Sowing Seeds

This has got to be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding pastimes for a gardener. It is a pastime and not a chore. The pleasure obtained from seeing your seeds, sown by your own fair hands, germinate and spring into life, can only be described as a pure unadulterated pleasure.

No matter how long you have been sowing seeds and no matter how many seeds you may have sown, the pleasure never diminishes. Each time is just like the first, and just like the last and without doubt just like the next, seed sowing is a pure unadulterated pleasure.

Whoa, that's enough of that, let's not get too excited. Sorry, but it really is so rewarding and once your first seeds germinate you will feel the same!

Fair enough then, let's get on and see how to become all enthusiastic about sowing seed.

Growing gardening plants from seed is quite straightforward and usually uncomplicated. Many plants can be raised easily from seed and with great success.

Ok, where do we start? Well in case you don’t know - a seed is a marvellous package. It is a plant in an embryo form with it's own embryonic shoot, embryonic root, seed leaf/leaves and it's own store of food. And complete with it's own outer protective seed coat. It is already loaded and just waiting for the right conditions to spring into life.

Now, given the right conditions a seed, if viable, will germinate, (spring into life). But what are the right conditions?

Most seeds have the same basic requirements, what is good enough for one type of seed, is usually good enough for another. Very few seeds have special requirements (exact sowing details are given for each plant type, where applicable, on the individual plant type pages within this website).

Ok, let's see what these basic requirements are then...

Sowing Medium (compost/soil), compost should be well drained and of "open" texture (fluffy and light, not compacted). It should be well drained and at the same time capable of retaining moisture.

Now there's a contradiction, free draining and capable of retaining moisture?

What we want is a compost that will allow excess water to drain through it, but also retain enough for the seeds to germinate and enough to supply the emerging seedlings.

Most peat based composts are very good at retaining water, but for sowing seeds they can be to good. This can lead to the compost being far too wet, giving rise to seeds rotting, or emerging seedlings collapsing with damping-off disease. Not really what we want!

So, to avoid rotting seeds and damping-off disease, the compost needs to be modified to make it freer draining. This is very easily done with the addition of vermiculite, perlite, horticultural sand, horticultural grit or just peat and horticultural sand mixed together.

Each one has it's own best use and this will be detailed on the individual plant propagation pages of this website. The ratio of compost to additive is usually about three off compost to one off additive. If just peat and horticultural sand are being mixed together, the ratio is usually one to one. But it all depends on the type of seeds being sown.

Under NO circumstances use ordinary builders sand or grit. These contain minerals that are toxic to plants. Make sure they are horticultural grade).

Under NO circumstances use ordinary garden soil for sowing seeds in pots, trays or any other containers. Soil carries diseases, which will attack seeds and emerging seedlings.

Soil also carries thousands of weed seeds. DO NOT USE SOIL!

Time of Sowing is fairly crucial to achieve the best germination results for most seeds. With our climate being seasonal, the likes of half-hardy annuals should not be sown in the winter. The correct sowing time depends on the type of seeds being sown.

However, most indoor plant seeds can be sown at any time throughout the year, as they are sown under controlled conditions.

The correct sowing times are given on the individual plant propagation pages of this website.

Correct Sowing Depth is all important. Too deep and the seed will just rot. Too shallow and the seed will not germinate.

As a rule of thumb, a seed should be sown at a depth equal to its longest side. This is only a rule of thumb, but generally is true for most seeds.

Some seeds need to be left on the surface of the compost to germinate. While others need a light covering of vermiculate or perlite. (Correct sowing depth details will be given on the individual plant propagation pages of this website).

Watering freshly sown seeds should be watered with care. Watering from the bottom or using an upturned, very fine rose on a small watering can will prevent small seeds from being uncovered or washed to one side of the pot, tray or container.

The compost should be kept just moist at all times. Never let the compost dry out even when the seeds have germinated.

By the same token do not over-water and allow the compost to become water-logged, this will, as already mentioned, have disastrous results.

Correct watering methods will be given on the individual plant propagation pages of this website.

Temperature is an important factor in seed sowing and the resulting germination success.

All seeds have a temperature range at which they will germinate. This temperature range is sometimes quite large, however, there is a best temperature range for all seeds.

Above these temperature ranges and the seeds will normally remain dormant. Below these temperature ranges and the seeds will normally germinate very slowly but usually they will just rot.

But there's no need to worry. The best temperature ranges will be given on the individual plant propagation pages of this website.

Light is not usually needed by most seeds for them to germinate.

Seeds needing light to germinate are best covered with very thin covering of vermiculate or perlite to retain the moisture, but at the same time still allow light through, they should have no trouble in germinating successfully.

But some seeds that need light to germinate, such as impatiens, should be sown on the surface of the compost and not covered at all.

Don’t get too hung up on light levels when sowing seeds, most commercial seed packets give full sowing details.

And if you are sowing seeds collect from your own gardening plants the contact us to find if you need to cover them or not.

But, correct light levels are more important once your seeds have germinated.

To little light and the seedlings become weak and spindly and will not make good plants. That’s if they even survive.

Direct sunlight, on the other hand, will scorch and burn your seedlings with disastrous results.

So be sure to get the light about right for your seedlings.

The best typical light level to aim for is something similar to the light a north facing window would receive.

If you are growing your seedlings in a greenhouse or conservatory, which gets lots of sun, make sure you provide enough shading, misting and ventilation.

Misting plants, with tepid water, in a greenhouse or conservatory is a must.

Misting will raise the humidity level and reduce temperatures giving your seedlings ideal growing conditions.

Well that’s all about sowing seeds, it really is quite easy. After a couple of attempts you will be an expert.

If you want any further information on sowing seeds or have any gardening questions please feel free to contact us

How to sow seeds..... read more

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