Tried and tested
Steve and Val Bradley test a variety of seed-sowing kits to find out which are the best
SEED sowing is the basic starting point that gets most people into gardening. That satisfying moment when you realise the seeds have germinated and the tiny shoots are showing through the compost is highly addictive. So, it’s important that whichever seeds you sow do geminate, and the most obvious way to make sure is to buy a starter kit.
Such kits are popular and many are aimed at beginner gardeners or those with no garden, but access to a windowsill or balcony. Once the plants are growing, they can be moved into bigger pots and grown either outside or near a window indoors.
Three basic types
Herbs, tomatoes and peppers are all ideal for a starter kit, and with some herbs you can harvest tasty shoots as microgreens within just a few weeks or wait until the plants are bigger. The kits come in a wide range and vary from a simple tray through to a surprisingly comprehensive kit with enough produce to fill a 1m (3ft)-square plot and keep you supplied through the year. There are three basic types:
1. The first type should really be called ‘propagation kits’, as they are purely equipment-based with no plants or seeds provided.
2. The second type are plant-based, with no equipment, but they do have a
selection of plants and seeds
3. The third type is a mixture of the two, with some basic equipment and seeds to sow.
We tested ‘seed starter kits’ and were amazed at the different types and the range of contents. Some were ordered online, others came from the garden centre or local DIY store. The differences made comparison difficult, but it shows that you need to shop around for the right kit for you and you need to check whether seeds are actually included or need to be bought separately.
Those kits that included both seeds and growing medium were sown to see how they performed.