Iowa State University Extension horticulture specialist Aaron Steil, says most seeds need six to eight weeks indoors before being transplanted outside. That means gardeners should start seeds by mid-April.
Steil says classic vegetable choices to start indoors include tomatoes and peppers. For flowers, he recommends marigolds, petunias and impatiens.
He says some vegetables, including cucumbers and melons, do not transplant well, and starting them early indoors usually does not provide an advantage.
