Planting a garden from seed is easy and can start now

THE catalogs have been thumbed through, and the seed racks are sprouting like weeds at local nurseries and garden centers. There is now enough daylight across the country to start garden seeds without the aid of artificial lights. Some seeds can be planted directly outdoors. Others will have to be started inside.

Either way, where I come from you are not a real gardener unless you start at least one thing you grow from seed. Sure, you can always buy already started plants, but seeds give you bragging rights.

The fact of the matter is that starting seeds is easy. Everything the plant needs to germinate is in the seed. All you have to do is put it into damp soil and not let it dry out while it does its thing. If there are any special requirements, they will be noted in the simple instructions on the back of every seed packet.

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