A seedy proposition

The right stuff
Seed-starting supplies are available at garden centres and hardware stores, and from seed catalogues. Propagating kits come with cell packs; trays or flats that catch draining water; and plastic dome lids that keep soil moist until germination. Containers, including plastic pots and multipacks from nurseries, may be reused every year provided they're washed with hot, soapy water and a little bleach (nine parts water to one part bleach). Containers should be at least four to five centimetres deep and must have drainage holes.

Lighting the way
To grow and thrive, seedlings need bright light, which they're more likely to get under fluorescent lights than on a windowsill. Our easy-to-build plant stand has three standard hanging fixtures (each with two 48-inch tubes), available at hardware or building-supply stores. The lights hang from chains, so you can adjust their heights. You don't need expensive grow lights; the standard cool white 40-watt fluorescent bulbs provide adequate light for seedlings. You can put the plant stand in any heated room. For ease, plug lights into a timer set to run for 18 hours beginning at 6 a.m.

Getting ready to sow
There are two ways to plant: sow individual seeds in the containers in which they'll grow until they're ready to transplant to the garden, or sow many seeds in one container, allowing them to grow together for several weeks before transplanting each seedling to its own cell or container.

The first method eliminates the job of transplanting fragile seedlings. It's ideal if you're raising small numbers of plants and don't need to conserve space under lights, and is preferable for large seeds that grow quickly. For tiny, slowgrowing seeds, such as begonia, the second method is a space saver.