Mary Stella,
Start your seedlings in the flats, but put the flats in plastic bags. I use the clothes bags they give you when you go for your annual women's exam, LOL. I just collect them all from the bin where they're thrown after one use!
The bag will hold in the moisture. Put the flats under the lights, and ask you hubby to check them after 5 days. Soon as he sees ANYTHING growing, tell him to remove the bags and lower the lights.
They might just make it, LOL!
