Sowing seed

Growing from seed is cheap, fun and means you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to variety. Seeds can be started either in punnets (or small pots) or by sowing them directly in the ground. Starting seeds in pots and punnets is ideal for seeds that require a little more warmth or fussing over to encourage germination. Here are some of Chloe’s tips for sowing seed in pots: 

• Start with clean pots, punnets or trays – washed in warm soapy water to remove any old soil or other debris.
• Small seeds (such as leek and onion) find it easier to germinate in a light and airy seed-raising mix, while larger seeds don’t mind being started in potting mix.
• Tiny seeds are best surface sown and dusted over with seed-raising mix or vermiculite. For larger seeds, use your finger or a pencil to poke a hole of the correct depth – a good rule of thumb is to sow the seed at a depth 2–3 times the diameter of the seed. Check the advice on the seed packet and pop in the seed, backfilling to cover it.
• Follow the packet advice on how many seeds to plant in each container. Always plant a few extra seeds. Once they have germinated, thin out the weakest. Aim for 6–12 healthy seedlings in a standard punnet (depending on the size of the seedlings).
• Label each pot or punnet. For easy plant tags, cut an old plastic milk bottle into thin rectangular tag shapes and write the name of the plant and the date the seed was sown using a permanent marker.
• Water daily – lack of moisture results in seeds failing to germinate or seedlings dying. Once the seeds germinate, fertilise weekly with half-strength fish emulsion.
• Don’t be tempted to sit punnets in a tray of water, as this can make the mix too wet and rot the seeds or seedlings.
• Keep your punnets in a warm spot until germination (many seeds don’t need light to sprout) but once the seeds germinate, move the seedlings to a warm, sunny place.
• Protect young seedlings from weather extremes. Create a mini-greenhouse using a clear plastic container big enough to hold the punnet, drilling holes in the lid to provide airflow, or shield individual seedlings using clear plastic drink bottles with the bottoms cut off and the lids removed. 
• Allow your seeds to acclimatise – called ‘hardening off’. Do this by taking them outside for increasing periods of time each day.

Header image credit: iStock