Try planting seeds indoors — the right way

If the planting bug has hit you, you might want to relieve the symptoms by starting a few seeds indoors.

If previous attempts have left you frustrated, remember that hope springs eternal. Try again, but this time, do it the right way.

Almost everyone has tried to start some seeds indoors. It might have been a childhood activity or a more recent project. But unless you follow a few key suggestions, you won't get healthy, attractive plants for your garden.

When you planted seeds as a child, they were likely planted in a paper cup in soil that was dug out of someone's backyard.

Within a few days the soil was rock hard, and growing a seed would likely be impossible. Even if it managed to start growing, diseases or other pests often destroyed the tiny plant.

Garden soil quickly loses its structure and breaks down when confined to a pot. Commercial greenhouse operators learned this decades ago and developed soil-less mixes that would not get hard, crust over and refuse to drain.

Another serious problem with trying to start your own seed is a fungal disease called damping off. The fungus grows on contaminated soil and attacks the plant right at the base. The tender seedlings then fall over and die.

The disease grows quickly and often destroys most of your plants overnight.

Always use germination mixes to get your seeds of to a good start. Most will contain peat moss, perlite, vermiculite or other soil-free products that are free of diseases, insects and weeds. They also have excellent aeration and drainage to promote good growth.

After getting the right growing mix, pay attention to the other germination needs, light being one of the most critical.

Trying to grow plants without enough light will always be disappointing. Weak, spindly transplants never make a satisfactory move to the outdoor garden and are usually less productive than planting the seeds directly in the garden.

Inexperienced gardeners try to use their windowsill as a starting area, but windowsills receive strong directional light that is often too intense.

The seedlings bend toward the light, and unless you turn them frequently, they become stunted and crooked.