Usually your seed packet will tell you how far in advance of your plant out date to start your seeds. If not there is a discussion just a bit down the page about web charts on when to start seeds.

The standard recommendations are:

peppers 8-12 weeks ahead
tomatoes 6-8 weeks ahead
carrots are direct seeded in the ground since root crops don't transplant well
corn is also normally direct seeded although some do start it inside 2-3 weeks early

So if your last frost date is May 15th then your average plant out date would be approx. 1 week later - weather allowing. So you count back approx. 8 weeks from May 22nd to start tomatoes, 10-12 weeks for peppers, etc.

Ok?

Dave

PS: Meanwhile why not read through all the FAQs here on growing from seed. There is lots of good info you will need to know there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing from Seed FAQs

Dave's advice is an excellent guideline, but there are lots of variables. A couple of years ago, I used a cheap potting mix and it took up to three weeks for tomato seeds to germinate - last year, with a premier mix, it was 5-7 days.

Lighting, watering habits, use of fertilizer, temperatures, etc., can also have a huge effect. I sowed some tomato seeds the second week of December and Monday evening they were large enough to be transplanted to the garden or in this case, 7-gallon pots (add another week for hardening off)

AS this is your first time, if you ordered seed packets that have far more seed than you will actually need, I would start some in early February, then every two weeks after that. At best/worst - you will have seedlings that are taller than you want and can add them to a compost pile.

FWIW, I really love Tomato-tone for fertilizer for seedlings. It doesn't have a lot of Nitrogen, but seedlings do not need much. It does encourage great root growth, improving the transplant success rate.

YMMV,

Mike

Thanks. Yeah, I bought a mix specifically for starting seeds, that contains no soil. And I got everything else I needed - dome, pots, trays, etc. And I thought I was getting off cheap, but then, dun dun dun... I found out I need a grow light. Not so cheap!

Do you guys use these? And what kind? Here is a link to the cheapest one I could find. Quality? Junk?

Thanks so much!

Here is a link that might be useful: Plant light

Oh, I see there's a growing under lights forum on here. I'll check it out.

There is also a FAQ in the link I gave you above about the lights most of us use - inexpensive fluorescent shop lights. You don't need anything fancy when growing seedlings.

Dave

Bought my grow light from Walmart $10 24" I think
can also try Craig's list or freecycle

Go with a four foot shop light. I saw a two tube model in Home Depot for $15 yesterday. And surprisingly, four foot fluorescent tubes are cheaper than two foot tubes and put out twice the light. Buy 6500K T8 bulbs for the shoplight if it doesn't come with them. You can make your own frame or hang the shoplight from the ceiling or a shelf.

Dave's advice, as usual, is good to follow. =)

The folks tellin' you to get a shoplight are absolutely right. Trust 'em. Don't forget to hang that light on chains or rope or something adjustable so you can keep 'em low on the soil until they come up. Then gradually bring 'em up. Likely the tomato plants will be taller sooner than the peps, so I raise on side up higher to accommodate the as they start to kiss the light bulbs. Give the peps a chance, they will germinate at different rates, even from the same seed pack. I've heard theories that this is a self-preservation strategy to 'hedge the bets' on weather conditions. Who knows? Be patient. Learn from your mistakes, make notes. Don't overwater (water from the bottom mostly), but can spritz with water, and don't overfeed. Like kids, you give 'em too much too soon and they won't make good roots in search of sustenance. I'll shut up now! :) Best of luck. Homegrown.

Homegrown -

I do often take notes, and have definately learned from my mistakes! Last year I planted a huge amount of onions. Which would have been fine, had I not planted them all at the same time. I had onions up to my eyeballs all at one time. Definately learned a lesson there, and will plant my seedlings to reflect that. :)

Kim

taking notes of what you plant and time to germinate is very helpful unless you have a great memory.I have a room in my basement to start the seeds and this month will take some of them out to the GH. Most of the time my seeds will be blooming just like the ones you buy at the store.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardening by the Seat of my Pants