Different Ways of Sowing Seeds

Sowing seed in soil

For bulk growing of the more common garden plants, sowing directly into the soil is far less bother and much less expensive because you will not need to buy pots and compost (soil mix).

Like annuals, many perennials can be sown where they are to flower, but for those that will not flower until the following year it is best to sow them in a nursery bed, if you have the space.

Sow the seed in spring, as the soil begins to warm up. You can bring this forward a few weeks if you cover the soil with cloches from early spring. Mark the ends of each row with labels so you know what you have planted. Do not let the bed dry out and keep it weeded. When the seedlings have grown to a manageable size, thin them to distances of at least 15cm (6in).

Most species will be ready to plant out in their flowering position during the following autumn while the ground is still warm.

Sowing in open ground

1. Prepare the soil carefully, removing all weeds and breaking it down into a fine tilth with a rake.

2. Draw out a shallow drill with a corner of a hoe, about 1 cm (1/2in) deep. Keep the drill straight by using a garden line as a guide. If the soil is dry, water the drill with a watering can and wait until the water has soaked in.

3. Sow the seed thinly along the drill. Larger seed can be sown at intervals to avoid the need for thinning later. Gently rake the soil back into the drill, covering over the seed. Tamp down the row with the base of the rake. Keep the drills moist until germination.

Sowing seed in pots

For small quantities of seeds, and those that can be difficult to germinate, such as parsley, sow in 9cm (3-1/2in) pots or in a tray, then place in a sheltered spot, away from direct sun. Germination will usually take from a few days to a few weeks depending on species, although some can take longer and may even require a winter’s cold weather before germination will occur. Keep the pots watered. The seedlings are ready to prick out when they have developed their first true leaves or when they are large enough to handle. Keep them covered in a cold frame for a day or so, before hardening them off by gradually opening the frame more fully each day.

Most perennials can be sown in early spring. Some, however, such as primulas and hellebores, need to be sown as soon as the seeds ripen in late summer or autumn.

Sowing seed in containers

1. Fill a pot or tray with compost (soil mix). Tap firmly on the bench to settle the compost and lightly flatten the surface with the base of a pot. This will exclude air pockets which would hinder the growth of roots. Sow the seed thinly on top.

2. Cover the seed with a layer of sieved compost or fine gravel. Water the pot thoroughly either from above with a watering can fitted with a fine rose or from below by standing the pot in a tray of shallow water.

Pricking out seedlings

1. Water the pot an hour before gently knocking out the seedlings. Carefully break up the rootball and split into clumps. Dealing with one clump at a time, gently ease the seedlings away, touching only the leaves.

2. Hold a seedling over a pot by one or more of its leaves and gently trickle moist compost around its roots until the pot is full. Avoid touching the fragile stem or roots. Tap the pot on the bench to exclude any air pockets, then firm down gently with your fingertips and water.

Easy seed for sowing in open ground

Alcea

Aquilegia

Astrantia

Centranthus ruber

Delphinium

Foeniculum

Helleborus

Myosotis

Primula

Verbascum

Verbena

Viola