Starting a Garden from Seeds
Watching your garden grow from the ground up will no doubt be a fulfilling achievement. For beginner gardeners, however, you may find yourself wondering how to plant seeds successfully.
Here, we’ve put together some must-knows and beginner gardening tips to help you get to grips with gardening before you dig into your next big project. From setting things up and germination to transferring to your yard, these early steps are what will set you up for success in bringing your garden blossoming to life.
Getting Started
If you’re new to gardening, then choose easy-to-start seed varieties for your first go to learn the basics of how to grow seeds. Once you’ve got those growing steadily, then move on to the fussier ones! If you really want to commit to a home-grown garden, why not grow your lawn from seed too?
Germination station
Before you start sowing, you need somewhere for your seeds to start off. Germination trays are purpose-made for this, and have drainage holes already poked in the bottom. If you want to DIY your own, you could try using clean yoghurt pots or a milk carton, and pierce holes for water to drain out of. These should be two to three inches deep, and your seed packet will tell you exactly how deep to place your seeds.
Growing medium
Your choice of growing medium, or in layman’s terms- soil, matters. For seeds, you should opt to start them out in new, sterile soil. Avoid using soil from your garden or another plant, as this could be harbouring a disease, pest, or something else that could inhibit the growth of a new seedling. Using fresh soil means you are also in complete control of what your seeds are introduced and exposed to, without the remnants of any old fertilisers getting in the way.
Timing
Timing is an important factor in when you should start sowing and growing. Seed varieties germinate and sprout in all different time-spans. They’ll also differ in when they should be, so this should be factored into your decision on when to sow them.
Sowing time
Speaking of sowing, once your germination space and soil are set up, it’s time to get going! Seed needs can vary in depth, proximity to one another, temperature, and how they should be cared for, so be sure to read the packet and apply what that tells you.
Some might even say something like “direct sow”. If this is the case, you can sow these directly into your garden when the timing’s right.
Watered down
When sowing your seeds, you want to ensure that the soil is moist to start out with, and is kept that way throughout the process. Too much water can cause the soil to rot or mould, while too little will cause everything to dry out, so it’s important to get this one right. A spray bottle is a great way to administer enough water to the small space without overdoing it. In the early days, you can even place cling wrap loosely over the tray to create a damp, humid environment to encourage germination. Once things get moving, the wrap should be removed to allow for proper air flow.
Positioning
Some seeds need more light than others to germinate, so again, read the packet your seeds came in to find out what’s best for them. Some seeds prefer darkness or indirect light, and others need sunlight to grow. When seeds are in the light, it’s good practice to rotate them often. This is because plants are phototrophic- meaning that they grow towards their light source. Rotating them frequently will prevent them growing with a slant.
Growing steadily
When your seedlings start to sprout, it’s time for the next steps! Seeds have enough energy and nutrients inside to support the initial growth stages, but once they start to spread roots and sprout, will need some extra help. Liquid fertiliser is a great nutrient source, and should be applied as directed. At this stage, you could also opt to ‘bottom water’ your growing plants. This means placing their tray in a bigger, shallow tray of water so that the roots can soak up moisture without the growing sprout getting over-watered and damaged.
Transition time
When your seedlings have had the prescribed amount of growing time safe and sound in their germinating spot, it’s time to begin to transition them outdoors. Being transplanted straight from their current spot to their new patch can shock plants, and end up having a negative impact on their growth. To take the transition slowly, we recommend moving the plants, in their tray, outdoors for a few hours at a time. This can be built up over a week until they’re ready to be replanted in their new environment. Once they’re successfully in the ground, it’s time to crack out your beginner gardening tools to help you keep them in tip-top shape!
Contact Us
Now that you know how to grow plants, you’re all set! For more professional advice on growing your dream garden contact the Jim’s Mowing experts.
