SOW and tell
Here comes spring... and with it, a chance to get planting. Because nothing beats the simple pleasure of watching seeds burst into life
MARCH is the month when allotments and veggie patches across the country come alive, with longer daylight hours creating perfect planting conditions. All seeds really need is moisture, warmth and light – let nature do its thing. Beginners can start with something as easy as watercress, which happily grows on a damp piece of cotton wool or kitchen paper. Sowing your own also means more diverse plants. Think purplesprouting broccoli or curiously purple carrots.
SIZING UP SEEDS
MUCH like the plants they are destined to grow into, seeds come in an assortment of sizes.
Fine seeds, such as tomatoes, can be thinly scattered straight from the packet or mixed with dry sand in the palm of your hand before sprinkling the lot on to the soil.
They have lower germination rates than large ones, so sowing them like this saves you ending up with an empty individual pot.
Larger seeds, like cucumbers and pumpkins, have a flat seed structure and are sown on their sides, enabling the first shoot to conserve energy and grow straight towards the surface.
For precise seed orientation like this, use your gloved fingers and sow one at a time.
Children particularly love large, easy-to-hold sunflower seeds.
Generally, seeds are planted at a depth of two times their width, so kids will enjoy getting involved, working out how deep to place them.
SOWING INDOORS
BEFORE getting started, it is worth investing in new seed trays as this will keep seedlings clear of diseases harboured in old trays from the previous year.
If you are worried about waste, small pots made from biodegradable wood fibre are a fantastic option. Sowing seeds individually into these will mean you can simply plant the whole thing, minimising disturbance to the roots of young plants when potting on.
Start sowing indoors by sourcing compost that is specifically formulated for growing from seed – it’s written on the bag.
This finely milled compost will allow young roots to grow easily and has the right balance of nutrients for good health.
Plant into ready-moistened soil to prevent seeds from being disturbed by watering after sowing. Use water from the tap, not rain, to keep disease at bay while plants are young.
Cover your containers with clear polythene to retain warmth and moisture and pop in a bright, warm position. Misting regularly will help keep compost moist without damaging delicate shoots.
TENDER LOVING CARE
WHETHER you are growing flowers for a pretty picture or veggies for delicious dining, the principles of seed planting are the same.
Tender flowers such as Salvia splendens – scarlet-flowered sage – can be started off indoors this month before being moved outside later.
Frost-hardy plants, on the other hand, such as sempervivum – houseleek – and papaver – poppy – can be planted directly in the garden.
Once all danger of frost has passed, transition your tender plants outside by introducing them to outside temperatures gradually – this is called hardening off.
Pop them out in a shady, sheltered spot for a couple of hours to start with and slowly ramp up the exposure over a couple of weeks.
This allows leaves to develop a thicker outer coating that will protect them from the great outdoors.
TRANSPLANT ACTION
SEEDLINGS that are growing together in groups need pricking out. For this, gently separate them and then plant into 9cm pots when they have got four to six leaves – this will stop roots from becoming entangled. Seeds sown individually can be left until their roots fill their pots before potting on.
A pointed hand tool called a dibber can be used to loosen compost around roots before gently lifting seedlings out to prevent damage to delicate stems.
Carefully firm down and water in using a fine rose attachment on your watering can.
It waters in a fine shower so will not unsettle the plants in the soil.
SOWING OUTDOORS
SOWING straight outdoors is handy if you don’t have space to grow seeds indoors, but you will need to wait until mid-spring.
Once the weather is warm enough, the secret to success is preparing your seedbed properly.
It needs to be weed-free and have a crumbly texture to allow young roots to push through easily.
Simply dig over the soil so that it is loose to a spade’s depth, rake over to smooth the surface and give it a few days to settle before getting started.
There it is – everything you need to be a mean, green, sowing machine.