Start with an el-cheapo shop light - 4 ft, 2 tube fluorescent. You will have to construct some sort of contraption to hold the light over the seedlings. You will want to be able to adjust the distance between the seedlings and the bulbs, but that doesn't have to be complicated. My very first light setup was an IKEA bookcase with ladder sides. The distance between the shelves was set, but by putting the seedlings on various combinations of tissue boxes and phone books, then removing those things, I could keep the seedlings directly under the lights.

The two big things to remember are that you don't need anything fancy, and the seedlings should be kept as close to the lights as possible. Since fluorescent bulbs are cool, the plants can even touch the bulbs without issues.

You don't actually *HAVE* to start all your seeds inside.

Peas, basil and spinach can survive with relatively little sun...so they might do well indoors in a basement. Basil and other herbs can even be house plants. Peas and basil are really easy to start from seed.

Regular CFL bulbs do a reasonable job of providing light for plants. If you want to spend money, they do make special grow lights. Stay away from incandescent bulbs and halogen lights.

As far as what to grow...I think it's a mistake to focus on the staples you can get at the grocery store. You'll never grow them cheaper then you can buy them at Market Basket. Try growing things *YOU* think taste much better fresh, and exotic things that are hard to find at the grocery store. There is a whole universe of fruits and vegetables that you don't see in stores because they don't travel well (eg Pawpaw, exotic banana varieties), or because they aren't popular enough. Try growing Mustard Greens, Potato Beans, etc. Yellow eyed Beans are great for Boston Baked Beans.

How much space do you have to play with?

There are perennial vegetables, like asparagus.

There are also vegetable that have attractive flowers, if you want to combine ornamental and vegetable gardening. Sweet potatoes, artichokes, and some kinds of pea have attractive flowers.

Welcome to the New England gardening forum, hjsullivan. I agree that most vegetables can be planted directly in the soil, except possibly tomato or pepper plants. Good luck to you! Gardening season will be here before we know it!

Nice to hear a new voice, AJSullivan. I've planted veggies since I was in my teens, and have grown at least some almost every year since. Some years I grow from seed and some years I buy plants, usually from smaller local producers since I find the variety is better and the plants healthier. Which I do depends on my schedule.

We grow what we like to eat, not only the unusual. DH is fussy about what he likes, but I grow a few just for me (edible podded peas, squash, broccoli, and kale) along with the things I grow that we both like (potatoes, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, leeks, onions, and garlic) along with a few random or iffy crops each year (soybeans, dried beans, melons, and sweet potatoes are the most common.) The eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, leeks, and onions do best if started indoors, but all the rest are direct seeded. Different veggies take different amounts of time with the leeks and onions getting sown in February, peppers 3 or 4 weeks later, and the tomatoes and eggplants about 6 weeks before last frost date.

Like MadGal, I use 4' fluorescent shop lights. Mine are hung on a home-built 2x4 frame by chains over hooks so that I can adjust the height off the veggies. An oscillating fan to help build strong stems is helpful as well. Once the weather is warm during the day, they go outside in shade at first, and getting a bit more sun every few days, but coming in at night. If your home is cool, a heat mat may help as well. I usually put the plastic covered seed trays on top of the fridge to get the added heat until they sprout.

Hi,

I'm pretty new here too but have started seeds on and off for years. I don't live in a basement, but I do start seeds in one so it's definitely possible! My rig is a basic 4 foot shop light hung under a table top height shelf. (The top of the shelf is my laundry folding surface.) Like NHBabs' setup, the light hangs from lightweight chains on eyehooks so it is easy to keep low to start and raise as the plants grow. I use a heat mat to get the seeds to germinate since my basement is cool, but take them off as soon as they sprout.

There are good calendars online that can show you when to start seeds depending on the local frost free date. The other thing to keep in mind is that you can plant some seeds in advance and others directly. I sometimes do this with lettuce. The indoors starts are ready to eat a few weeks before the direct seeded lettuces.

Starting seeds for fun or your own education can be great, but beware of the tendency to start every seed in the packet! No one needs 20 of the same tomato. (Don't ask me how I know this)

If you have access to a car, you might try out some area growers. Russell's garden center used to have great mixed packs of started plants (4 different varieties of cherry tomatoes or 4 different types of summer squashes for example), It is a fun way to try a variety of veggies without having to buy many different seed packets. Other growers have slightly bigger plants in their own little pots. Lots of good options!

have fun!

Hi,

You can add me to the shop light and fan club. You need a setup that allows you to move the lights as the seedlings grow since fluorescent lights need to be fairly close to the plants. CFL's work as well, but the dimensions of a shop light usually work better for a row of plants.

Also I know you said you want to grow all of your plants from seed, but don't write off buying plants from a reputable company completely. I've done both many times and when you add up all the materials and effort, I'm not entirely convinced you gain much growing from seed. If you are growing a large number of the same plant varieties, seeds are way cheaper though. For me at least, unless it's a rare variety or one you can sow directly(peas, beans, etc) I just skip the hassle and buy a few flats from a local grower.

I use fluorescent. They are utility light through the top of a tote.

Welcome! I've got two words for you (or is it actually one long word...?) - winter sowing! It's awesome. Check out the Winter Sowing forum right here on GW. I've been doing this for over 10 years, and have not started a single seed indoors since I started this. I had such great success that I sold bouquets at two farmer's markets for a few years, starting all my flowers by wintersowing. I can't recommend it highly enough!

I use it for pretty much all my vegetables except for green beans. Lettuces, spinach, greens, beets, carrots, onions, tomatoes, cukes, squash, eggplant, peppers, herbs - I do them all with winter sowing.

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/wtrsow - be sure to check out the FAQ. The forum has gotten quieter over the years (think lots of folks have gone over to a facebook page) but there is still lots of good info there.

Good luck!

Dee

What would be ideal for you is finding a copy of Crockett's Victory Garden. It used to be a gardening show on Boston tv with the garden outside the studio. It is set up by month so you have a checklist of what to do each month. I'm further north near Concord NH so I also use the planting calculator on Johnny's Seeds. I just about always see used copies of Crockett's (get the original) in area used bookstores. Perhaps your library has a copy. I also haunt used book sales. I've been getting most of my tomatoes and peppers from a local backyard grower. Not only do they have a great selection, I can buy one each if I want.

If you have any plans to can or freeze tomato sauce etc, grow some paste tomatoes. I like several varieties. I find the slicing tomatoes too watery but I do can them. Keep your eyes and ears open for small, local growers. You might find them advertising on Craigslist.

Add me to the shop light hanging on chains fan list. My husband built a two shelf rack with a third shelf for holding "stuff". You can find plans on the internet.