You really don't need to start lettuce indoors. You certainly can and some do, but even in my zone 5 I can sow lettuce outside now. The seed will just sit there (assuming no water run off to wash the seed away) until the time is right and then it germinates. Onions are tricky from seed. You ideally want some decent grow lights and you want to start them about 3 months before they go outside. Onions are long day, short day and day neutral. This refers to what triggers them to form a bulb. You need the correct type for your area which in zone 7 is probably day neutral (but check at dixondale to be sure). If you have the wrong type they will still grow, but won't form much of a bulb. Oddly, of the seeds you have it is the peas I would start inside. I find that the snow/sugar (any edible pod pea really) do not do at all well in the heat of late spring and they take their sweet time in my cool/cold early spring soil to germinate so I start them inside and transplant pretty much as soon as they germinate. Your mileage/climate may vary.

Hi HS, My guess as to why the plants got leggy in the first place is because they simply were not getting enough light; they had to reach for more light. Most folks leave their fluorescent lights on at least 16 hours a day and probably more often 18 hours a day. The distance of the lights (3 to 4 inches above the seedlings) was probably okay, but a little closer (2 to 3 inches) may have been better. I just don't think 12 hours of light was enough. Regarding your thoughts about trying to "simulate the same daylight they will get when moved outdoors in April", you really can't compare artificial lighting to the amount of sunlight they'll get when you put them outside. When moved outside, it's true the amount of time they will receive light will be reduced (from say 18 hours to 12). However, the amount of light will be increased. The sun will supply more light in 12 hours than your lights can do in 18 hours. Blooming and fruiting, of course, will be influenced by whether the plants are short-day or long-day plants, but I'd leave that to the plants once they're outside. They know exactly what they're doing :-) My suggestion is to increase the length of time you leave your lights on. But whatever you end up doing, I wish you the best of luck with starting your seeds indoors for the first time. Sounds like you're off to a good start! Art

I'm in the midwest, where humidity is high spring-fall (80% today), but extremely dry all winter both outdoors and in. I will definitely see if I can find the ingredients for the gritty mix, but I'm not sure if I can find everything locally. I could probably order what I need online, I suppose. I will not use sand, peat, or garden soil. I'm in no hurry to do anything with them, they seem pretty content living on the front porch for now, although I'm completely clueless as to how often I need to water them while they are outside. The dirt they are in now looks bone dry, but the plants themselves don't look shriveled or wilty, so I'm assuming all is well. I only have experience with succulents as outdoor annuals, and I just plant them on the corner of the porch. The soil is terrible there and they go from periods of extreme mud to baked throughout the seasons. I'm really surprised they make it through the rainy months, but I've yet to lose one before the cold comes. Maybe I've just lucked out with very tolerant varieties.

I really enjoyed reading this post! I'm probably guilty of buying ALL THE PLANTZ!! I started with a couple then a few more... Because I'm lucky to find so many different types in my area at reasonable prices I take risks in buying ones that may or may not do well here. I figure it's worth the risk. I had no idea how lucky I am to find such a variety, but it's rare to find a big established plant. Although I just passed on a 5 foot (on trellis) multi flowering carnosa because I couldn't fit it in the car... I have a couple of Graveyard hoyas, most I've replaced and trying again. (Or will if I find another one for sale) I don't think I'll get another lauterbachii again even though they turn up all the time. Mine grew fast and tall but died. Not sure if it was underwatering or the cold but as I since found out it grows huge with next to no chance of me ever seeing flowers here I really cant be bothered buying it again. Since joining this group and learning "if in doubt, unpot and check roots and/or chop" I haven't lost many plants, except poor polyneura that got cooked in the last heatwave :( (I bought a new one in case my cuttings didn't take but they did!)