Right now, sunshine and longer days are a gardener’s best friend.

Despite our extraordinary times as people around the world stay in their homes to fight COVID-19, our Earth continues to turn and tilt on its axis. Spring is here and the time to plant our gardens is coming.

And that means it’s time to start seeds indoors. Inside a dried-up little package we call a seed, there is an embryo waiting to be set free. All we must do is create the right environment for it to swell, sprout and grow.

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There are two ways of approaching this topic: you can purchase the supplies that are available at every garden retailer or you can be creative about scrounging around the house in search of reasonable substitutes.

To start seeds indoors you need:

A sunny window (south or west facing are best).

Soil, seed starting tray or pots and of course seeds. And water.

Mix your own seeding medium with sand, peat moss, potting soil and our secret ingredient: worm castings. (www.MarkCullen.com)

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If you want to avoid a trip to the store, seeds can be found online from countless sources. Choose a local supplier and chances are you will receive your purchase in a few days. For this reason, we recommend avoiding ordering from the U.S., where border control can slow down the arrival of seeds you need now.

Seed-starting trays are generally plastic, a material that washes well . We wash ours in a solution of one-part ammonia to 10 parts tap water. A good scrub and the job is done.

Egg crates work well, too. Most are a paper product that absorbs water so put a plate or tray under them to avoid the obvious mess of water leaking through. You can also use egg shells, with just the top removed and a hole in the bottom for drainage. If you use styrofoam egg crates, they’ll need a hole for drainage, too.

You may have an old bag of soil tucked in a cupboard somewhere that will do the job very nicely. We don’t fuss too much about using seed and cutting mix, but if you are buying soil for this purpose, it works best as it provides drainage and holds moisture in the right proportions.

As tomato seedlings grow, pinch off the tops to encourage stronger plants. (www.MarkCullen.com)

If you are inclined to make your own seeding medium, mix equal parts of clean sand, peat moss and potting soil together. We always add one-part worm castings to 10 parts soil for best results.

Now is the time to sow many seeds indoors. These include:

Veggie garden: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, leeks, Swiss chard, kale, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower (all the “gassy” vegetables) and onions from seed.

Note that many vegetables grow best when seeded directly into the garden or a patio/balcony pot when temperatures reliably reach above freezing. These include cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, corn, beans and the like. More about these next month.

Meantime, you can sow some frost-hardy seeds outdoors directly in the soil. We recommend carrots, onion sets (red and white), beets, peas, broccoli, potatoes, salad mixes (including choy and kale) and parsnips.

Flowers: We are starting our marigolds, petunias, alyssum, cosmos, pansies, snapdragon and geraniums (from seed or cutting) now. You can sow calendula directly in the soil now.

Our No. 1 tip for success is to water seeds well but allow the surface of the soil to dry before you apply water again. This is especially true for young seedings. Once sprouted, they are susceptible to a disease called damping off, which is promoted by overwatering.

It’s a lot of fun for kids to experience the growth of seeds. We recommend “fool proof” and fast-germinating seeds like sunflowers, beans (bush or runners), zinnias and cosmos. However, practically speaking, it is a bit early for the fast-growing seeds as they may be long, leggy and a little large to handle come planting time in late May or early June.

Go with foolproof, fast-germinating seeds, like sunflowers, for the kids to grow. (Dreamstime)

Don’t let that stop you from having fun with them right now and sharing with kids of every age. The most you might risk is the cost of a few seeds and some time.

As days get longer, sow any of the fast-germinating seeds directly into the ground or planters in 6 to 8 weeks. We use Veseys chart of frost-free dates to help us plan when to just that.

Next week: Grow a great garden using stuff you have around the house