TIMING IS everything

8 steps for setting up your seed-starting journey just right

A fresh pile of seed packets makes gardeners yearn to get growing. But hold tight! If you start too early, you might end up with leggy, overgrown plants that need babying until the frost disappears and the soil warms. Start too late, and you'll be drooling over your neighbor's BLTs while forlornly waiting for your plants' blooms to turn into fruit. Here's how to ensure your schedule is set up for success.

1 DECIDE WHAT TO GROW

Before you sow your first seed, become familiar with that plant's needs. Does it prefer warm temperatures, or can it tolerate a light frost? Knowing the appropriate growing season and temperature, as well as the light and soil requirements, helps you set a schedule.

Many plants, such as peppers, tomatoes and some perennial flowers, need warm temperatures to germinate, making them good candidates for indoor seed starting.

2 CONSIDER ALL SEASONS

While summer offers a rich bounty, spring and fall gardens offer equally extensive harvests of cool-season crops, such as broccoli and lettuce. And cool-season flowers, such as pansies and snapdragons, fill gardens with color and fragrance, so consider them when setting your list.

3 ORDER SEEDS EARLY

Shop early for the best selection and to receive seeds in time to give them a great start. Most seed packets offer excellent information, such as days to germination, ideal temperature, how deep to plant the seeds, days to maturity, plant spacing, sun needs and more. Knowing how long seeds take to germinate and mature helps you know when is the best time to start them inside.