Grow Your Own -Sowing Seeds

I must admit, that as a garden designer I usually restock my garden direct from the nursery or a local garden centre, mainly for time, ease and selection.

However last year, having been dazzled by an array of seeds I decided to grow my own. Some catalogues boost over 600 varieties so, whether you are into flowers, herbs or vegetables there's a massive range of plants that can be cultivated.

I found growing from seed relatively easy, but you do need a little patience and obviously some space. The packets have detailed instructions to guide you through the stages and there are numerous websites that will provide individual growing guides.

Basically, there are three key stages; sowing, pricking out and potting up. But, I did try a variety of seeds that you sow direct which were also successful and more time efficient.

Sowing

I suggest starting of with a small selection of your favourite seeds as you could end up with pots of soil all over the place. Not ideal especially if space is limited.

Seed trays with clear lids provide a one-stop solution for your initial sowing. Half fill the trays with sowing compost and firm down. Tiny seeds can be scattered over the surface of the compost. For larger seeds make a hole using a pencil and sow an individual seed. Cover over with a thin layer of fresh compost and water with slightly tepid water.

Pricking Out

When your seedlings have two or more sets of leaves and are large enough to handle it's time to give them more room to grow.

Water the seeds an hour or so before you handle them to loosen the soil and make it easier to separate the roots. Whilst you’re waiting, fill some larger pots with seed and cutting compost and using a pencil make four of five holes in the surface. Gently, tease the seedlings from the seed trays, separate and then drop the roots into the individual holes in your large pots. Water them in with some tepid water. I found a spray bottle excellent for this.

Potting Up Seedlings

Once your young seedlings have grown and matured, they will need to be potted up to their own individual pots to allow them to develop before they can be planted out.

Again, soak the seedlings before transplanting. Fill individual 3-inch (7.5cm) pots with a multi-purpose compost and make a hole in each pot big enough to take the roots. Gently dig out the plants holding onto a leaf and not the delicate stem and then drop the roots into the hole.

Keep in a frost-free place, water and feed them regularly with plant food to support the early spring growth and to ensure the best possible start.

Gardening- No Thanks

Gardening – No thanks

As I review a plethora of gardening calendars for this month I keep coming to the same conclusion. It’s just too cold and wet! We can expect sub-zero temperatures, gale force winds, frost pockets and a deluge of rain.

However, for those of us willing to brave the outdoors this is the month to batten down the hatches and make sure everything is secure, well staked and protected. And, if you are feeling particularly adventurous then you could always ventilate the greenhouse on sunny days, dig over vacant plots, prune apple and pear trees and reshape the lawn.

Vegetables – Yes please

Alternatively, why not start thinking vegetables. I started growing ‘my-own’ last year on a small scale and was truly amazed at the results. Ok, we never became self-sufficient, but picking your own ripe tomatoes in October was a real sense of achievement, if not slight odd!

You don’t have to have masses of space to grow vegetables, a small sunny area in the garden is ideal or alternatively you can use a range of containers. From my experience last year, the amount of success you have or yield, very much depends on the time you want to invest.

If you’re not an experienced grower, then I would advise keeping it simple and manageable at least in the first year. Select some of the basic family favourites, but don’t be put of experimenting with some of the Classic Mediterranean vegetables such as tomatoes, aubergines and peppers especially if you have a sheltered hot spot such as a sunny patio.

Seed or Seedlings
Again, this rather depends on your time. There are a host of seeds available and a large number are now ‘sow direct’ which as the name suggests can be sown direct into your plot or out into your containers. Alternatively, you can sow into seed trays and shelter them during the colder weather before planting them out later.

Seedlings are obviously more expensive but provide greater flexibility as you simply plant them out as and when they are available at your local garden centre. However, you maybe limited on choice in some instances.

General care

• For containers most crops will grow perfectly well in a multi-purpose compost, either peat based or peat free.

• If sowing into the ground, then ensure the plot is weed free, has good drainage and dig in a soil improver or manure to give you crops a kick-start.

• Maintain an even water supply and ensure good drainage to prevent water-logging.

• Apply a high nitrogen liquid fertiliser if growth flags and high potassium liquid fertiliser for flowering and fruiting crops.

• Ensure any pest and disease control products you use on your vegetables or fruit are suitable for edible plants.