well, I've started several from seeds so I hope I can help... Some plants -like those sunflowers prefer to be started straight in the garden and don't do well transplanted unless you are very careful with them... some are the opposite. They need that little extra start. Seed starting soiless dirt is important. I do use grow lights. I have about a foot of space above my fridge and have a light mounted under a cabinet for this purpose. I have it on a timer. The fridge has some heat and bottom heat is good when starting seeds. You can cover them in clear plastic to retain the moisture making a sort of greenhouse until they start to sprout and then you'll need to let them breath. Don't touch them! The micros from you hands can start fungus growing and that will kill the sprouts. After they get their first set of true leaves I move them to the window sill. Oh yeah, no fertilizer as that might burn them at this point... After they look substantial and the risk of frost is over they go out on the porch no direct light. Make sure they are moist at this point... After a while, maybe a week or so of that then they get stuck in the ground. I still watch them though as they are not as strong as something started right in the garden -not yet anyway. I prefer to just sow directly but there are those things that I start inside if I must. Anyway, hope that helps?

~Queen Beeloved

I don't know about a lot of different types of flowers but I plant marigolds and sunflowers every year. They do wonderfully from seed. Plant the seeds directly in the garden around mid-May. The sunflowers go about 1/2" into the ground and the marigold seeds just need to be sprinkled over the soil. It's very easy to save the seeds from these also to use for next year. This saves a ton of money over store bought plants.

Woodsong

I agree with Queen Beloved and Woodsong. The only thing I will add is lights are so important when starting seeds. You need to have them one inch above the the seeds and then move them up as the seedlings start to grow. Then you will not have spinly plants. Get a shop light at the hardware/box store and plant grow bulbs and a chain to hold the shop light. Costs about $35. I have 2 shop lights next to each other, works really well for 2 flats of plants.

Best of luck,
Ona Journey

This also reminded me of something.... the depth is typically four times the width of the seed for general info.... however there are a few seeds that don't want any soil on top of them. They NEED the light to germinate. It's always good to read the seed packet to make sure.

~QB

thank you every one for your info. Now to figure out which ones seeds preferr to start indoors and which ones preferr out doors.

I normally start my sunflowers right in my garden but last year I thought that I would start indoors. So for here on out the go right into the garden.

Mystic Dreamer