Gardening for Beginners: 10 Easy Steps to Sowing Seeds

Growing Plants from Seed

You can buy "readymade" plants in a store, but it can be much more fun to grow them
yourself from seed. The magical phenomenon of a seed's germination and
transformation into an adult plant is entertaining for both adults and children alike!

Is it easy to grow plants from seeds?

Seed sowing is a basic horticultural skill. Many flowers, trees, and vegetables are easy
to grow from seed if you take a little bit of care. Minimal equipment is needed and all
you need to do is provide the basic requirements for germination; warmth, moisture and
oxygen.

One obvious advantage of growing plants from seed is that it is much cheaper than
buying them. Also, many plants produce lots of seeds which can easily be harvested
and sown, and you can collect more seeds than would ever be included in a store-
bought packet.

What you'll need:

 the seeds themselves
 containers: you can use discarded plastic cups, trays or boxes
 seed compost (potting soil made especially for starting seeds)
 a spray mister (empty spray bottles are ideal)

How to Sow Seeds in 10 Easy Steps!

1. Collect or buy seeds.
2. Find some trays or pots (see notes below about drainage).
3. Fill the seed trays with seed compost (seed starting potting mix).
4. Moisten the surface of the compost.
5. Sprinkle the seeds evenly over the compost.
6. Cover the seed tray to keep it dark and moist and place the seed tray in a warm
place.
7. Uncover the seedlings once they germinate (sprout).
8. Transplant the seedlings into smaller, individual pots to give them room.
9. Keep transplanted seedlings in the shade.
10. Plant them out into the ground (or wherever you want the plant to live) and enjoy!
Read on for more detailed info!
 Oriental poppies: I harvested seeds from these in the late summer.
Step 1: Harvest Seeds from Flowers and Vegetables

The seeds I sowed were collected or harvested from flowers in the autumn after
flowering.
1. Pick a dry day for collection.
2. Shake seeds into a paper bag or envelope (not a plastic bag, which will retain
moisture and promote mold). Some plants have pods which are just another shape of
ovary. You can split these open yourself and collect the seeds, but some pods are
"spring loaded" and twist and split open themselves, flinging seed everywhere, so
collect those seed before this happens.
3. Store seeds in a cool, dry place until you're ready to sow them.
When are seeds ready to be collected?

Collect seeds when the ovaries (seed pods) are ripe. You'll know this because they'll
usually have become crisp, dried-out, and beige in color. Sometimes, with plants like
marigolds, the ovary will split open, revealing bunches of seeds. Other flowers have a
capsule-like ovary. A tell-tale sign that seeds are ready is that you can hear them
rattle inside when you shake the seed pod.

Seed-containing ovary of a poppy plant. Seeds can be harvested on a dry day when
pods have lost their green color and dried out.
Step 2: Collect Trays or Pots and Drill Holes If Needed

You can sow seeds in a proper seed tray bought from a store. Alternatively, you can
make do with a cookie tin, flower pot, empty food container, or something like that. If
there are no holes in the bottom of the container, make some with a 1/4 inch drill bit or a
nail. Space the holes a few inches apart. This allows water to drain from the container
and prevents it from collecting, which would make the seed compost overly wet.

You can also sow seeds individually in plant trays like the ones annual plants from
stores are sold in. The advantage of these is that seedlings don't need to be
transplanted later. If you have lots of seeds and not enough trays, sow a couple in each
compartment in the tray in case one doesn't germinate.
Many containers can be used for sowing seeds. Add holes for drainage.
Step 3: Fill the Container With Seed Compost (Seed-Starting Potting Mix)

Use a sterile seed compost like this seed starting potting mix from Amazon if possible.
You can also use a multipurpose seed/potting compost, but don't use soil dug up from
your garden, as this will be lumpy, contain lots of pests and diseases, and dry out
quickly. Some plants aren't "fussy" about what they grow in, and if you have lots of
harvested seed, you can try sowing it in soil which you have crumbled up so that it's
nice and fine. From my experience however, it's best to buy proper compost to
maximize the chances of germination.

Fill the seed tray with seed compost.

The seed tray doesn't need to be totally filled because seedlings will eventually be
transplanted.
Step 4: Moisten the Surface of the Compost

Moisten the surface of the compost with a mist spray. I just use an empty recycled
window or shower cleaner bottle (carefully washed out before using). You can use a
watering can but unless its sprinkler rose has small holes, it will flood the compost. Don't
use a watering can to wet the compost pre-germination if it becomes dry, or to water
delicate young seedlings, because too much water will wash away seeds or flatten
seedlings.

Wet the surface of the soil with a mister. Mine was recycled and cleaned thoroughly.
Step 5: Sprinkle the Seeds Evenly Over the Compost
Sprinkle small seeds over the compost from the palm of your hand using your finger.
Don't cover small seeds with soil, as it can smother them. Larger seeds can be placed
one by one on the compost and then covered with a sprinkling of compost. Much larger
seeds (such as sweet corn, sunflowers, and tree nuts) can be pushed down below the
surface of the compost about 1/4" / 6 mm.

Sprinkle seeds evenly over the compost surface. Small seeds don't need to be covered.
Larger seeds can be covered with a thin layer of compost.
Check the Depth!
Check the recommended sowing depth in the instructions on the seed packet! A good
rule of thumb is to sow seeds at a depth two to three times their diameter.
Larger seeds can be covered with a thin layer of compost. A flower pot acts like a
pepper pot and is useful for sprinkling compost
Step 6: Cover the Seed Tray and Place It in a Warm Spot

Cover the seed tray with a piece of glass, a magazine, a slate, a piece of plastic,
plywood or whatever. This prevents the compost from drying out and keeps the seeds in
the dark, which aids germination.
Seeds sprout best at a temperature above 64F (18C). In the northern hemisphere, it's
best to sow seeds in early spring around February or March so the plants can have a
full growing season. If you live in a climate with cold winters, it may be too cool for
germination, so you can place the tray in a plant propagator (or alternatively locate it in
a hot press close to a hot water tank or near your furnace/boiler).
Check the seed tray after a couple days, and then keep checking it for signs of
germination. The trick is catching them in time: some seeds sprout quite quickly (within
days) while others take weeks.
Cover the seed tray. I used a scrap piece of thin plywood which worked nicely.

Requirements for seed germination.

 Step 8: Uncover the Seedlings Once They Germinate

It's very important to uncover the seedlings and expose them to light once they
germinate, otherwise they will rapidly become straggly, with overly long, thin stems.

1. If the plants are sensitive to frost, they will need to be kept indoors in full sun, in a
greenhouse, or under a cold frame. During severe frosts, seed trays should be brought
indoors or covered with insulation to protect them from freezing.
2. Place the seed tray on a windowsill where it should get enough light.
3. Turn the tray each day so the seedlings are evenly lit.
4. Keep the compost moist with a spray mister. This is essential, especially if the
seeds are at or close to the surface, as those tiny roots can dry out rapidly when
exposed to warm sunshine or warm air in a room.
5. Check daily and water if necessary. Once seedlings have a few pairs of "true
leaves," they're ready for the next step.
Tip: Avoid strong sunshine on trays of small seeds sown outdoors. The surface of
compost can rapidly dry out, especially if it's windy, and the seedlings may perish. It's
probably best to keep them out of direct sunlight until a few pairs of leaves appear.

The seeds germinated after about a week and reached this size after 18 days.
 43 days after sowing: Looks like I sowed the seed too thickly! It's always a dilemma if
you have a lot of seed whether to sow some or all. If you only sow a few seeds, none of
them may germinate. The alternative is everything comes up!
Don't Overwater!
More plants are killed by drowning than lack of water. Water when necessary, not
regularly. Soil should be moist, not wet. The surface may dry out, so check just under it
with your finger.

Step 8: Transplant the Seedlings to Individual Pots

Once seedlings have grown a few pairs of "true leaves" and are big enough to handle
without damage, they can be transplanted into individual pots or trays. Some seedlings
are quite small and delicate, so it's best to wait until they get bigger.
1. Water to loosen the compost and then gently tease the seedlings out using a
popsicle (ice pop) stick, teaspoon, or similar. Try to avoid damaging the delicate roots.
2. If seedlings are small, it's best to hold the leaves between your fingers and pull
sideways to disentangle the roots from adjacent plants rather than pulling upwards,
which can cause breakage.
3. In the new pot, make a hole a with your finger or the popsicle stick in the
compost, drop the seedling into the hole, and gently press the compost back around the
roots.
True leaves: When you see these, the seedling is ready for its own pot.

Fill some pots with potting compost or use your own homemade stuff like I did.
Tease out the seedlings. Pull sideways to disentangle the roots, rather than upwards
which can snap the stems.

Try to leave as much of the compost stuck to the delicate roots as possible.
Make a hollow in the compost.

Drop the seedling into the hole and pull the compost back around the seedling.
Step 9: Keep Transplanted Seedlings Out of Direct Sunlight While They Establish
Roots

This is important if it's hot and sunny. If you didn't manage to keep a little piece of
compost stuck to the roots and they were bare during transplanting, the exposed roots
can dry out rapidly. So keep seedlings out of direct sunlight (but not in a dark or overly
shaded spot) for a week until the roots grow into the new compost and have a better
chance of absorbing moisture. In dull, overcast weather, you don't need to do this.
3 months since my poppy seeds were sown, plants have reached this size.

Step 10: Harden Off and Plant Out

Once plants have reached the stage where their roots are starting to emerge from the
bottom of the pot, they can be planted out to their final location.

Hardening Off
Plants that have been grown inside need to be "hardened off" or slowly acclimated to
the outdoors over a period of about seven to 10 days. Gradually introduce them to direct
sunlight, dry air, and cold nights so that they don't suffer shock from the sudden change
in growing conditions.
Plants can be hardened off by placing them in a wind- and sun-shaded spot outside,
exposing them to these conditions for an hour a day, then taking them back inside at
night. Extend the time gradually by an hour a day so that they become accustomed to
lower temperatures. Start hardening off half-hardy annuals (e.g. marigolds, petunias,
asters) shortly before the last frosts so plants are ready to plant out.
 The poppies I sowed earlier in the year.
When Should Seeds Be Sown?
Sowing too early means that the plants are ready too soon and can get pot-bound
before they can be planted out after frost has passed. Sowing too late means they don't
flower until late in the season.
When to start seeds indoors:
 For hardy annuals, the best time is 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost (check
frost guide for your zone).
 Half-hardy annuals, sow 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. (In the UK, you can
generally sow half-hardy annuals in Feb/Mar for planting out after hardening off in mid
to late May when bad frosts are unlikely.)

When to sow seeds outdoors:

Hardy annuals can be sown outdoors in early spring when ground conditions allow.
 What is direct sowing?
This is when you sow seeds directly in the ground in their final location rather than
sowing them earlier indoors in containers and transplanting outside.

Read the Seed Packet

Seed packets always give info about the earliest and latest month for sowing, so it's
best to reference these details.

How Do You Sow Seeds Outside?

You can sow seeds directly in the ground. This is often done with vegetable seeds or
hardy annual flowers.
1. Seeds should usually be sown in early spring as recommended on the packet.
2. Dig the ground and turn over the sod to a depth of about 4 to 6 inches. This is
best done before winter so it can be left for several months for frost to break up the soil.
Alternatively, slice off the top inch of vegetation.
3. Loosen soil with a fork or use a chopping motion with a spade to break it up.
4. Rake the soil to a fine tilth so that it's fine and crumbly. Remove stones, weed
debris, roots, sticks etc.
5. Use a line as a guide if you're sowing vegetable seeds. This helps to keep things
neat and makes it easier to walk between rows. If you're sowing flower seeds, you can
scatter and rake them in rather than sowing in rows.
6. Space the seeds and sow to the recommended depth. A rule of thumb is that
depth should be three times the diameter of a seed. Press small seeds into the
ground. If you've got lots of seed to spare, sow a few together at each spacing to
maximise the chances of germination. You can thin and transplant excess seedlings
later. If sowing large seeds, use a pencil, lollypop stick or similar to make a hole.
Alternatively you can make a long furrow or groove in the ground and sow into this.
7. Use a fine spray mist to moisten the ground.
8. Thin seedlings once they germinate
Seed packets give detailed info about when to sow, seed depth, germination
temperature, flowering period and height.
What Does "Germination" Mean?
A seed is an embryonic plant in a capsule, with all the DNA information present to
eventually develop into a full grown "adult". If the environmental conditions are right, a
seed breaks out of its husk or shell and begins to grow. It sends a shoot upward to
search for light and it also sends a root downwards, attracted by gravity. This process is
known as germination.

How long do seeds last?

Seeds are dormant. This means that they do nothing and, in effect, are "asleep" as long
as they are kept in a cool, dry place. Some seeds have a "best before date" in the
sense that they will eventually deteriorate over time. However, some seeds can be
stored for decades before they grow. In fact, the oldest known seed that was
successfully germinated was from a date palm estimated to be 2000 years old. This was
successfully grown in 2005.

The reproductive parts of a flower. Embryonic seeds called ovules develop in the ovary,
the plant equivalent of a womb.
What does a seed need to germinate?
Seeds have three major requirements for germination; water, oxygen and warmth (the
temperature depends on the specific seed). Some seeds also require light but others
require dark conditions.
Diagnosing Seedling Problems
 Leggy seedlings are the result of insufficient light after germination.
Solution: Move seedlings grown indoors as close as possible to a window as soon as
they sprout.
 Seedlings that are shriveled or toppled over is seen in cold, wet conditions
that cause a damping off disease. Pathogens kill or weaken seeds pre-germination (or
shortly afterwards).
Solution: Try to provide adequate light, heat and ventilation and avoid overwatering.

Seedlings can rapidly become spindly and leggy if they don't get enough light. Try and
keep as close to a window as possible. Ideally place them on the window sill.

Seedling with damping off disease. The root and lower stem have shriveled.