For those seeds expected to germinate in a week or two I use a mix of half peat and half vermiculite. I keep this mixed and moistened at all times, not moist enough to be able to squeeze any water out. I start most of my seeds in four inch (used)nursery containers. I fill the pot with mix and press it down firmly. it will then be about 5/8 inch down from the top. I TRY and spread the seeds evenly up to about 25 for most seeds. Now the pot is set into about 3 inches of slightly warm water in the sink. When the top of the soil glistens with moisture wicked up, I take it out of the sink and cover the pot with clear cling plastic wrap, securing it with a rubber band. I put the pot on a 70 degree mat and will not have to water again until germination is apparent and the plastic is removed. There will be variations of this routine dictated by the seed variety being planted, some requiring light and some requiring dark. If a seed requires stratifying or scarifying it is a waste of time and money not to provide it. Al

Well, I am quite thrilled to read these great responses! I live in Zone 7, but our Winter is still long. The zones just refer to the extremes in temperature, not how long it lasts. I have noticed volunteer tomatoes come out earlier than I would choose to plant out. So, I can watch for that as a sign. I do not have any trouble with legginess of my tomato seedlings. I have a picture window that faces full-South, and shelves there (for seedling starting in Winter) outfitted with shop-lights. I read somewhere that it is important to use fresh bulbs (fluorescent tubes) as the light diminishes over time. I do not get new ones every year, but if one seems to put out less (judging by the plants), I use that on my alpine strawberry seedlings or something else that doesn't mind. I want to start even earlier because I'd like to keep tomato strains true when I grow them out. I plan to grow out severl this year, and if one flowers first for a week, then they are in the clear, and I can mark those fruits, and then not really worry about the rest. I guess what I mean is that an early & staggered start will allow me to focus on each plant as it comes into bloom, selecting from that, and moving on to the next one. I do have some limitations (medically), so it would be easier to focus on them staggered rather then so many at one time. It may not work out the way I hope, but I figure it is a good experiment for this year. By choosing good varieties for this (my un-familiarity with varieties hurts my experiment here) I can better insure success. The funny thing is that I don't really eat tomatoes--except in spaghetti sauce. BUT, everyone else loves them, and I find there is a group involved with tomatoes that have a zeal for the plant like no other vegetable/fruit. A great deal of home-breeding is going on, and I find it the most fascinating thing. Tomatoes provide a great opportunity to study genetics at home, and to look very intensely at varietal development in plants. I guess I am hooked for a reason not common to most, but I am hooked. So, I will try my experiment this year, and see how it works for me. I am thankful at the varieties/categories I see mentioned. When mentioning "use determinate or dwarf" plants, how can I find out which is which? I have consulted some websites, but is there a thorough tomato base out there? Keep the posts coming! Happy Holidays, Robin

In zone 6? The radishes should be fine to start hardening off- I got some that have been outside for several days now and surviving fine. Your lettuce might be OK depending on what kind it is, some are heartier than others, you can work on getting those hardened off. Your beans, way too early. I use the 4 tier mini greenhouses. Got one set up for my onion sets and "scrap bucket"- a pot where I regrow stuff, currently cabbage and pok choi. I have insulation in the bottom of the greenhouse, and I'll wrap the whole thing in frost cloth if I need to to get through a freeze night. But I wouldn't trust it to keep my more tender seedlings safe overnight though temp dips below 45 or so. It can really depend a lot on where you are growing too. For me, I have a sheltered southern niche outside my kitchen door that I can get away with using a mini greenhouse for the cold tolerant stuff and just having my seedlings out during the day when it's nice.... across my yard where the gardens are it's more open and still way too breezy and chill for me to do it there.

It's not too late. I don't know if you'd want to go bare root or potted, you can definitely purchase potted plants at a nursery local to you and plant them now as long as you harden them off and there's no danger of snow dumping on them. I have planted a rose during August before and it made it but I wouldn't recommend that or push it later than that because you want the roots to establish well before your ground starts freezing. You have plenty of time though.