Tips For Starting Seeds At Home

* Succeed with seeds and grow more,
* An easy start for growing your seeds,
* Make the most of your seed.

If ever there's a need for 'green fingers' it must be for starting seeds. But it's the biggest cost saving in gardening and the know-how is here for the taking. So why not have a go?

This page is about starting seeds in trays, modules, and propagators. Below I examine the seed raising methods, accessories to help you succeed and suitable seed composts including home-made. Methods of raising plants from seed sown direct outdoors are described on my vegetable seed and lawn seed pages. Propagators, trays and modules precautions and methods can be found below.

There Are Big Advantages To Starting Seeds In Propagators, Trays, Pots And Modules.

• An earlier and longer growing season comes by starting seeds in the warmth and undercover,
• You're seeds are independent of the vagaries in outdoor weather conditions,
• You get consistent results and strong plants from using well-prepared seed compost and well-designed modules - see below,
• Your plants are protected from pests such as birds and slugs,
• You can grow lots more plants by starting seeds in succession,
• You can grow a wider variety of plants by controlling conditions.

Seed starting methods with propagators and modules are especially useful when transplanting into containers and hanging-baskets. And with more expensive hybrid seed you really won't want to waste seed on less certain methods.

The Secret Of Success With Seeds

A suitable growing medium or seed compost is a key resource. You'll discover how I make my own seed compost from leaf mold on this link. Seed compost has to be fine grade material that contains plenty of air while being both moisture retentive and free draining. Modern gardeners resort to sterilized seed compost.

Sowing Depth, Compost, Good Preparation And
Whether To Cover Seed

Use Seed Trays To Raise Large Numbers Of Plants.

You need to fill your seed tray with compost, very gently firm down and level. For most seeds sown in spring your compost should be moist. Give it 30 minutes to soak up water.

The tiniest seeds are merely pressed onto a level surface of compost and not covered. Use a wood block. Trays so prepared may be sealed in a polythene bag but remain exposed to light.

With larger seeds do as above but cover with a layer of compost to the required depth. This is usually 3 times the seed diameter. Finish the tray off by gently firming. Firming helps to produce an even and consistent layer. And that helps your seeds to germinate at about the same time and with higher returns.

Nowadays gardeners frequently use vermiculite or perlite to cover their seeds. This needs a once over with the watering can to finish. Moisture retentive mineral mulches or / and perspex propagators help ensure an adequate humidity. Be sure to maintain adequate ventilation too. The advantage of propagators - find more below.

Seed trays are well-used for raising large numbers of flowers from seed, followed by pricking out and potting on.

Starting Seeds In Modules And Rootrainers

Seeds that are big enough to handle individually - anything from the size of tomato or sweet pepper seed and larger - are grown individually in modules. These seeds give high germination rates in properly prepared compost and I sow one per module. Larger modules are used for longer stays from an autumn sowing to overwinter for example.

Modules avoid the extensive root disturbance that accompanies pricking out from trays. Moreover specially designed rootrainer modules are designed to grow a well-branched fine root system.

The Advantage Of Rootrainers

Rootrainers open out like a book to reveal the extent of root growth. Direct observation is a real education. You can see when the roots are healthy.

In conventional pots older and longer less active roots form. They need to move water further to reach the stem. But the ridges in a root trainer air prune the roots. This prevents them circling the pot and encourages branching and fine roots. Curiously these fine roots grow both up and down to make maximum use of the compost.

To transplant from root trainers you simply open the block out to easily remove the whole plug. There's virtually no root disturbance. Find root trainers here.

Deep Fibre Pots

These long biodegradable tubes are ideal for starting seeds of beans and planting out direct in the ground. The roots grow out through the pots which themselves break down in the soil. One word of caution, you should plant the rim of the pot below the soil surface to ensure it doesn't wick out water. Deep Pots are here.

More Control With Propagators, Heat Mats And Self-Watering Systems.

A stable controlled environment is one of the most important conditions for growing seedlings. Sudden drops in temperature, or lack of moisture for example will shock your plants and stunt growth. Frequently this leads to seedlings dying off.

Fortunately systems are available to reduce these fluctuations and even completely control growing conditions. They range from propagators with water reservoirs and built-in capillary matting, to heated propagators. Propagators are here.


Individual heat mats are available that save you heating the whole place. Temperature controlled heat mats not only prevent those chills of late winter and spring nights but add warmth enough for your more temperature sensitive plant roots. And this helps control disease by promoting healthy active root growth.

After Starting Seeds - More Light Is Essential

Although gardeners aim to get an early start with seeds the overcast days in winter simply don't produce enough window light for seedlings. And so plants become drawn with long thin stems that are yellowed and rather weak.

The answer is to take advantage of a lighting system. Commercial growers have always used them even in greenhouses. When you have them in your home they not only allow you to grow much more but also make an elegant and attractive feature in your room. There's no need for a window as lighting racks transform the look of any dark corner with attractive plants.

As plants release oxygen in the light, and humidify the air, you could say that they give you shelves of living ornaments for good atmosphere and health not to mention the fragrance that some live plants release. Get more light here.

What You Need For Starting Seeds
Click flag to jump to your country selection: >>    >>  

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• Everything that you need for Seed Starting is here.


• Make an early start with the APS propagator. Built-in self-watering design means no worries about your growing seeds when you go away.


• Good seed Compost is here,
  
   And do check this a nice range of flower, vegetable and organic seeds.


• Click here for an early garden seed starting kit  -  separate seed tray
  plus...  heating mats are here.


• Finally why not build growing plants into your home decor with light fitments available on this link.

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• I recommend Root Trainers for raising individual seeds. You get a strong deep root system that's easy to plant out.


• All the equipment that you need for starting seeds is on this link. Look out for self-watering and heated propagators and it may help to remember plant labels.
  And for a bright start grow lights are available here.


• You need a different link for seed compost potting compost and specialised soil mixes so try here.

 

Get More Help For Growing Organic Vegetables & Flowers From Seeds
Find Out About Crop Rotation And How To Plan Seed Sowing

>>  Check Them All Out From This Link...

ALSO on The Organic Gardener:-

My Neighbour's Flower Gardens

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