It is laborious, I admit, but I really enjoy starting seeds myself, as opposed to buying seedlings. I will occasionally buy some, usually as an impulse purchase, 
but then some things like Rosemary I’d rather not bother with, more because it grows so slowly IF you do get it started.
With most veggie seeds, I start them in cell packs or peat pots, and I start two seeds per pack/pot. One thing that really bothers me is when two seedlings come up, both healthy, and I have to decide which one gets the ax. I know it’s not a big deal, but this seems so wasteful. So, what I started doing is just separating them. If one dies, then I’m back to square one, if they both die, then chances are neither one was very strong, but if they both live, I have a possible replacement, if needed, but the best thing is that I have some to give to friends and family. I have found this really works out well, as long as I don’t run out of room on the seedling table! There are some I don’t try this with, for one, eggplants, they seem to be too sensitive, but peppers and tomatoes don’t mind a bit. I wait until there are 2 true leaves at least peeking out.
I originally started the Cherokee Purples in the 4-cell pack, two seeds in each cell, and they all came up beautifully. I separated them and now I have eight. I will probably give these to my mom’s husband.
Other veggies, such as winter squash, I plant in pots, and only one seed per pot. I figure if I can get a nice transplant by the middle of May with one seed, -cool. If not I will just direct sow. No waste, but a fair shot at getting ahead.
When I’m considering seedlings for separation, I want both seedlings to be healthy, or I will just cull one. I don’t want them to be too large or their roots will be tangled together so much that I end up breaking them so badly that they die. On the other hand, not so young that their stems are still really fragile. This is what I do:
These Ground Cherries- Cossack Pineapple- are naturally very small but they look mature enough, and they aren’t so close together in the pot that they are tangled, so I use a thin object to loosen the soil around the one I want to take out, trying not to disturb the other. When the soil is loose enough, I lift it by the leaves, supporting the root ball, over to a prepared cell pack.
I gently situate the roots into a small hole in the seed starting mix, and water it in, just like a big plant.
Fill in the hole next to the other seedling…
Four more Ground Cherries.
