That Mother Nature, she sure has a sense of humor.

She gives us the taste of spring we've been yearning for, then shoves us back in the deep freeze with Old Man Winter. Well, it's time to pry his icy fingers off our necks and prepare for the growing season ahead.

As food budgets tighten, it's not unexpected that more people will be planting vegetable gardens this spring or growing a selection of tomatoes, lettuces and other edibles in patio containers. Randy Schultz, spokesperson for the Mailorder Gardening Association, reports sales of vegetable seeds are up from 28 to 60 percent from 2008, based on a survey of garden catalog and Web site companies.

Seed starting is a cost-effective way to begin a nice-sized garden. Seeds are generally inexpensive, although many prices are higher this year. They allow a gardener to grow warm-weather plants that may take too long to mature in our Zone 4 climate.

You don't need a horticulture degree or special equipment. There are plenty of kits on the market - self-watering transplant pots, biodegradable poop pots made from cow dung, portable potting trays, etc. Flats with/without cells, peat pots, empty egg cartons or milk jugs cut in half work fine, too.

You'll need a germinating soil mix, plastic bags or wrap and a water mister.

Select seeds and check packets for germination dates/dates to harvest. Our last frost date is mid-May; count backward to determine starting date. If seedlings will be grown in a greenhouse or warm room, subtract a week from the planting date or plants will be ready before appropriate weather arrives.

Do:

Read seed packets for directions.

Moisten soil medium and fill containers to within about 1 inch of the top.

Use a pencil or ruler to make indentations for seeds. Sow thinly in rows or place 3 to 4 seeds in each pot. Plant large seeds twice as deep as diameter.

Know light requirements for germination. Lightly press down into the mix seeds that need light. For darkness, cover with 1/4 to 1/2 inch of mix and tamp it down.

Spritz soil with water after planting.

Insert flats or pots into plastic bags or wrap with plastic wrap. Don't let soil dry out; mist occasionally.

Label.

Place containers in a warm location (70 to 80 F) until seeds germinate and seedlings pop up.

Remove plastic and place seedlings under grow lights (one cool white, one warm white bulb), about 6 to 8 inches above plants for a 12-hour minimum or on a windowsill in a south-facing window; direct sunlight is best.

Keep soil moist, not wet, and water from the bottom.

Turn plants daily for straight stems.

Don't:

Combine seed varieties in one flat unless they germinate in the same number of days.

Start root vegetables indoors.

Be fooled. Those first leaves are cotyledons, not true leaves. When seedlings grow at least two sets of true leaves, transplant them into pots.

Let seedlings in flats get overgrown before transplanting. Separating them will damage roots.

Lift seedlings by the stem. Hold by the leaves; leaves will grow back, a broken stem is bad news.

Overwater. Root rot and fungus may result.

Over-fertilize. Add a water-soluble fertilizer at half strength or feed at regular strength every week to 10 days.

Be too eager. Tomatoes will need to be transplanted one more time into a larger pot before the weather is suitable for garden planting. Other plants can be hardened off and set outdoors without a second transplanting.