Let's start by thinking about the logistics of our garden-to-be. Start by imagining what you'd like your garden to look like; a design. Sketch it out. It would behoove you to refer to the internet or some gardening books to get an idea of what plants are compatible with each other, as well as the function they serve in respect to the other. Certain plants just do and don't grow well around each other. An example of "companion planting" is basil. Any type of basil improves the flavor of tomatoes when grown within 18 inches of each other. I simply sprinkle a few packets of seed in the area a few weeks before I transplant my tomato seedlings. A contrary example: most plants hate fennel as it inhibits their growth. It's still a lovely and useful plant that attracts beneficial insects to the garden. So just be careful where you plant it. Summers here in New York can get pretty intense. So taller plants can provide shelter for the next row of plants that may need and/or can tolerate shelter or shade. Good drainage and access to water in your garden area is fundamental. Period. If you have a garden hose, or are willing to water with a can, great! Just keep in mind that if you're raising critters on the roof, and you're on the first floor of a 6 floor walk-up, those buckets of water get heavy and cucumbers get super thirsty in the mid-summer heat.

So you've picked a spot to grow some kitchen produce. Maybe some cherry tomatoes in a hanging basket indoors, or watermelon radishes on your fire escape, maybe even Blue Lake pole beans trellised along your backyard fence. Read your seed packet carefully. Research. Research. Research. All seeds are so incredibly different. For beginners, inquire about seeds that are easy to grow; varietals that are more disease or pest resistant. Seeds, like people, prefer different growing conditions. That being the case, start seeds in batches, as some will go into the soil sooner than others. Don't kill yourself by starting every crop you want to grow in one night. You'll make mistakes and your seed sowing will be sloppy. Relax, have fun. Look at each seed and make a note of what it looks like. It's fascinating.

Start a day or two in advance. A lot of seeds need to soak overnight, even two nights, in warm water before you sow them. It gives them a good jump start on germination, or sprouting. Again read the packet, look it up online, consult books. As far as sowing your seeds, there are lots of containers that will be fine to use as long as they have good drainage and they are CLEAN, preferably sterile. Check out Beta Green Living for all sorts of clever ideas for containers to start seeds. Peat cups, peat pellets, larger peat or cardboard flats all work. I've discovered that cardboard egg cartons are ideal for smaller seeds or seedlings that will have a shallow root system, or just for initial germination before transplanting to a larger pot. I've also found that certain recycled cardboard packaging with dents and grooves, work great. You're using recycled, as well as recyclable material. As long as it has good drainage, it's fine. Old yogurt cups or take-out pint containers are great, just ensure they have proper drainage by poking holes into the bottom. If you'd like to be a super good gardener and sterilize any of the above, simply pour boiling water over them and giving them a good scrub (if plastic) a delicate but thorough scrub (if peat or cardboard containers). Some cardboard is so delicate when water is added it turns into a wet washcloth, so a scrub may not be possible. A simple 10% bleach solution can do the job too, but if you want to avoid using harmful chemicals, an organic dishwashing detergent will work fine. Make sure not to use any old containers that have harbored disease or fungus in the past. Just use new ones.

As far as your soil mix is concerned, everyone has an opinion. Going on-line for advice can seem a bit daunting.. Whatever you do, avoid using soil from your garden. It's just going to be full of too many organisms and diseases. I've heard use of a tiny bit of garden soil in seed potting mix, acting almost as a vaccine, but I personally stay away. It's recommended for beginners to use a soil-less mix, but those have little to no nutrients. Pure compost can be too strong for delicate seeds and seedlings. Some seedlings do okay, like tomatoes who are in general greedy feeders and love the turbo charge of compost. But for most young seedlings pure compost can burn them, as well as in general, harbor some lingering organisms. Now, my thinking is that that's okay. You're introducing your seedlings to a realistic garden environment...but too much too soon may apply here. Compost can also compact and stay too wet. Dampening-off disease is common in young seedlings and young gardeners. It's when the seedlings get waterlogged, usually by being watered from overhead. It's best to water from the bottom, as well as a gentle addition from above so that you maintain an overall moist–not wet–environment. I've been starting seeds for a few years now and have found that a combo of vermiculite, peat moss, sterile potting soil and compost work well enough. I've even heard of pouring boiling water over your soil mix. You can do this, but you then have to dry it out and that takes a little more time. If you don't take these super careful precautions, don't be surprised if you see mold on your peat cups. Gently scrub it off with a sterile toothbrush under gently running warm water. And don't be surprised if you have some casualties. It happens. In the past, I usually have had more casualties than survivors. But you learn as you go and if you have one or two survivors, with cre and patience, you're going to have a strong plant that yields a summer's worth of produce.

Now that we have our soaked seeds, our sterile pots and our ideal potting medium, let's plant. Turn out your seeds onto a paper towel and allow to dry until they are able to handle. Some seeds are super tiny and difficult to handle, but do the best you can. While your seeds are drying, soak your peat pots if you are using them until slightly moist, and fill with slightly moist soil. Be sure to have some sort of tray underneath to catch or more likely, hold water. When you can handle your seeds, drill a hole in the soil per peat cup to place one seed. Usually, double the length of the seed and that's the depth you want to plant it. But all seeds are different. Some seeds like to lie right on top of the surface, covered with a thin dusting of soil . If you're using peat cups, or a container that size, you really don't want to plant any more than one seed per cup. You'll eventually have to thin them out and you'll essentially waste seeds. For the larger flats, it's okay to plant more than one seed, only if they are okay with transplanting. Some seedlings don't like the move, so you keep them in their peat cups and plant them as a unit into the garden. After planting the seed, gently moisten the cup from the bottom with warm water. Keep in a dark place for 24 hours so germination can occur, then move to light. Some seeds like to be sealed into plastic bags while germinating, increasing humidity and speeding up germination rate. I get lazy...sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

Now, your seeds can't germinate unless you have a comfortable environment. Seriously, they're like tiny embryos and eventually little babies. For most seeds, a constant temperature of about 70 degrees F is required. They need constant moisture too, in their pots and ideally in the air. This can be tough with city radiator dry heat. But you can work it out without spending a ton of money on heating cables and blankets to keep them warm. What you will need for your seedlings after their slight incubation period, is constant light on a daily basis until they're strong enough to begin hardening off in the spring. If the seedlings have no light, or limited light, they can't perform photosynthesis, and you basically don't have a plant. This year I was lucky enough to inherit a grow light, but I've managed to raised seedlings in the past without grow lights. Because growing seedlings need 14-16 hours of light a day, the sun is not the most reliable source of light. Some days are cloudy. What grow lights do is provide a consistent supply of light warmth which is crucial for a growing seedling. But grow lights can be expensive. As an alternative, consider grow light bulbs in some second-hand lamps. Consider going in with a fellow gardener and taking turns on caring for the seedlings. You need to keep an even light source 12 inches over your seedlings. You can take your chances with the sun in a window, but 14-16 hours is a tough bill to fill. Consider making the investment in bulbs or kits, as it's pretty much a one-time expense.

There are a gazillion sites on line dealing with starting your plants from seeds. Tons of informative and enthusiastic chat rooms as well as blogs. Go to your local botanic garden, community garden, even the farmers at the green markets...all those guys love to talk to folks about plants. Or just try sowing some seeds in the spring, right into pots or into the ground, after the threat of frost has passed. Radishes mature in as few as 21 days, arugula in as few as 30. It really can be as simple as dropping a seed into the dirt. Have fun!

                     ******IMPORTANT PEAT CUP INFO******

I will no longer be using peat cups in the starting of my seeds, as well as composite in my home mixed potting soil. I received an email from a viewer in England who informed me of the endangerment of peat moss. I had no idea. Since receiving this letter, I've researched and of course, have heard differing statements.

Few sites call to attention the need to stop using peat cups as it is an endangered, limited resource. Others say that sphagnum peat moss is not endangered, yet it forms the top insulating layer of bog peat, which is endangered. Any disturbance caused in the harvesting of this sphagnum moss material is disruptive to a wetland environment in general, not to mention the destructive peat mining practices. So thank you, Anna for bringing this to my attention. Every effort we make to communicate the ever-arising and pressing changes of our delicate environment, is necessary.

Look into alternative moisture-holding materials. Coir, a by-product of the coconut industry, seems to be a natural and viable alternative for now, as well as it is free from bacteria and fungal spores. I'll certainly be getting craftier with my seedling vessels. Paper towel and toilet tissue rolls seem ideal, and I've seen super crafty origami seedling cups made out of old newspaper. All of that being said, may my last batch of peat moss cups rest in peace. Apologies for the mistake. Please feel free to offer corrections and opinions in the future.

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