Pricking tool can equal a blind slat, sure. They also sell tools specific for the task but I have seen folks use the handle of a dinnerware teaspoon, a wood chopstick, the blade of an old table knife/butterknife, a piece of a wood shim, etc. etc. anything that fits in the space. And as Flora said do NOT pull on the seedling, especially the stem. Leaves will be replaced but damage the stem and the plant will never recover. As to wetness - seedlings always need to be well watered before transplanting. It helps prevent transplant shock. So if your mix, even when wet, is falling apart then it wasn't firmly enough packed to begin with. You still didn't tell us what brand mix you are using. That info would help. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: U-Tube videos on pricking seedlings

Start broccoli now. Cabbage as well as brussels sprouts. Keep in mind there are less cold weather crops, and that includes beets and carrots. Greens and lettuce are usually cool weather, but many can grow in summer too. Some seeds can survive winters as can some herbs like thyme. I started thyme from seeds two years ago and they are huge plants now. Dill has now started to flower and I never even planted a single dill seed. The dill all sprouted from seeds that dropped from last summer and those plants came from the year before. I just hope my tiny cuke plants will get bigger soon. We finally had a single day of sunshine here after over 2 weeks of gloom and rain.

I put out Broccoli this weekend. I like indeterminate tomatoes so I know I will get them all season long...so I will be patient putting those out. I have a tiny garden this year so I may only get one tomato plant in. Year before last I lived in Alabama and planted out around April 1st or so...about 10 days too early I found out much to my chagrin. They survived but after much finger crossing and hovering on my part. It was my first non-container veggie garden and it overwhelmed me. Here's what I planted: (all heirlooms from seedavers.org) Indeterminate tomatoes: Stupice (a tasty tomato) Mexico Midget (a cherry tomato) Amish Paste (a paste tomato) Gold Medal (a yellowish tomato) Peppers: Beaver Dam Buran 2 Aunt Molly's Ground Cherries and 2 Watermelon plants (not sure what type...they weren't any good because I don't think I had the soil rich enough for them.) I don't think I will even think about planting out warm weather veggies here until at least May 5th. I just don't want to risk it. I learned some valuable lessons. Never put out too early unless your willing to hover and baby your transplants. Tons of compost is almost always necessary. You will never find enough time to weed so mulch your garden well. And start small unless you have plenty of family and friends to give your extra harvest too. Good luck. K PS The most valuable lesson I learned. Never plant a garden near morning glories. ( I didn't know they were there) I had to beat them back EVERY DAY. They vine out and literally grow inches a day! And that's why I HATE MORNING GLORIES!

Seeds are started indoors in very early winter for onions typically... they are very slow to start and have a long growing season. It is considered tricky growing onions from seed and I haven't tried it. If you grow them this season and store sets in your basement all winter I think they will be likely to bolt next year and not make a nice bulb.