Get Seed Savvy

Kim Stoddart explains how to get the best out of your seed for the growing season ahead, including tips for germination and money saving...

- Kim Stoddart

The process of sowing seed has always been an exciting and nurturing experience. With each little capsule planted comes the promise of longer daylight hours, warmth and delicious home grown produce in the growing season to come. Seed by seed, packet by packet we are sowing hope as much as anything else and we all need this more than ever right now. For many on a fixed budget, for the well-being gain of freshly picked produce, so much fresher and full of flavour than anything supermarket-bought,and for the love of growing.

Being able to switch off from things beyond our control and tune into the growing of fruit and vegetables and the joy to be found therein, really offers so much.

MAKE EVERY SEED YOU PLANT, MATTER

Common advice dictates that seedlings should be thinned out and only the stronger-looking specimens used for growing on, with the smaller plants rejected and disposed off. Yet you can attempt to grow on every single seedling. That's want I do and have done for many years because I have found that most will flourish into productive plants given the chance.

Actually, your stragglers may just be seed that was planted a little lower into the soil than the others and therefore took longer to burst into life. It doesn't mean that it's a weak or defunct seed, far from it. Sure, it might take a bit longer to get growing, but this could be your lower- maintenance version of succession sowing all in one.

Try and make best use of every single seed and seedling and you are reducing waste in the process. 

Germination tips for success

Although there are a multitude of different factors at play which contribute to the success of germination here are some all-round guidelines to help you on your way.

Think before you sow