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Planting/sowing seeds
Wildlifelover
Posts: 380
Hello,
I’m new to gardening so apologies if this is a silly question but I have just covered my beds with Gro-Sure Farmyard manure and was wondering if it’s ok to plant and sow seeds directly into the manure? These would be mostly perennial plants, with the odd annual thrown in.
Many thanks in advance.
I’m new to gardening so apologies if this is a silly question but I have just covered my beds with Gro-Sure Farmyard manure and was wondering if it’s ok to plant and sow seeds directly into the manure? These would be mostly perennial plants, with the odd annual thrown in.
Many thanks in advance.
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Posts
You say you are sowing perennials? I normally start my perennials off in pots, and move them on into bigger pots a few times before planting them out. I have more success with them if I nurture them carefully for a bit, and that is easier in pots than in the ground.
I don’t think even annual seeds will like pure manure. But you can try 😀
Thanks for all the help!
For the perennials clear a circle of the manure, plant in the clearing, and don’t push the manure back around the newly planted plant. The goodness will then gradually disperse into the soil around your plants, but don’t let it touch the stems of newly planted perennial plants - it could “burn” them. Good luck 😉
I would suggest you work the manure into the soil a fair few inches first, before making planting pockets for the perennial plants, and backfilling with the same soil/manure mix. Leaving the manure on top is best done during the Autumn when it can, over the winter, works its way down into the soil over a few months of rain and worms. If it's left sitting on top over the summer, the best it will do is stop the soil drying out; it probably won't do too much to enrich the soil for a few weeks or months. All this is presuming you bought the manure to enrich the soil and not simply as mulch? If just as a mulch to help with moisture retention, then I would try and just plant into the soil beneath, and move the manure around the base of the plant but without it touching it.
Regarding the seed, planting them in small pots (either biodegradable or plastic and popping them out) sounds like a good plan to me! That's what I'll be doing with my foxglove plants. Just make sure after planting anything outside you keep the area well watered while they 'establish' themselves (which is usually clear when you see new growth - leaves/flowers - forming). Depending on what sort of seeds you are sowing, you might be able to direct sow too. I have a wildflower area that is mostly made up of direct sown seed, and lots of annuals can be sown direct according to their instructions, but I guess perhaps there's a better chance of success growing in pots first...
Best of luck
Thanks.