How to Plant Vegetable Seeds Indoors

Overview

You can get a jump start on your vegetable garden by starting seeds indoors. It is especially helpful if you live in a location that has a short growing season. Without planting your seeds before the last frost in these locations, there are a lot of vegetables you won't be able to include in your garden.

Step 1

Choose the containers you will use for your vegetable seeds. There are commercial choices. Plant trays have many small plastic indentations, within one tray. This allows for many small seedlings that can later be removed and planted outdoors. Peat pots are popular, as the can be planted directly into the ground. You can use clean kitchen food containers that had butter yogurt or cottage cheese in them previously.

Step 2

Fill your containers with soil. Commercially bagged potting soil, from your local nursery or home improvement center, is perfect. It is disease and weed seed free.

Step 3

Moisten the soil with water.

Step 4

Follow package directions as to how deep the seeds should be planted. Each type of vegetable is different. For example, most varieties of zucchini seeds are planted an inch deep. Carrot seeds, which are very fine, should be planted only 1/4-inch deep.

Step 5

Place your planted seeds in a southern widow where they will get plenty of sunshine. Keep the soil moist, but not sopping, and soon you will see seedlings popping through the soil.