Deciding when to plant vegetables varies according to the type of vegetable you are planning to grow. With the exception of cold-weather plants like spinach, you want to be sure not to sow seeds until after the last frost for your region. You can get away with putting them in the ground a week or two before, but any sooner and you will probably ruin the seeds. Planting at the right time is such an important factor in a good garden that many home gardeners plant vegetables indoors is an appealing alternative.

I recommend that you plant vegetables indoors to achieve reliable sprouting. Starting them inside eliminates most of the guess work that is involved with outdoor sowing. For home gardens, space is not an issue. The typical home garden is around 50 sq. ft. which means you typically have less than 100 plants growing at one time.

Be sure to plant vegetables indoors when the temperature is consistently above 70 degrees as a rule of thumb. This is the ideal temperature range for most seeds to germinate. A windowsill in the winter time is a good choice in most homes, since the sun will provide some additional heat.

For outdoor planting, be sure to consult the planting suggestions on the back of the seed packets for each type of plant. Also be sure to pay attention to spacing requirements for each type of plant. You want to sow your seeds with adequate spacing.

Most seed packets will show a map displaying the different planting zones for each region of the country. These typically account for the last frost of the season. You can use this as a starting date for when to plant your vegetables outside, however you would be wise to consult your local weather forecast for the month you are planning to plant your vegetables in case the weather is going to unusually cold this season.

To be honest, planting vegetables indoors is better for home gardeners assuming you have the space for it. It isn't hard to find the space for seed starting since you can start 72 plants in a space smaller than 2ft. x 2ft. I strongly suggest that everyone plant vegetables indoors. It saves a lot frustration early in the growing season.

I like the fact that outdoor temperatures can't delay getting my garden started early for a longer growing season. The last thing any gardener wants is to get a late start on the growing season. I am sure you feel the same way. Get started on the right foot and plant vegetables indoors.