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Sowing seeds direct outdoors - beginners question!

gilla.walmsleygilla.walmsley Posts: 339
in Problem solving
Forgive the totally stupid question! But if the instructions are to sow outdoors in (eg) 12mm deep drills, does that mean the seeds need to be in a drill 12mm deep and then covered with soil, or just that the drill needs to be 12mm deep? If there is nothing about covering with them with soil, should I assume that I don't need to do that and the seed just rests uncovered in the drill? Thank you! x

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    The stupid question is the one you don’t ask 👍 

    The seeds should be covered by gently raking fine soil back over them 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    I always cover my seeds, it’s worth marking the area well too so you can tell which are wanted seedlings and which are weeds when they start to come through. 
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    In general, cover - if seeds should not be covered the instructions will usually make that explicit.
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • gilla.walmsleygilla.walmsley Posts: 339
    Thanks so much everyone - that's blimmin lucky because I opted to cover them by shaking some fine soil over them when I sowed them yesterday!  :D  But then I panicked that maybe I shouldn't have, as most of the time I sow in propagators I don't cover them. And yep I've marked them all out with string around the areas I've sown so I won't stomp on them! Thanks again  :)
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Sounds as if you have good gardening instincts @gilla.walmsley 👍 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • gilla.walmsleygilla.walmsley Posts: 339
    Ahh thanks so much <3  :) I tend to freak out if I don't have instructions to follow (same with cooking!) But perhaps I do need to learn to trust my instincts more  :)
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    To start with you can always tell us what you're thinking of doing and see if we hold up our hands in horror or give you a ⭐  ....  it's what a lot of us do for each other  ;)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    gilla.walmsley said:
    Thanks so much everyone - that's blimmin lucky because I opted to cover them by shaking some fine soil over them when I sowed them yesterday!  :D  But then I panicked that maybe I shouldn't have, as most of the time I sow in propagators I don't cover them. And yep I've marked them all out with string around the areas I've sown so I won't stomp on them! Thanks again  :)
    For future reference when sowing seeds, if they are meant to be uncovered, the instructions will state that they need to be placed on the surface of the soil. This usually only applies to indoor sowings of very small seeds like begonias. As with all rules, there is usually a bit of leeway.


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