Starting seeds indoors can be a great way to get a head start on your garden. But make sure to avoid these 5 seed starting mistakes, or your seedlings may never make it outdoors!

If you want to get your garden growing as soon as possible, starting some of your plants indoors before your last frost date can help you get an earlier start, which can be very helpful especially in short-season areas.

However, there are a few seed starting mistakes that can derail your efforts and cause your hard work to come to nothing. Here are the 5 most common mistakes that may result in poor growth or even death of your new seedlings.

Mold

Seen as white, hairlike growths on the soil surface, fungi thrive in dirt that is overly wet, usually combined with humid air or poor ventilation around plants….

Damping-Off

This is usually the problem when stems turn brown and bend at the soil level due to fungi….

Bugs

If you have houseplants with pest issues, keep your seedling trays far away from them. The most common indoor seed-starting pest is the fungus gnat. It looks like a small but sluggish fruit fly. Gnat larvae survive only in a moist environment…. 

Planting Depth

When planted too deeply and kept too moist and cold, seeds can rot….  

Seed Quality

If you’re doing everything right and your seeds still won’t sprout, they may be too old. Seeds germinate best when fresh….

For more info, as well as some tips for how to avoid these problems, check out the full article at RodalesOrganicLife.com…