So you have picked the kinds of veggies you want and have the organic seeds in hand.

How to plant organic veggies

1. Tray

Many people forget this one! Get your hands on a food grade plastic and BPA free tray (Polypropylene Plastic).

2. Soil

For a healthy organic vegetable garden, you need to start with Loam soil. Loam soil is a mixture of soil with equal parts of clay, silt, sand and organic matter (such as manure,

peat moss, or compost). Compost is the best option because it contains decayed microorganisms of previous plant life. Bonus-this soft soil allows plants roots to penetrate and sprout easily!

3. Water & Humidity Moisten the newly planted seeds with a mister or a small watering can. To speed germination, cover the seeds with another plant tray to create a dome. This helps keep the seeds moist and humid so they can germinate. When you see the first signs of green, remove the cover.

4. Temp

For seeds to germinate, most must be kept warm from 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. A favorite place to do this is on top of the refrigerator. Alternately you could buy special warming seedling mats to put under your trays.

5. Hardening

You have to transition your seedlings before transplanting into your garden. This prevents leggy seedlings-super thin, long, and spindly stems. You will know it’s time to harden when you have 2 things: when the weather is past the frost date and it is no longer cold outside AND the seedlings have grown 2-3 sets of leaves.

HOW: The easiest way to harden seedlings is to place them outside in a shaded, protected spot on warm days, bringing them in at night. Start out with a few hours each day, increasing the amount of sunlight the seedlings receive each day.

6. Transplanting

At this point, the seedlings are mature enough to move a sunny location outside. Be sure to follow veggie specific watering methods (overhead vs. drip).