Starting Veggies from Seeds

I am totally new to veggie gardening. And I am wanting to start the seeds outside in Peat Pots. And then will move in doors this winter. I am in Southern Louisiana, should I get a patio greenhouse for the pots. DO I need to get a heat mat, ideas for the best organic fertilizer, potting soil, and any hints. My husband told me there is no way any of the plants will sprout. So needing to show him it can be done :-D

SO just needing help how to get the little guys started and on the road to good health. We are growing Arcadia Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Green Boy and Vantage Cabbage, Snow Crown Caulflower, General Lee Cucumbers, Blackbell Eggplant, Elephant GArlic, A VAriety of Bell Peppers and Jalaphano Peppers, Radish, Spinach and tomato. Also any bookjs on getting seeds started. I am a totally noivce when it comes vegtable gardning. Thank you

I don't live as far south as you do obviously but I think that it might be a bit late to start most of what you list from seed until later on for a fall or winter garden. The only one I see on your list that is most likely a possibility for warm weather seeding is cucumber and you just seed those direct in the ground.. Spinach and radish are also direct seeded but are a cool weather crop. Broccoli, brussel sprout, cabbage, cauliflower are cool weather crops where you set out the plants in real early spring here. Your peppers and tomato plants should already be planted also but you could most likely start some of these for fall croping.

I live in SE TX and I agree I think it's to late to start some of that and to early for others. I made the mistake of thinking everything should be planted when I did my seeds in March. But tell you DH that I started from seeds (I'm a first timer too) in pots outside (this was done cause I didn't have a clue NOT to) and they lived and are sprouting fine.

The eggplant and peppers should be ok this time of year. My extension service recommended New Zealand Spinach and Malabar Spinach for this time of year since they are heat and drought tolerant. Malabar needs a trellis. I'm fairly new to gardening myself so I check with my extension service to see what they recommend every month, then if I have questions after that I post them on this web site. Margaret

Man, I've had NO luck with my extension service. They're very nice, but they only recommend those All-American selections. It's always a good idea to ask someone who has the kind of garden you want what works for them. For example, there's a productive garden down the street but the owners use a lot of sythetic fertilizers and pesticides, so the beans they grow might not be best for me, since I've got an organic mostly OP garden. So I ask around, find someone with something that looks good (AND tastes good!) and either get seeds from them or a recommendation. Advice from someone nearby is alway good.

Oh, and advice seed company based in your area is also great. I use Southern Exposure Seed Exchange and have had good luck with the cultivars they sell and their planting advice, even though I'm not as "southern" as much of VA. Finally, talk to the folks selling at your local farmer's market. They're a wonderful help.

Zeppy - Sorry to hear your extension service isn't very helpful, I guess it depends on the staff. I agree completely with your recommendation of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. They are the only source that I have found that carries many of the recommended varieties for my area. Margaret