Home-gardening expert George Killgore of the University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service shares tips on using small indoor greenhouses for starting seeds indoors. These portable units have a seed-starting tray, a plastic dome cover and a basin to catch run-off water. You can use them to start any sort of seed that can germinate at indoor temperatures. If you want to grow vegetable or annuals from seed, don't start them too early in the season. Count back from your last expected frost date to determine the right time to start seeds indoors so that you can transplant the seedlings outside with no danger that they'll freeze. Never use garden soil to start seedlings. Instead, purchase a good-quality sterile potting mix designed for use with seedlings. Place the soil in the planting tray, then level it so the growing medium is free of low spots where water could collect. Use a dibble stick, Popsicle stick or chopstick to mark the planting rows. Read the seed packet for specific directions before starting the seeds. Some seeds need to be soaked before planting. The label will indicate how long it takes for the variety to germinate and explain the plant's light and moisture requirements. Make a label for your seedlings that includes the name of the plant and the sowing date. Sow the seeds in the prepared planting rows, taking care not to sow seed too thickly, which could make it difficult to separate young plants at transplanting time. Don't bury the seeds too deep in the soil. Cover them with a light layer of vermiculite. Then use a spray bottle to mist the rows gently, to settle the seeds into the soil without washing them out of their rows. After planting the seeds, cover the flat with the plastic dome. Place the miniature greenhouse in an area that gets bright light and is free from drafts. Water the seedlings as needed, but never allow them to stand in water. Eventually you'll need to transplant the seedlings from the seed-starting flat. Wait until they have two sets of leaves. Then gently lift young plants from the soil with a knife or a chopstick. Dig under the plant to get all the roots. Don't handle seedlings by the stem: lift them by the leaves.
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