Seeds, Glorious Seeds

While we are waiting for the weather to improve so that we can finish assembling our greenhouse kit, I'm starting our seeds so they'll be ready to plant when we have our raised beds all put together.

So, what are we planting, seedwise? At this point, I'm going for...

- Two kinds of tomatoes (Long Keepers and Siberian Reds)
- Red and green cabbage
- Arugula
- Catnip
- Cucumbers
- Beets
- Carrots
- Green beans

We've also got some seedlings - Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and some more greens (just for insurance), and we're planning to graft and/or transplant some of the herbs, peppers, and tomatoes we have growing outside now.

I've had bad luck with seeds before, so I found a seed-starting kit at my local garden center. Basically, the kit begins with peat pellets that expand in water. Once they're nice and damp, you just add seeds to each pellet. The pellets come in a handy tray with a lid - kind of like a miniature greenhouse. The most important thing to remember, other than to avoid the temptation to overwater them, is to label what you've planted - a lot of baby plants look the same.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this works, and post updates as things start to sprout. I have a long  history of overwatering, so wish me luck!

So, what are your hints on seed starting? I know the soil needs to be kept warm. Do you all use heat mats, or find another way? Please share your experiences in the comments section.