Plants and Seeds
Plants and seeds are a very personal choice for any gardener. Raise plants from seed: hints/tips for success. Transform your garden in a matter of weeks from wilderness to a splash of thriving colour.
Nothing beats the satisfaction of harvesting your own plants and seeds and this can be a very economical way of populating that wilderness of weeds with a blanket of dramatic colour in a matter of weeks.
You can achieve brilliant results with minimum equipment and preparation by sowing directly into the ground.; this makes creating a garden extremely economic even if you buy the commercially prepared packs.
Seed propagator
• Ground preparation The soil in your seedbed must be prepared properly before sowing. Use a garden rake to create a level surface, or your precious seeds and plants will be washed down the slope at the first rainfall, and a fine tilth.
• Warm the soil Use any plastic sheeting (black polythene works best by suppressing weeds at the same time) or horticultural fleece, to warm up the soil before sowing. Hold it in place with bricks, pegs or large stones.
• Mark out your seedbed Use canes and twine or string to mark out straight lines; this is particularly useful for sowing vegetable seeds in rows but it is also an aid to weeding because you can find your developing plants more easily. A hand fork and trowel are useful for marking out when sowing annuals and are essential for moving the small plants to their final home.
• You can use silver sand or other horticultural grade sand for marking out area when creating a mixed bed of hardy annuals. Don’t be tempted to use that pile of left-over builder’s sand as this may harm your seedlings. Don’t forget to label your seeds and plants as they grow!
• Watering Use a watering can with a fine rose and be careful not to drown the seeds and plants, or wash them away with a hosepipe which may be too strong, unless you have a fine misting attachment. |
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Selection of wildflower seeds
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Although you may need slightly more equipment for raising plants and seeds indoors than outdoors, these are one-time investments that will last for years. A propagator, preferable one that is heated, is a useful addition but is not essential. Seed trays are available widely from garden centres or larger supermarkets and come in either full or half sizes; they are usually plastic these days but we still use wooden ones on occasion.
There are many types of specialist compost available that promise improved results but general purpose compost will do just as well in most cases so long as you sieve it to remove large lumps and partially composted twigs often found in compost. A fine covering of sieved compost is sufficient to cover your seeds. A plant mister (a spray bottle, not a hapless male!) is useful for watering your plants and seeds with the minimum of disturbance of the developing plants.
Choosing your plants and seeds is an exciting task so spend lots of time on it in the winter when there is little else to do outside. The suppliers for plants and seeds can be your local garden centre or supermarket, but visit some of the merchants listed on these pages to see a wider variety of plants and seeds and some more exciting varieties. Don’t be mean with your seed and plant purchasing – join up with friends and family so you can choose a more unusual selection and reduce the costs by sharing; there are usually more in a packet that you will need to produce your first harvest of plants and seeds!
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