Here's an idea I stumbled onto by accident but might actually be a useful technique to use intentionally.

24 days ago (February 8th) I started presprouting some pea seeds. On February 15th I planted most of these peas as an experimental extra early crop. The peas in the soil haven't been doing much since the weather has been quite cold since then, but I also had some leftover presprouted peas that I didn't plant in the soil and they kept growing. I decided to keep rinsing them in water, (like is done for edible bean sprouts) draining them well and then putting them back in a plastic box in a cool room.

Now most of these peas are just about to unfurl their first leaves and I am planning to plant them out into the soil today just as I would transplant any other seedling with the leaves above the soil line. (Normally with presprouted seeds I just plant the whole seed below ground.) Here's some pictures:

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So what do you think of this idea? It seems like they will be much further along than the first batch that has been languishing in the cold soil and also much further along than my main crop of peas which I have just started to presprout. It's similar to raising potted seedlings but without all the pots and soil and it doesn't take up nearly as much space.