I don't know how accurate this is, but a lot of sources recommend soilless seed starting mix, so I am not sure if the miracle grow falls into that category. I just get one of these:

http://www.novoselenterprises.com/products/single.asp?ID=5701

and fill it with soilless mix. I water it up good, plant the seeds and let it grow. I just did mine tonight, actually!! I have found that numbering the tray with a silver sharpie and writing down what all is planted where to be benficial (row 1 cols 1-3 lavendar, etc...). I just started mine tonight! If you don't want to get a silver sharpie, you can number the top of the tray with a black one, just remember what square 1:1 is! : ) Total cost is $10-15, less if you save the trays from year to year and just have to buy the soilless mix.

I am generally a novice compared to many here, but I have done this method many years with success as I have always had smaller gardens. I like to do a few flowers, lots of herbs, and peppers and tomatoes. I would love to see what the more experienced gardeners recommend.

Good luck!

I am totally a novice also. Virtually no budget, but my son and I love watching them grow! I don't have lights or really any way to set them up. I've been successful thusfar with buying seeds in a grocery store. I plant the seeds following the directions on the back. I start them with Miracle Grow or Black Gold potting soil which comes from Fred Meyer. I plant them in 1/2 gallon milk carton with the side cut out(the old fashioned kind) I usually pour the seeds out from the package on to a piece of paper so I can get them kind of even in the soil. Some packages have a bizzilion, some have a few. I set the carton in a window sill. When the plants start to come up I turn the milk carton everyday so the little guys don't get really bent reaching for the sun. When they have a few leaves on them I put them in their own little cup. I use 3 inch plastic disposable drinking cups either the plastic kind or paper ones that are waxed. (Non waxed cups mold and get disgusting) I poke a hole (pen size)for drainage in the bottom before filling w/ potting soil. I fill the cup full, smash down the soil, water it, stick my index finger in the middle to make a hole for the roots, put one plant in up to the neck, pinch the dirt around the flower. I put the cups on a styrofoam tray that comes under packages of meat, put them in the window, rotate daily until ready to go outside. I really like the smell of petunias so I plant them along with a few others. I usually end up with tons that I give away. This usually costs me about ten dollars total. Most stores sell soil bags for a great discount if the bag is broken. I take a trash bag to carry it in without making a mess. Good Luck!

I don't think there would be a problem with the Miracle Grow potting soil because it is a light soilless mix. The only difference between the Miracle Grow and the seed starting mix is that the seed starting mix is very very fine. I usually fill my pots 2/3rds of the way with potting soil and just add an inch or two on the top with seed starting mix and the seeds grow fine. Just make careful note of the planting depth of the seeds, usually on the seed packet. Some seeds prefer to be on the surface and need light to germinate and others need to be covered. And try not to overwater them.

Sometimes the peat mixes seem to be a bit water repellant at first. So I just set the pots in the kitchen sink with a few inches of warm water and let the pots sit for a bit and soak water from the bottom. Then let the water drain out and the pots are ready for planting as soon as the soil mix is slightly moistened but not soggy.

The area in your breakfast nook with the natural light would work fine to start your seeds too. You might have to rotate the trays if the seedlings start lean too much towards the light. When your seedlings are ready to be planted outdoors, you might also need to temper them for a few days and get them used to being in the full sun outdoors to prevent the sun from scorching them.

So pretty much nothing too special required. Hope you have good luck and happy gardening!

Im sure there are more knowledgeable people to answer you than myself here. But I dont want not to respond and have you daunted by growing from seed. There are some simple items you need to start most anything from seed. Light , Soil , Heat and water.

Alot of people create their own light set up due to lack of space for southern facing exposure. I have one shoplight I converted into a plug in one. However, the majority of seeds I sow inside just have southwest exposure for the day somewhere in the vicinty of 8 hours or so of light. It seems to do fine enough for most of my plants.

Soil, Ive used alot of mixes. You can go pick up a bag of promix at homedepot or your local feed/hardware stores. This will work fine for the most part. Ive used cheap top soil before and I still got OK results. warning though, top soil seems to clump up and increase fungas, I DONT reccomend using it, just saying I have and I got some germination from most of the seeds.

Heat, I have a seed heat mat, which increases the time and growth of most plants. However, ive sown without this as well in a fairly cold room and got OK results.

Alot of people here do not like OK results they want above average to great results. They set up thier equipment/soils to achieve this result. However DO not be overwhelmed, take some cheap seed trays fill them with something like promix, set them up in front of a window in a well heated room and you will GET some germination from MOST plants.

If you were more courageos than I was this year you can sow some vegatables using winter sowing method. I have not , I did start alot of Perrenial seeds this way though and am exited to see what results I will get.

Almondstriations:

Although most vegatable seeds need the same amount of moisture, temperature and light to germinate, some other plants'seeds have different requirements--freezing, darkness, soaking, etc.
Stokes Seeds offers for free its flower and vegetable catalog, and in it you will find all the directions on how to plant each specific seed. The catalog is the best resource on how to be successful planting seeds--all the directions to all the flowers and vegetables at your finger tips! Here is the link to Stokes Seeds page to get the catalog: http://www.stokeseeds.com/cgi-bin/StokesSeeds.storefront I hope there still some catalogs available for this season.
Good luck.

Just wanted to say thanks so much to everyone who took the time to respond! My husband planted some veggie seeds a week ago using Miracle Grow potting soil with Miracle Grow seed starting mix on the top third, and most of them are already sprouting! I planted a bunch of annuals and perennials yesterday with the same method, and I'm excited to see how they do :) Thanks again for the encouragement and advice!

Almond