Many vegetables may be planted in summer when drying sun makes keeping seeds moist difficult. Beets and carrots for fall harvest are a few of many possibilities. However, by taking a few extra precautions you should be able to keep the seeds plump and ready to sprout.
Look on the seed packet for the proper depth to plant the seeds. If it says "1/4 to 1/2," plan on using the deepest option. If it simply says "1/4 inch," be sure you don't plant any shallower.
Smooth the soil in your seedbed and draw a furrow of the right depth across the surface. Don't worry if it's uneven; seeds are adaptable.
Put the seeds in the furrow and cover with moist potting mix. When you're done, water thoroughly.
Wet a cloth large enough to cover the seeds and lay over your seedbed. Water the cloth, and your seeds, once or twice a day or whenever the cloth dries out.
Your seed packet will give you an approximate germination time, usually at least a week. Start looking under the cloth a few days before, checking for small seedlings pushing through the potting mix. When you see small green leaves, remove the cloth to give the small plants the sun they need.