How to Prepare Garden Soil for Seeds

Prepare Your Garden Soil For Seeds
- how to make a fine-crumb seed bed -

Thorough preparation of garden soil is the way to success with seeds. Experience informs me that erratic or poor germination, or total seed failure are usually caused by poor preparation. Sowing depth is an important factor too.

Buying plants, or turves for grass, is an option to consider when your soil is hard to manage and preparation will take longer than you can afford.

But how can any organic gardener not have time to properly prepare their garden soil? Difficult soils especially need it, otherwise problems will arise with planting and turves too. The only difference being that it will look OK for a short while.

More pages about the structure of different earths and how to condition them organically for good growing will be written here soon.
For now let's say that the addition of bulky organic matter, such as horse manure or garden compost improves all soil types.

WHAT TO AIM FOR

Bread crumb sized soil particles (ranging from 0.5 to 5 millimetres)
A firm seed bed where your boot leaves a visible but very shallow impression (usually no more than 0.75cm deep)
Sufficient moisture beneath the surface to keep the seed bed moist
The crumbs should not break down under rain
The above conditions prevail down to at least 3 inches

PLAN AHEAD

You can only work up the final seed bed when conditions are just right. So unless the soil is already good, start preparations well in advance of sowing (in the preceding autumn).

Different soils provide different challenges for seed gardening. Sandy soils may be too dry (incorporate organic matter at an early stage) and some clay soils may be hard to break up (try liming, working in organic matter, or growing certain soil improving crops e.g.potatoes). You learn by experience but these guidelines should get you off in the right direction.

CLEAN UP THE SITE

Start by removing perennial weeds with the help of a fork, plus any obstructions, rocks stones etc...

INCORPORATE ORGANIC MATTER

Improve the soil by incorporating plenty of organic matter in one of the following ways.

I recommend putting down a thick layer of organic matter in the autumn (autumn leaves or lawn cuttings). Earthworms usually convert this into granular worm casts and a friable soil. It makes a good start for working into a crumby seed bed
When growing seed in small areas try spreading worm casts made in a worm composter and mixed with sand
Fork in garden compost
Dig in a green manure such as clover or, rotted animal manure during the autumn or well ahead of sowing - early spring is not too late
If manure is available then only put on the bottom of trenches dug the previous autumn. Don't apply raw animal manure to seed beds at a late stage as seedlings will be over fertilized

LET NATURE DO THE WORK

A loam or clay soil roughly turned over in autumn and with plenty of moisture will improve after exposure to icy winter conditions. This action alone helps break down the hard clods.
Don't overwork silt or sand soils - best leave them rough.

THE RIGHT SOIL CONDITIONS FOR YOU TO WORK

6-9" soil clod drying to crumbly

Breaks open easily when crushed with rake or boot. Still moist inside.

I'd like to bring you better pics but
Fine crumb earth is rarely reproduced in sufficient detail online.

You can't work soft soil if:- when raked, smaller crumbs stick together to form larger aggregates. Allow it to dry sufficiently for clods to break open crisply when knocked and crushed, rather than being squashed and remoulded. It will still be moist within each lump of earth but should get more dusty as you work. - That's ideal.

HOW TO WORK GARDEN SOIL READY FOR SEED

Gardening Tools You May Need:

Garden digging spade, for digging over neglected land,
Push-pull (or scuffle) hoe to skim off weeds,
3 tined cultivator, to break down soil lumps and compacted soil,
Soil Miller to break down soil to a tilth,
Roller for larger areas,
Your garden boots - also used to break down soil lumps and firm,
Rake to level fine soil and make seed drills.

For levelling seed beds and making lawns:

Short stakes,
String,
Straight edges to lay across stakes,
Spirit level to place on straight edges.

Learn about using spades, forks & rakes.
Compare tool quality and design.

ONLY WORK ON THE EARTH WHEN SOIL CONDITIONS ARE SUITABLE

MY METHOD TO WORK EARTH INTO A FINE TILTH

Now break the earth down first into big lumps. Draw a 3 pronged Cultivator (like a plough shear) accross stiff areas to loosen up. Use a Soil Miller on the clods to break them down further. The Soil Miller can produce the crumbs that you need and is an excellent tool for this job. Find more on these important tools.

TREAD TO FIRM AND CRUMBLE:
With the soil in a dry crumbly condition try shufflling along the soil by sliding your boots over the surface. Use your weight to crush the soil.

Then walk on your heels to firm the seed bed down. With a large area a roller is useful for reducing soil lump size and firming. Continue to work the soil, breaking it down and firming with your boot.

The rake is not a suitable tool for making soil crumbs.

Use the rake tines to level and grade and the rake face to tamp down and firm. You will have cultivated deeply; if possible down to about 7-10cm. Ideally it should be easy to push your finger down into it the earth. Spend one session removing stones from the surface.

Yes it's more art than science.
You learn this by experience and by having a go.
Now you'll get improved germination and stronger deeper plant roots.

YOU'RE DONE - Let's go from the gritty bit to the nitty bit of sowing seed in your fine garden soil.

So you've just turned your garden soil into a seed bed and next thing you know the weeds are taking advantage.

CLEARING WEEDS FROM THE SEED BED

When weeds like plantains, or broadleaved grasses for example, germinate with lawn seed they crowd out the lawn seedlings leaving holes in the lawn after they're finally removed.

You removed perennial weeds at the start ^review top. Now you need to control annual weeds.

My page on organic weed control has more...

By moving garden seeds to one nursery seed bed then transplanting, you are better placed to control weeds and pests that attack your seedlings at their most vulnerable - review how to organise seed sowing.

Next > The right tools for garden soil - get more done easily ...

My Wheelbarrow soil miller, rake, hand fork, garden line, labels...
fleece & netting for crop protection...

Gardening Catalogs - America & U.K.

The Garden Seat - expert books about garden soil

Books on how to improve garden soil coming here soon...

Garden Gate

The main plot for information on seeds and seed sowing on this link includes:- planning your seed site & sowing seed, making a seed bed, saving seed, seed compost, growing flowers and vegetables from seed, using: modules, root trainers, deep fiber pots, propagators, ... ... ...

ALSO on The Organic Gardener:-
Flower gardening the organic way