I got to thinking while I was recently sowing some cilantro and radish seeds in my indoor garden: This indoor garden is not only a nice place to grow salad greens for winter, but also the perfect set-up for growing seeds indoors for my outdoor garden, as well. This tiny indoor growing space wedged in a closet under some stairs will soon be growing double-duty—salad greens for lunch and tomato seedlings for my garden plot.

This being the first time I’ve had such an indoor growing space, it’ll also be the first time I’ve had any real chance of sowing seeds and growing transplants for the summer outdoor garden. I want to do it right so my transplants are healthy and happy when I bring them to my outdoor garden. Here are some tips I will follow:

Plan the Garden First

It’s easy to mentally overplant a vegetable garden. Take 30 minutes or so to sketch the rough dimensions of your growing area and then separately list the edibles you’d like to grow. Once the list is done, try to realistically guesstimate where those wishlist plants will go on the garden sketch. Will you really have room or the need for 10 zucchini plants? Maybe you buy one or two squash transplants from the garden instead and use your indoor growing area for a special heirloom tomato variety or two.

Limit What You Sow Indoors

Not everything needs to be grown indoors. Green beans grow fast and easily when sown directly in the ground. Root vegetables also do best when grown in the ground. Greens? Tomatoes? Eggplant? Cabbage and other cole crops? Yes, do get a head start by sowing inside.

Also, if this is your first time growing seeds indoors to transplant later, keep it simple by growing just one or two different crops that have similar growing requirements. You can always experiment with more and different crops next spring.

Find Good-Quality Seed

Put aside that packet of seeds that is dated five years ago. Purchase seeds for the current growing season for reliable germination.

Don’t Start Too Early

The tomato seed packet I’m currently look at suggests sowing seeds indoors in February and March, but in another location it says to start 6-8 weeks before nighttime temperatures warm up to 55F. For me that means waiting until April. Have a realistic idea of when those transplants will make it out to your garden. Otherwise you might end up with a tomato jungle inside your home.

Stay Engaged and Excited

Starting seeds may be a really fun project to start on a weekend with your children. But like any other pet, your indoor growing area needs to be watched and cared for every day. Water regularly. Watch for moisture issues, diseases or signs of deficiencies. Stay engaged with the life you are growing under your lights! It may be a couple of months of indoor care but they’ll be moving outdoors soon enough.