MAKING YOUR seedlings cosy

Stephanie Hafferty offers some money-saving ideas. This month she looks at keeping seedlings warm and making sure they have adequate light

- Stephanie Hafferty

Seeds need warmth and light in order to germinate and thrive. British weather is remarkably changeable in the spring. One day we can be gardening in shorts and a T-shirt, the next huddling indoors with a mug of soup, watching hail sprinkling the garden with a layer of ice. For much of the UK, the last frost dates are well into May, which can make sowing and growing from seed a challenge.

Fortunately, there are plenty of thrifty ways to make your own propagating equipment, mostly using household items, so that your seedlings thrive.

USING A REFLECTOR

Whether you’re growing in a greenhouse or on a windowsill, a home-made reflector can significantly increase light and encourage healthy growth. These make the most of daylight, reflecting natural light around the plants, especially useful on windowsills where much of the light is only coming in one direction.

The simplest way is to use a foil survival blanket. Lightweight and remarkably strong for something so thin, they cost around £1 each and can last for years. Hang them from the curtain rail at windows using laundry pegs, or drape around shelving units to create an instant ‘grow tent’.

For a sturdier reflector, cover card with kitchen foil. This offers many design options, from a simple piece of card and foil folded to slot behind the plants, to a foil lined ‘grow box’. The grow box reflects light from the sides, base and, if you wish, from above too.

MAKE A GROW BOX

1: Firstly, measure and cut your cardboard box or card to suit the space and size of the plants.