[RebelRidin]

I am not sure what you started your plants in but I will say that I have never cared all that much for those large seed flats with the 36 to 72+ cells when starting seeds unless I want 36 to 72 of a given plant like lettuce and spinach. Even then they can be troublesome if you have different varieties. I am sure though that many who grow on a large scale find them indespensible.

Smaller containers starting items with similar needs and transplanting to cells/pots later work well for me. However, some things I always direct sow like cukes, melons, squash and all root crops. My understanding is that they don't like being "potted up" (root disturbance). Leaf lettuces and loose greens I prefer to direct sow as well.

As to the light, RayR has it right I believe. I can't think of a single veggie that needs dark to germinate. Flowers can be a bit strange though. For example, impatiens , snapdragons and pansies are all very shallow or surface sow. Impatiens and snaps need light to germinate but pansies have to have it dark.