Anticipation. It’s every gardener’s panacea for surviving the long gray winter months.

We pore over seed catalogs and browse store seed displays and anticipated the day we can slip into those gardening gloves and start planting.

But this year, why not get a jump on planting season by starting some seeds indoors? Plenty of time remains to get started.

Variety is a great reason to consider indoor seed planting. Garden retailers selling starter plants can display only a tiny fraction of the thousands of plant varieties available.

Study the seed packets to find the best-suited seeds for your unique garden setting.

Planting indoors also gives the gardener control over how their plants are raised. Some of us may want plants grown organically or naturally, so we want to know exactly how they were grown. We may want to limit the use of pesticides, whether they are organically approved or not.

Of course, seeds are an economical choice. Packets are priced far less than plant six-packs, and the savings are even greater if you’re starting perennials plants indoors — potted perennials are always pricey.

But when to start? Depending on which flower or vegetable you are growing, indoor planting can begin between six and eight weeks before the last frost is expected — in northeast Ohio, it’s generally safe to plant outdoors in mid-May. Seed packets will provide more specific instructions for the specific plant.

The equipment needed to start seeds indoors is minimal and mostly inexpensive. Start with a planting tray, fitted with a clear plastic dome for a greenhouse effect. Plant in small, individual pots and arrange them on the tray. Planting many seeds in larger containers makes it difficult to separate the new roots when it’s time to transplant them to the garden.

OSU Extension experts tell us regular garden soil is too heavy for fragile seedlings. Instead, choose a seed-starting mix containing vermiculite and peat, or try growing pellets composed of coconut fibers.

Water with a spray bottle or turkey baster — anything larger can drown the seedlings. Be sure to label plants clearly using a waterproof marker.

Seedlings require 12 to 18 hours of light a day, so situate your planting tray in the sunniest possible location. You should start seeing sprouts in five to 10 days.

Gardeners often supplement available window light with fluorescent lighting or specialized grow lights and speed the germination process with electric heat mats to warm the soil. You’ll want to research those products before making the additional investment.

Be careful to move your seedlings outdoors gradually, a process called “hardening off,” by slowly increasing the number of hours spent outdoors over several days before planting them in their new garden home.

For more detailed information on starting seeds indoors, visit: http://go.osu.edu/gardenstartingseeds.

Hixenbaugh is an Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in Mahoning County.