Fran's Guide to Gardening

3 Steps to Growing from Seed

Growing your own plants from seed can be one of the most exciting and worthwhile gardening activities. And of course it is a really inexpensive way to grow the number of plants you need for your garden or containers.

In this article I am going to deal with growing seeds from packets purchased at a garden centre – as this is the easiest way to start. These packets will have a picture on the front and growing instructions on the reverse, including germination time and the best time of year to sow. The instructions are important so do keep the packet safe even if you have used all the seeds!

1. Equipment you need:

Clean pots or seed trays, with drainage holes and not too flimsy

Seed compost or multi-purpose compost

Clear plastic bags or cling film or propagator

Vermiculite – can be used to give the seeds a light covering instead of compost

Dibber or pencil and widger or teaspoon

Small watering can with fine rose

Plant labels – white plastic ones are cheap

2. Sowing the seed:

Fill your pots or seed trays with the compost to about ½ inch (1 cm) below the rim and water the compost well

For small seeds, tip them into the palm of your hand, and then lightly tap it with your other hand to sprinkle the seeds thinly on to the compost

For large seeds, push the seed into the compost until it is just covered by its own depth of compost

Cover the seeds thinly with a little compost – do not cover very fine seeds

Seal the pots or trays inside a large loose plastic bag or propagator.

Place them in a warm, light place – on a windowsill but out of direct sunlight

Water gently if the compost starts to dry out

3. Germination and pricking out:

When the seeds start to germinate, the first thing you will see growing are the seed leaves – two small round leaves that look very much the same on all plants. Then the true leaves appear and you can recognise that these tiny leaves are like those on the mature plant. This is the time to move the seedlings into new pots.

Fill clean 3½in (9 cm) pots or seed trays with fresh compost and water well

Gently loosen each seedling from its tray/pot with a widger or the handle of a teaspoon, holding the seedling by its seed leaf

Make a hole in the new compost with a dibber or pencil and gently lower the seedling into the hole, making sure that all the roots are tucked into the hole and the seed leaves are just above the surface.

Carefully fill the hole to cover the roots

Space the seedlings in a seed tray about 1½-2ins (3.5-4 cms) apart; otherwise plant them individually into pots

Water carefully, either by soaking the tray or pot, or using a small watering can with a fine rose

Place in bright light, but not direct sunlight, and check regularly

Keep watered, but not too wet

Once the roots fill the pots or trays, then it is time to plant them either into your containers in the garden or into the garden border.

It’s not as complicated as some might think, but it does require a little thought and care – the equipment must be clean to prevent disease or infection; don’t over-water; provide enough light; handle gently; and check regularly.

And that’s all there is to it!

Fran Barnwell

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