There’s something special about growing your own plants from seed. You’ll get a real sense of achievement when you see the first signs of growth sprouting from the soil. And it’s not as difficult as you might think.
The secret to optimal success when starting seeds lies in a few basic things. If you do it right, you will be rewarded with seeds that germinate and develop into healthy seedlings.
To help you get the most out of your seed growing, I spoke to Brian Talman, Seed Trial Manager at Mr Fothergill’s, who shared his expert tips and some secrets to growing seeds the best way possible. After watching Talman’s perfect seed sowing demonstration, I’ve adopted his tips myself when it comes to sowing basil seeds at home.
compost
One secret to growing seeds is compost. Talman says, “Choose a compost that is suitable for sowing seeds,” adding, “But be prepared to pay a little more for a good compost.”
He uses coir compost, also called coir, which is made from the fibres of coconut husks. Mr Fothergill has developed his own enriched version which also contains seaweed and slow-release nutrients.
Coconut coir compost is often sold compressed and dry, making it compact and lightweight. Before using it, however, you’ll need to soak it in water for a few minutes to prepare it for use. Be sure to read the directions on your specific product to find out the amount of water you’ll need to add.
Talman says that adding water to dry compost creates a nice “light and fluffy mix,” with the coco fiber retaining moisture and promoting a healthy root system.
However, Talman advises against using peat-free compost. “Many peat-free composts contain a lot of nitrogen, which locks in the seeds.”
Air
The second important element is to ensure that the compost is aerated. “When you fill a pot, you can’t make it so compact that there is no air left in the compost,” says Talman.
Therefore, a light and loose compost is essential for seed growth and root formation, because without oxygen the seeds remain dormant and do not germinate.
Water
Seeds need water, high-quality compost and air to germinate. However, they do not like flooding and the compost should be sucked into the pot from below rather than from above.
“When you water from above, the water needs to go straight into the soil, which is what a good compost should be like. It should absorb the water, hold enough of it and not act as a pond,” explains Talman.
However, watering from below ensures that the seeds do not drown before they have a chance to germinate or that the compost is compacted to the point where air is removed.
To regulate humidity, Talman also adds a soil additive to his pots. “To keep the seeds airy and moist, we put vermiculite on top of the pots. We prefer vermiculite to perlite because if the seeds are left in the pot for a few weeks, the perlite turns green and can attract flies.”
What is vermiculite?
Vermiculite is a soil amendment that helps improve soil texture, improve water absorption and drainage, and regulate moisture in compost.
This is the best way to sow seeds
If you don’t like getting your hands dirty, grab a pair of the best gardening gloves before you touch the compost.
If you are using dry coco coir compost, add the required amount of water before planting your seeds. It doesn’t take long though, I only had to wait 5 minutes before I could start sowing!
Picture 1 from 2
1. Light Fill a 4-inch pot to the top with your chosen seed compost. Make sure the soil is soft and not compacted.
2. Press lightly on the top of the compost. You can also use the bottom of another pot. The edge should be flat.
Picture 1 from 2
3. Place the pot in a bowl of water and let it absorb the moisture for about 5 minutes. Avoid watering the compost from above as this will compact the soil and reduce aeration. I was able to skip this step as I had just rehydrated my coco compost and it was nice and moist.
4. Sow the selected seeds lightly to the compost, according to the instructions on your seed packet.
Picture 1 from 2
5. Place a thin layer of vermiculite on the seeds.
6. Place your pot on a sunny windowsill and wait for the seeds to germinate.
Picture 1 from 2
How to sow fine seeds
There are many seeds, such as runner bean and zucchini seeds, that are large and easy to handle when sowing, but very fine seeds are much more difficult. In this case, Talman does not put vermiculite on the pot and sows the seeds without covering them.
He mentions lobelia and petunia seeds, which are particularly fine, and explains his top tip for sowing: “I dip a planting stick in some water, touch the seed and then place it on the compost.” He repeats this process until he has sown all the seeds he needs.
Instead of using a special planting stick, Talman relies on the tip of a pencil.
Frequently asked questions about sowing
Do the seeds need to be watered?
“You don’t need to water the pots again until the seeds germinate,” Talman explains. “If you keep watering, you’ll eventually trap the seeds.”
Do I need to thin the seedlings?
If your seeds have germinated and the seedlings are growing too close together, it is best to thin them out so that the stronger seedlings have more nutrients and room to grow.
When are the seedlings ready to be transplanted?
“You know they’re ready to transplant when the roots come out the bottom,” Talman says. That’s a much more reliable method than relying on the number of sprouting leaves, which isn’t necessarily an indication of a strong root system.
To soak or not to soak?
I have never soaked seeds before sowing, but wanted to hear directly from Talman whether and why I should do it.
“Soaking the seeds promotes germination and they germinate twice as fast,” he says.
Soaking sweet peas can be particularly beneficial because the seeds are hard and soaking will soften them. Talman recommends placing the seeds in a pot of water with a little dish soap and then letting them soak for 24 hours.
Why add the detergent? “Many seeds can have mildew, fungus and mold on their seed coats. If you sow them directly into the soil, you never see that, but if you sow them in pots or cells, the mold is more likely to grow before the seed grows.”
Soaking softens and cleans the seeds to promote healthy growth. Talman adds that nasturtium seeds are susceptible to disease and especially benefit from being cleaned before sowing.
What should be avoided when sowing?
It’s easy to do Errors in sowing — If you plant too many seeds, they may wilt before you have time to dig them out. “It’s important that the seeds have room to come up and do their job,” Talman says.
Damping off is a disease of seedlings caused by various fungi or molds. It is common in young seedlings, especially those grown indoors or under glass. Infected seeds effectively “damping off,” collapsing and rotting. This happens most often when the seeds are in a high humidity environment, where air circulation is poor, or when they are sown too densely.
