Planting Seeds

Before you can start to sample the fruit (or vegetables!) of your labours in your garden, you are going to need to get to planting seeds. In my opinion, seed planting is without a doubt one of the most important things that you can do when it comes to creating the perfect garden. If you don't get the seed planting right then the plants will never thrive. In this article I want to share with you some hints and tips on how you can get this absolutely perfect.

Firstly, the most important thing is to ensure that you only purchase high quality seeds. You may not think there is much difference between these and the cheaper varieties, but trust me, there is. You see, with better quality seeds there is a much higher chance of germination (i.e. actually starting to grow) and a far greater chance of fully growing to maturity. I have worked with a ton of 'cheap seeds', and very few of them actually ever work, it is nothing but a waste of money.

If you are going to be sowing seeds outdoors then you will want to ensure that the soil is warm. You can pick up soil thermometers from any garden centre, although touching it with your hand is often suffice. The soil also needs to be well drained, however there should also be a bit of dampness left to help your plants thrive. A quick tip here, before you start planting your seeds you should keep an eye on any weeds that are located on the soil, once they start to grow, the soil is ready and warm. However, make sure you remove the weeds before you start otherwise this will cause nothing but problems.

If you are sowing indoors then it is absolutely paramount that you use the highest quality compost that you can afford. Don't just grab some soil from the garden, this will be detrimental. Instead head to your local garden centre and pick up suggestions from them. With a high quality soil on your seed tray then you stand a huge chance of having them germinate!

When you are going through seed sowing outdoors (or indoors for that matter) make sure you always sow the seeds at the recommended depth. If you do it any deeper then it is unlikely the seed will ever grow. This is because they won't have the energy to push through the surface, and thus they end up dying. Each plant type has their own recommended growing depth, so do make sure you check the packet!

Finally, a couple of general tips on seed sowing. As mentioned before, always make sure you follow the packet instructions to the letter to ensure the highest chance of germination. This means that when you are seed sowing you should ensure that they are evenly spaced so that one doesn't take resources from another, it will also reduce the need to 'thin down'. Also make sure that the seed is getting the amount of light that it needs, some indoor plants may actually need to be left outside from time to time, all of it should be included on the packet instructions.

This is but a mere guide to seed planting, however, I am sure it is more than enough to get you started in this fantastic hobby. Bear these tips in mind and ensure that you follow the packet instructions and everything should go perfectly!