Sowing seeds on a windowsill

You can start most of your seeds on a windowsill indoors, says Tim Rumball

- Tim Rumball

WHEN I started gardening, all my seed sowing was done on windowsills indoors. A house maintained at around 20ºC/68°F through spring offers the ideal temperature to germinate seeds. Most older houses have good deep windowsills that will accommodate a couple of seed trays or small propagators, but some are better than others. Any bright sill will do, but the best are south or west facing as they offer the most sunlight, and net curtains can be helpful, too.

Regulating the heat

A central-heating radiator positioned directly under a window can present a problem with acute temperature fluctuation and dry air, but this can be overcome by placing pots or seed trays in an unheated propagator. The propagator evens out temperature fluctuations and holds in moist air – but remember to ventilate it regularly once seedlings appear!

Use space wisely