Indoor Gardening

[RBB]

I'd like to get a jump on my gardening this year - something I've meant to do for a long time. I've heard of people growing tomatoes under light indoors, but I don't know anything about it.

Can anyone tell me what I need to get started? I'd probably just start tomatoes and peppers and transplant them when it gets warm enough.

[RunsWithDeer]

We start many garden plants indoors, mostly those that have long growing times such as tomatoes, winter and summer squash, peppers, pumpkin and melons. We start seeds directly in 3" peat pots, it seems to help with transplant shock and are easy to use. We had a problem one year using our own soil for starting, so I do buy the soil starter. Some folks sterilize and use their own soil which is cheaper, but I tried it and the smell and mess was not worth it for me.
Plants need lots of light, so if you do not have a warm place with lots of light, you will need to add lighting once the plants are growing. I have a good south facing group of windows with for natural light. I have used heat mats under the plants to help germination, but I have not really needed it as long as you keep the soil moist.

I don't start my plants until late Feb to mid March. Our last frost is usually mid May, and I don't plant until then.

[crashdive123]

RBB - I don't grow plants indoors (no room), but I do quite a bit of planting in homemade earth boxes. A friend of mine made some and as the weather got colder moved one with 2 heirloom tomato plants indoors. Fairly warm area and a single grow light. She said that the plants have not stopped producing.

[Machinegunmomma]

I have done it two different ways. Get a large plastic container, well maybe double a shoe box size doesn't need to be deep just roomy. Lay down some cotton fabris, (muslim) wet it down throughly and add seeds, spacing them apart as to not get tangles up.. Put additional fabric ontop then wet it down good (not flooding but nicely damp) cover poke some holes in the top to breath then all it needs now is warmth, either under a bed or where ever all it needs is darnkess and heat and keeping it wet. In about 1 week or less you will have some nice sprout that can now be seperated into a container of soil for further growth. There ready to plant int he ground or pot when they have 3 leaves on them above the soil line...

Egg cartons work too in getting your seeds started all you need for that is some cotton balls (real cotton) put a ball in every holder then add a seed then another ball ontop wet and repeat same process keeping them warm and damp. Putting them under a lamp works well in this case it must be warm that's what makes them break through their casing and making sure they do not dry out ever!!

So if it's cold where your add you can have a great advantage by starting you seeds this way before the soil gets warmed up..

Just make sure you don't mix seeds in one container you will not remember which is which.. Just label each container whats what!

Also feed that soil real good before starting with some fish emulsion the plants love it... Also you can go to your local butcher and aks if you can have all their throw away old fish.... I just throw it in the soil and burry it around the plants and it works so well it's not funny.... Your'll have the best garden around and very early start....

[crashdive123]

Good tips - thanks. When you get a chance, germinate on over to the Introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself. Thanks.