1. If you haven't saved cell packs from last year's plants, you can purchase inexpensive ones at your local nursery. Alternately, you can start seeds in clean yogurt containers or even in egg cartons. Fill the container with a soil-less seed starting mix (never use garden soil, as it's too dense and can contain organisms that could lead to disease) and sow 3 or 4 seeds per cell. You can thin them later, applying 'survival of the fittest' methodology. Water thoroughly (taking care not to wash away the seeds) and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
2. Set in a warm, cozy spot, out of direct sunlight. The top of your refrigerator is ideal. Check moisture levels periodically and water as necessary. Keep an eye out for "damping off," an airborne fungal disease that thrives when seed trays are kept in cool, damp, dark locations. You'll recognize it by a characteristic white mold layer on the soil's surface. If this happens, scrape it off and allow 'soil' to dry completely between waterings. Some people swear by their home remedies to prevent the scourge. I haven't tried any of these personally, but that doesn't mean they don't work. Here are some of the most popular:
Cinnamon powder has fungicidal properties. Sprinkle some on your seed trays.
Mist seedlings and mediums with cool Chamomile tea.
Combine 1 minced clove of garlic with 2 cups of water. Cover and allow it to steep for 24 hours. Strain and mist over seedlings.
3. When seedlings pop up, remove the plastic wrap and place containers in a bright, sunny location or under fluorescent lamps, where they'll be exposed to a good 14 hours of light daily.
4. After the last frost -- no sooner than tax day -- "harden off" your plants by placing them outdoors for increasingly longer periods. Pick a shady spot that's protected from the wind and start off with just a half hour the first day. Over the next 2 weeks or so, work up to about 8 hours of outdoor time per day. Be sure to continue watering throughout the hardening process. Your plants will be ready for transplanting in the garden after hardening as long as nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees. I usually wait until Mother's Day.
