Each winter we look forward to seeing the first day in April since that is the day tomatoes, peppers, some herbs and flowers are started from seed.  The seeds are started in a controlled environment located on an unused bench in the basement.  Sterile seed starting mix is used in special plastic trays which sit in another drain tray with a transparent humidity cover.  All of our garden needs can be planted using two of these starting trays since they have many troughs  with plenty left over to sell during our community yard sale always the day before Mothers Day in May.  Seeds are carefully planted approximately 8 MM apart using wooden tweezers which is time comsuming but seedlings can easily be separated when transplanting.  The seedling trays which sit on a 48" X 28" 28 degree heating pad (28 degree C) are placed directly under fluorescent lighting.  When the tomatoes and peppers begin to have their second leaves, usually by mid April, they are taken to our 12 X 8 foot glass greenhouse and transplanted into 16 ounce Styrofoam coffee cups with small drain holes punched into the bottom for good drainage.  Commercial potting soil is used, usually Miracle Gro which by Mothers Day creates great looking plants which the 16 once cups allow.  This year in 2009, we have almost 400 plants including the flowers and herbs.  They require watering twice a day since it gets rather warm in the vented greenhouse on sunny days, sometimes reaching 40 degrees C.  The greenhouse sits east to west where special 40 per cent shading cloth is placed on the south side so that tender plants such as peppers etc. are protected.  The tomatoes thrive from being exposed to the full sun each day.