I've always done most of my garden with plants for tomatoes and peppers. Mainly because I have tried starting seeds in the past and have had very little luck getting them to transplant size with any constancy. I have two questions yall can help me with. When should I start my seed for my area, bullock county, and any advice on how to get them to transplant size. I'm going to try and add produce to my ranch store so I will be doing it on a larger scale than most, but I'm not planting 30 acres either.

The problem I have is the gt up and put two little leaves on then wilt and die

They need proper light once they sprout. If you’re using fluorescent lamps, the tops of the plants need to be 3-4 inches away from the light bulbs.

This^^^ and do not let them dry out.

Warming mat...

Make sure use good potting soil . Best I’ve used is miracle grow moisture control .

I too have never had good luck starting my seeds even though I keep trying I say it every year I am going to cut back I truly am this year 😔 for any of you living close enough to shop Browns Nursery in Tuscaloosa I highly recommend them last year their prices were 36 plants for 9.50 and you can mix them up I make a trip up there every year

What is proper light? I usually put them in those seed starter things you get at Lowes and put them close to a window and keep them watered. They usually sprout, look like a hair and put two leaves on the end, and then just wilt and die.

Grow lights

Either a grow light, or I use the long incandescent tube lights.

I thought they taught this subject down on the farm?

I skip alot of class

There are several things you need to do to grow good, compact, seedlings. I've learned a lot from a guy at work over the past several years.

Keep the lights about 2-3" above the plants as mentioned. That means you need to raise them as they grow. Also, run the lights on a timer. Not all day every day. We do 12 on, 12 off. The heat mat under the pots makes a huge difference too. They also need some air. Don't have to put a fan on them, but air needs to be able to circulate around them. Once they get large enough to plant, you have to "harden off" the plants. Sit them outside in the shade for a day or two, then start sitting them in the direct sun, a few hours at a time. Don't let them wilt. After a week or so of that, they're ready to plant.

Dang I was wanting to start like 200 tomatoes and 100-150 peppers, I can't do all lights and moving and heat mat stuff. Probably why i cant get them to start right.Used to could buy pepper and tomatoes like 50 in a bunch. There getting to where you almost have to buy one at a time, usually 4 packs is the most I can find anymore. Way to expensive like that.

I start my seeds in seed starting trays. The ones I use are around 13 by 27 inches and have 162 cells. Allows you to start a lot of seeds in a small area.

I planted some spinach seeds in our raised beds yesterday afternoon - it's more of a test than anything. We'll find out in a couple of weeks if they actually germinate - the soil temperature is about 50-degrees. The weather should be agreeable over the next week, and IF they will germinate - hopefully any other really cold snaps will not kill them.

The way that I got spinach to germinate in my raised beds, was to sew the seed on top and cover it with 1/2" of Peat Moss. Watered twice a day. I think every seed came up. First time that I've ever been successful growing spinach. It sure was good too.