Hello Audrey,

Starting plants from seeds is very rewarding, and you seem to be doing quite well. Seed starting mixes, generally are looser than regular potting soils so the tiny roots can more easily grow into the soil. They also don’t have much in the way of nutrients which help prevent “damping off”, a fungal condition that kills seedlings.

There are 4 stages to growing plants from seeds: 1. germination, requiring moist, sterile, loose soil. 2. Seedling growth, requiring light, nutrients and may require heat. 3. Movement to permanent growing space and 4. Maturity; you finally see the results of your efforts in flowers, fruit or other products.

After germinating and your seedlings have true leaves they need access to light. Window light will work, and indirect light will work. You do need to watch how your seedlings grow, however. They may strain towards the window light, making them lean and become unbalanced. A fluorescent unit will produce even light, so they grow straight.

Seeds have enough nutrients to get their seedlings to the true leaf stage. The leaves produced during germination are cotyledons and contain the seed’s nutrients. Once your seedling has true leaves give it dilute fertilizer (1/4 strength) about once a week. Liquid fertilizer works well for baby plants, as it permeates the soil medium, giving all the roots access.

You may want to transplant your seedlings. When the plants are very small, and the roots have not spread out, you can either “prick them out” (gently pull the plant by the leaves, not the stem, from the soil; place them into a space you've created in a new pot of moist, sterile potting soil). You can also use a spoon, or another tool to get beneath the roots and transfer the plant to another pot. Prepare the new pot with moist sterile potting soil. Create a space with a firm tool like a chopstick for the seedling in the new pot and gently place the seedling in the space.  Make the space deep enough to allow the roots room.  Gently firm the soil around the seedling.  As your seedlings grow they will need more space and you can repot them by removing them from their pots and placing them into the soil of a larger pot.

These 2 publications have additional information on growing vegetables and flowers from seed. This publication from WSU has extensive information on several aspects of seed growing, and is a good reference: Propagating Plants from Seeds https://pubs.extension.wsu.edu/propagating-plants-from-seed. This publication from UMinn has excellent, compact information on growing plants from seeds: Starting Seeds Indoors https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/starting-seeds-indoors#planting-outdoors-1179861.

Good luck with your seedlings. Enjoy your vegetables and flowers this summer.

Great!  Hope you enjoy great vegetables this year!