The ideal plant for setting out into the garden should be compact - not too small nor too large-, have a solid green color, strong sturdy stems, and a root system that just fills the container [1]. To obtain this ideal depends on a number of factors including light and temperature, but the most important is the date for starting the seed. To ascertain the proper time to start particular seeds, look on the back of the seed packet. The instructions often say, for example, "start seed indoors 6-8 weeks before planting outdoors". For many of our flowers and vegetables, we can be pretty safe with a May 15th planting date. The truly warm season crops, however, prefer June 1st. So, when should we start seeds? With the information from the seed packet and a calendar, begin at May 15th, or June 1st and count back the specified number of weeks [2] - under ideal conditions, that date would be the time to sow seed indoors.

Some examples of sowing dates would be April 1st for tomatoes, broccoli, and cabbage; May 1st for melons, cucumbers, and squash; February 1st for pansies; February 15th for fibrous begonias; March 15th for impatiens and coleus; and April 15th for marigolds.

Remember, even though the days are getting a bit longer and spring will soon be in the air, resist the temptation to dig out the flats and soil mix too soon. In the case of starting seeds, patience and timing are critical.