Even though the holiday season is upon us, it's easy to let your attention start to drift towards gardening. It can be difficult this time of year to restrain your gardening passion. One way to quell the fire is to start some of your own seeds indoors this winter. While it's too early to start seeds indoors in most parts of the country, it doesn't mean you can't get all the supplies and seeds ready now.

Starting your own seeds indoors has many advantages. Not only will you satisfy your inner desire to grow something green in the dead of winter, you'll be able to try unusual varieties not normally found at the local garden center, and you can grow larger quantities of plants less expensively.

Here are some tips to starting your vegetable seeds indoors at home.

It all starts with the seed. If you have old packets of seed that you've stored in a cool, dark area, chances are you can use those seeds again and they will germinate successfully. The germination percentage will be lower than that of new seed, but still acceptable. You'll just have to sow it little thicker than usual.

If seeds are more than three years old, or it's the type of vegetable seed that doesn't store well, such as leeks, then it's better to buy fresh seed. When in doubt, buy new seed because you'll be guaranteed good germination.

Vegetables that need to be started indoors to grow and mature outdoors in summer include tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and leeks. You can start onions, broccoli, lettuce, watermelon, cucumber, and squash early indoors as well, or you can sow seed directly into the garden in spring. Do a little of both to get both early and late crops of your favorite vegetables.

For the timing of seed starting and detailed information on specific crops, check out the Food Gardening Guide (http://willhiteseed.com/food.php).

Seeds need the right type of soil to germinate well indoors. Common garden soil or regular houseplant potting soil is too heavy for good results. The best soil for seedlings is a seed-starting mix, such as the Jiffy mix. A mix like this is typically a blend of peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite. The mix is light, so seedlings can easily break the surface, yet it holds enough water to keep the seedlings growing. Some seed-starting mixes may even contain timed-release fertilizer.