I’ve got to confess right off the bat that I’m not very good at starting seeds indoors. I’ve tried, but I always end up with less than a 50% success rate. It rarely stops me from trying though. The ROI on a package of seeds just seems so promising when compared to the cost of buying plants from a greenhouse. So each year I pull out the beat up plastic pots from the year before and dutifully go about filling them with starter soil or potting soil and plant my seeds. I don’t have any fancy lighting setup, so I have to rely on the sun to do all of the work for me. While this means I don’t use any electricity, it also means that my little seeds aren’t really getting a great start on their lives. 
Once the seeds sprout, they start stretching toward the light and eventually end up getting long and lanky – not exactly what you’d pick out at the greenhouse as a robust transferable plant. Nevertheless, I rotate their containers and try to get them to even out every couple of days.
After a month or more of taking up valuable counter space, rotating containers and doing my best to keep the cats from knocking everything over I start putting the plants outside for a few hours at a time to harden them off. Given that I am generally at work during the nicest parts of the day, this can be kind of hard. It always seems like I’m gambling between leaving them out too long to get dried out and cooked in the sun, or not long enough to actually prepare them for life in the great outdoors. To be honest, I usually just put them out for a day or two while I’m at work and call it good.
So like I said at the beginning, I’m not very good at starting seeds, but I do recommend that you give herbs a shot. I’ve found that basil is an easy starter and a vigorous grower, so even if you transplant it when it’s small, you’ll still have ample amounts to make your pesto in the fall. Also, herbs tend to be more costly at the greenhouses, so if you can spend a buck or two on a seed packet versus $3-4 for one plant, it seems like a
worthwhile risk. If you’re looking for some quality seed, I’ve had good success with Botanical Interests and I do recommend them. They offer certified organic seed and a number of heirloom varieties, too. Plus, they’re from right here in Colorado!
What’s your take? Is starting seeds indoors worth the hassle or just a big waste of time? If you’ve had success, what’s your secret?
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