dollar store carries roasting trays with clear plastic dome lids that make them into great little greenhouses. Lettuce is fairly tolerant of transplanting, so I just separate them out when they're 2" or so and stick them in the ground and they do great.
For peas and beans, I simply wrap the seeds in a wet paper towel, stick that in a sandwich bag, and check them each day. As soon as most of the seeds are sprouted, I direct sow them in the garden, and get a good head-start over simply throwing dry seeds in the ground.

Even with some equipment, seed starting is really the economical way to go if your garden has any size to it at all. Most places here want $4 for a decent tomato seedling (I don't buy 6-packs because I prefer variety), and I grew 13 tomato plants last year. No way would I spend $51 on tomatoes.

My lighting setup will last several years, and is simply a shop light ($15-30, depending on the style you get), some $2 hooks, $2 worth of chain, and maybe another $15 for seed starting mix, 72-cell trays, and some cups from the Dollar store.

Even in Atlanta, you will probably need to start the seeds early. You won't need to keep 'in house' for as long. I send my 'babies' out into the outside as soon as the days get above 50 degree for short 'recesses' and then longer ones. By the time the night temps are close to 50, they can stay out overnight. I usually cover them for the first few nights, just to protect them from temp dips and creatures.

I, also, use large clear plastic garbage bags for my 'dome' for starting the seeds. I can watch them and they're cheap. I make sure the bags are clear.

Personally i like to start my seeds from seeds. what ever kind of plant it is i like to start it myself. i really dont like buying plants from stores but if i cant grow something myself i just call it quits and go buy one. (usually tomatoes)The only other thing i have tried was soaking them in water.

I start seeds in January using Jiffy pellets. I use a heating pad for bottom heat and place them in a southerly situated window. I've started hundreds of plants this way.

I germinate my tomato seeds by soaking them in a bowl of water. I change the water once a day. After three or four days they start to sprout. Inside temps are low to mid sixties. I plant them in 2 inch square pots. (square because I can fit more(64) in the tray).

I then place them outside for the day and bring them in at night.

I mix my own sprouting soil. It is a mixture of peat and perlite. I throw a little potting soil into the mix. It is definitely not sterile.

I water them with a watering can every one to three days depending on how heavy the tray is.

They get plenty of wind from day one. Outside day temps are in the fifties and sixties to low seventies.

I tried lights but they increased my electric bill and have had better luck with sunlight. I tried a heat pad and the plants were leggy.

I may skip the pre sprouting stage next year as I think it is a waste of time. The germination rate of tomatoes is high so it isn't very helpful. I don't mind a few pots with no tomato plant. The sprouting soil goes back in the trash can for use next year.

Zeuspaul

I really like hearing what everyone has recycled into planting pots. I especially liked the styrofoam cups and the takeout containers! I'm definately going to get myself a clear sweater box to use as a cold frame too.

I only start about 20 plants a year so my "operation" is very small. I use starter mix because I had trouble with water not absorbing very well into dry mix that I made myself with peat moss. I think the starter mix has a surfactant in it. I also avoid peat pots because for some reason I always get mold growing all over them even when I watch the watering closely.

For light I use what comes in through the patio door windows. Yes this means turning the plants every day or so to keep them centered. Like I said - I have a small operation.

As soon as the plants get pot bound, I pot-up to half-gallon milk cartons with holes poked in the bottom. I use a potting mix for this with some slow release fertilizer pellets mixed into the planting holes.

Then as soon as the days get warm enough, I move all the plant outside in the morning before I leave for work and inside when I get home. The sun and wind really helps to keep them from getting leggy.

I know that this must sound like the most labor intensive plan of anyones but my garden is mostly mud during this time so its my only garden chore.

Let us know what you decide to do with your set-up.

Cindy

I also grow plants for sale so i am starting many seeds and my setup sounds like it is the same as digdirt's but i do not use grow lights just fluorescents. Although this year i have used the baggy method and am quite sure that i will continue to do so in the future. Way less time consuming.

As far as your heat source, how many seeds are you going to start? if you are doing it on a some what small scale you can get by very cheap. One 4' 2 bulb shop light goes a long way when germinating and growing seedlings for your garden. (light can be used as your heat source and your lighting at the same time.)

Inside my germination box
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The lights in the box are just used to see inside, not for heat
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Seedlings are as close as possible, most are touching the bulbs at all times. (will not hurt the plants)
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The little guy is one hell of a gardener !!!!!!
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NICE setup!! Is the light bill outrageous? Yikes!

The Pod Pipers electricity is free, it is included with the rent,just wait until his landlord get the bill ;-)

i start my seeds in clear plastic containers, like what deli salad comes in, in Ferry Morris seed starting mix. When they sprout I open the lid to allow air circulation. Once the second set of leaves form, I transplant them into cell packs with sterile soilless mix (sterile to prevent damping off disease). I grown them under shop lights until a week befor our last frost date, and then start the week long process of hardening them off.
For hard to start seeds, I place them in a damp folded napkin placed inside a plastic baggie. I check them once a week for germination and then continue on as above.

Some excellent ways and ideas. I read some of them.
Generally, if you have a fairly long growing season, like in zones 7 and higher, You can just grow/sow your seeds directly in the garden. But then its our human nature that we cannot wait. I think that eggplants, peppers, tomatoes and basils are most difficult to grow by direct seeding. But I did that last year and got good crop although a bit later. I admit that I am impatient too. So this year I will start just a few of each of those inside and will do most by direct sowing later. In my area a decent cold frame situated in good sunny lodation can be an alternative to unheated greenhous.

This thread has provided me with great insight. I never thought that continued use of a heating pad/mat would contribute to leggy seedlings. This is my first year starting from seed and so far it has been a success. Well, I must admit that I did start small.

Again thanks for this thread.

Valencia

This is my second post on this thread.
For the first time ever this year I got myself a shoplight
(under 10 bucks) and started some seeds inside, to get a head start. And they are tomatoes, peppers, eggplane and stevia. Knock on the wood ! So far so good. Some of my tomatoes have true leaves. Peppers are coming along.
I have also build a small cold frame, in which I have sowed much more. So far only BOK_CHOY has germinated.
All in all, very good start for a newbie in this area

Podpiper:

How many times has ATF broken down your front door?

Tom

I've never started peppers or tomatos from seed. But I have successfuly started squash, cantolope, cabbage, brocolli, artichoke, pumpkin, cukes, and many others. I have a big, east facing windo, and some starter trays. I leave the tops of the trays off, otherwise it gets too hot in there and the seeds cook. Water from the bottom, and occasionally use a spray bottle to wet the top, and then... just.... wait until the first crcks appear

I start my seeds in baggies in folded damp paper towels. Never had good success in regular trays in starting mix or pellets.

I don't have a good space my pets will leave alone upstairs, and my basement is cold and inconvenient. Even with a heat mat, I did not get good germination. I found I get much better germination in the bags in a covered tray on top of my aquarium lights. I waste almost no seed.

I check each bag every few days. and as soon as I get germination and green leaves, I transfer the seedlings to a tray of starter mix downstairs in the cold (low 60s F) basement on my seed starting bench under shop-lights.

When they about outgrow that system, they get moved out to my greenhouse. I cover the trays with a laundry basket that reduces the light transmission to about 40-50% of the natural level. After a few days, I remove the basket. After threat of freezing passes, I move them outside to stay, unless freak temperatures, wind, or hail threaten.

Tom

This year I have been experimenting with letting my vegetables self-seed! Can you believe how lazy I am? I figured if I like mustards on this patch, I will like it again next year. So far I have had volunteer lettuces, radishes, mustards, cilantro, shiso, chard, even beans! In a few weeks there will be squash volunteers. See how much money I save not buying seed? Seriously, this has several advantages, since the flowers from some of these crops attract pollinators, other beneficials, and also look pretty cool. I pick them (lets say radishes) but let one of the specimens flower, seed, and even though I collect the seed that I can collect, most of it has gone on the ground, ready to sprout next year at this time and place!

Other winter crops I seed directly: carrots, all brassicas, all beets and chard, lettuces (if I do not have enough sprouting on their own), artichokes I both seed directly or start in small pots.

I also seed directly beans, peas, all legumes actually, and all squash. All cucumbers too.

Tomatoes, peppers and eggplants are the only vegetables I start in small pots inside. I use the same plastic pots that come with nursery purchased plants, start them by a window, then transfer them to the front porch to harden. As far as what mixes, I use whatever I have at the time. But no peat! I have had good luck with either my regular garden soil, or potting soil, or a mix. I also sprout my tomato seeds that I saved without fermentation. I tried fermenting last year and it spoiled the seeds, I have gotten better results without fermenting, but don't tell anyone in the tomato forum or I might get kicked out of it.

Oh yes, if there is a spacial brassica I would like to 'baby' like cauliflowers for example, I do start them in pots in the early fall, mostly just to keep the varieties from getting mixed up, and to be able to bring the seedlings inside if the sun gets too brutal.

But I still think the self seeding method is the best! let the garden go feral!