Seed Germination is NOT Rocket-Science.
You'll also need some basic stability to your schedule. If you travel 3 days out of 5, you (and your germinating seeds) need a back-up plan. My favorites are spouses, and kids who need a science project to do.
LightIt's worth investing in a good strong light source that can be lowered close to your germinating seed; this keeps them from getting leggy Wait! Aren't the seeds underground and therefore don't need light?? True. You'll be pushing most seeds in 2-3 times deeper than the seed is wide, so no, the light won't get there right away, but these little guys go fast once they go, so you'll need the light soon. Any minute now. HeatSeeds germination usually happens in warmer soils than the actual plants grow in, generally over 65 degrees Fahrenheit for garden vegetables*. A lot of grains and flowers will germinate in cooler weather, and a couple of picky ones (eggplant!) need it quite warm. (*the great exception: seed germination for lettuce almost always requires some chill. In the hot summer, I germinate my lettuce seeds in the fridge. Seriously.)
I love my seedling heat mats! But be careful to only leave the mat plugged in for two weeks, maximum, or once everybody is up. In this picture, one crop is up but the neighbors aren't. The heat mat was left on but the light source was not lowered, thus these seedings became the 'too leggy' cautionary tale you just saw above. The seedlings will need to be tough enough to transplant in short order. This is vastly more important than the height gains they may make with the heat mat on. SoilYou can read more about wilt point and field capacity and other such soil fun in our Garden Soil section, but all you really need right now is to know that: Yes, you can start that seed in a pot of soil dug directly from your garden, and No, I don't think that's a good idea. Both a germinating seed and a young seedling need moisture and oxygen in just the right slow steady doses. While nature is abundant enough to go for the 100 to 1 odds, you are looking for a little more predictability here. Go for seed starting soil or a light potting soil. Even topsoil is heavier than you want right now.Seed starting soil recipesHave some soil around already? Want to make your own mix? Try these mixes: Seed Starting Soil from Potting Soil NOTE: Best Practices include sterilizing that compost in a low heat oven on cookie sheets if you have any doubts about it. I rarely do this, but some years it's necessary. Reminder: Let it cool before using it!
WaterWater is critical. Most seeds are fairly dry and need to rehydrate to get the metabolic processes going. For fat seeds in tough hulls (morning glories, squash), I often soak them on a plate of water overnight before planting. Plate not bowl! They have to be able to breathe still.
The soil recipes above help create the steady moisture and steady oxygen needed by germinating seed. Once they start growing, when you water try to mist your seedlings, not drown them. See the water droplets on the lid of the plastic cover? That's why the lid is propped open to let a little air circulation in before things mold. (These are peas and beans coming in here, but you'd normally direct sow those outside. I was testing seed viability after finding an old packet in the back of a drawer.) Wait, mold? Yes, too much water will let mold grow IF mold spores are present. You may be able to just scrape the mold off the soil and keep going, but the younger the sprout, the more likely you are looking at trouble. Think about starting over. Mold problem solving: Did you use a homemade soil mix? Did you sterilize the soil first?
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For successful seed germination, you will need to know a smidge about light, heat, soil, and water. We've got that here. Oh, and you'll need viable seed. For that, check out 
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Wait, warmer (or colder) where? The soil, that tiny bit of soil the seeds are in. Outside, this means heat from the sun collecting in the top inch of dirt, but when you are starting seed indoors, a heat mat can help, especially if the house is old and drafty (mine!) and especially if you are germinating peppers or other heat loving vegetable seeds.
