Do your bit with the green alternative to plastic, says Ruth
Fill your gardens with a burst of colour, says Ruth
THIS year, in celebration of Amateur Gardening’s 135th anniversary, our selection of free seeds from Mr Fothergill’s is better than ever and includes special packs from the RHS and Sarah Raven.
Varieties include universal favourites such as sweet peas, sunflowers, wallflowers, poppies and Echinacea, alongside more unusual species such as Mina lobata, Malope ‘Vulcan’ and Chinese lanterns.
Each week’s seeds will come with clear, illustrated instructions and I will also show you how to keep your seedlings healthy, taking you through the stages of pricking them out, acclimatising them to outdoor temperatures and finally planting them in their final positions.
We start the year with the cheerful climber black-eyed Susan ‘Susie Mixed’, which can be grown up a trellis outdoors, in a conservatory or sunny room or trailing from baskets.
Seeds and seedlings are vulnerable to a range of problems, so it pays dividends to give them the best start. This includes the equipment you use.
Always buy fresh seed and cuttings compost at the start of each sowing season, and buy more than you think you’ll need as you will be surprised how much you get through.
I also use vermiculite, a lightweight mineral that boosts water and nutrition retention and helps aerate roots. It can be used as a compost substitute, or mixed with compost to cover seeds. Sow seeds in pots, trays or modules. Buy new if necessary, otherwise reduce your plastic consumption by thoroughly washing and drying existing containers and lids. If previous batches of seedlings have fallen foul of damping off (see opposite), throw them out and replace with new. Trays can be covered with a lid, but if sowing in pots you can create mini greenhouses by sealing them in plastic bags, which will keep the atmosphere warm and humid.
When dampening compost and watering seedlings, use fresh water as it won’t be contaminated by debris, which could be the case with water from a butt.
Growing from seed is fun and economical, and you can often buy a greater number of varieties of plants than those grown in pots in most garden centres. Good luck!