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Beginner: Help with sowing seeds

Please can some one help me with what I need to get started on sowing seeds? I've read lots about it but they all use different sort of trays, plugs, lids etc. I then look in the garden centre and end up not buying anything as I just don't know what to buy. 

I have a medium sized empty garden at the moment so am experimenting growing from seed in the hope to save money So I would like my efforts to be successful!

On my growing list so far I want to grow sweet peas, courgettes, peppers, peas and some other flowers for my cutting garden area. 

I don't have a greenhouse but I do have a large window sill!

Thank you if you can help. 

Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    Welcome rosieradish,

    a good choice of seeds to start with. I've not grown peppers from seed ( but have a packet to sow this year ) the others are easy. Follow the instructions and you can't go wrong.

    Don't be put off by any failures or mishaps along the way, we all have them.

    Devon.
  • Mel MMel M Posts: 347

    Hi rosieradish. A good gardening book is one of the best investments you can ever make. Also, a standard heated propagator gives you a head start with many seeds, and for some seeds is essential.

    Good gardening.

  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286

    There will be videos on Youtube for just about every seed you can think of. image

    There are different approaches and I just find what works for each seed I plant regularly or ones similar to ones I have done before. The packet will usually tell you the depth to plant and give some other hints.

    Making a wooden tool to firm down the soil is a good start for large trays. I sow in either single large trays or modules. Larger seeds go in modules, so do smaller ones I want in clumps or groups. Most of my veg I plant thinly in trays and then 'prick out' to pots when they are ready.

    You can't beat just getting on and doing it, finding out what works for you is what it is about. image

  • Agree with Mel about a heated propagator, it's made a massive difference to the speed and success I've had with getting things like chillies, sweet peppers, tomatoes and courgettes germinated.

  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,697
    Whatever you buy has to fit on your windowsill so start from there. I found some cheap gratin dishes in Tesco a few years back and they are perfect for holding six tiny plant pots for starting off things like tomatoes and peppers. You can start your seeds off in seed trays or tiny pots or modules and if you have something like a plastic tray (or gratin dish) to keep the moisture off your windowsill, then you are in business. If you want to keep it simple then go for the tiny pots and sow two seeds in each one (I'm talking tomatoes, peppers and chillies here) then you can dispose of the weaker of the two seedlings and grow the stronger one on until it is time to put it in a bigger pot with some new compost. You will need John Innes seed compost for sowing the seeds and John Innes No 1 for the next phase. When they are big enough and hardened off they can go outside in their final pots or grow bags or in the veg plot.

    Courgettes will need to be started off in larger pots because they are more expansive plants. Sweet peas can be planted straight in the garden or started off indoors in pots, and flowers can be sown where they are to grow once the soil has warmed up a bit. The seed packets should tell you the approx date for planting.

    When it comes to saving money, there is no guarantee that will be the case. Sometimes it is cheaper to buy small plants from garden centres or plug plants from seed merchants, but where is the fun in that? It is wonderful to watch a plant develop from seed to harvest.

    Have fun and don't be put off by the odd setback.
  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286

    My propagator would never fit on a windowsill, it is huge, bought an old desk with no drawers for £15 from a local second hand shop. It sits on that by the window perfectly. image

  • WateryWatery Posts: 388

    I've had good luck direct sowing many annuals... Echium blue bedder, poached egg plant, cornflowers, clary, cosmos, scarlet flax.   I've also had better luck with direct sown sweet peas than ones I've started inside-- but I've only been gardening for 2 years so I may have just been lucky with the sweet peas and the summer weather.  I tend to get impatient and not be very good at the "hardening off" part of growing inside.  I know what you mean about finding all the "kit" confusing.  I'm trying again starting things inside and trying to branch out a bit and fully intend to be more patient about planting out etc. but I find it a bit fussy.   I'm a big fan of direct-sown hardy annuals and then treat myself to a few hardy perennials bought as small plants each year to start to have more of a permanent element.

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