Raising plants from seeds

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Yes, it does seem much easier to buy a ready grown plant instead of raising your own. After all, you can go to the local garden centre, buy a few plants in pots, take them home and plant them. An instant garden in a few hours seems like an attractive option. However, just compare the prices of a few ready to go plants and a packet of seeds of the same variety. I've found that each plant will cost around £2 to £3 each, buy six plants for a border and there goes £12 to £18 of your hard earned cash. On the other hand, a packet of seeds will cost about £1 to £2, compost will set you back another £2 or so and a seed tray will cost about £2 and can be used again and again. The packet of seeds will contain anything from 20 to 2,000 seeds depending on the type and you can expect that most will germinate. I regularly get at least a 75% germinate rate, so for an initial outlay of about £6 I end up with at least 20 or more good strong plants. It would cost me around ten times that amount to buy these plants in the garden centre. The bag of compost that you initially buy will fill the seed tray about three or four times depending on its size. So buy three packets of seeds and then sow the second packet once the first seeds have reached the moving on stage, do the same with the third packet and within the space of about six to eight weeks you will have at least 60, and probably a lot more, plants for an initial outlay of around £10.
Remember, the initial outlay on seed trays and different sizes of pots will more than repay itself over the years if you look after them.
The picture (above right) shows the Tomato plants that I grew from seeds sown in January 2008. By April, I had 18 good plants. These were selling for £2:50 each at my local garden centre, buying them there would have cost me £45, the packet of seeds cost me £2:20. The picture is also on my Flickr site and I have added it below in order that you can see the "bigger picture".

1. A full, or half size, seed tray
2. Plastic plant pots, square ones or round ones it doesn't matter which.
3. Some cling film to cover the tray with
4. Compost, make sure it's one of the seed and cutting types
5. A packet of seeds

Now it's time to get your hands dirty

1. Take a handful of compost and put it into the tray. Do rub it through your fingers in order to break up any lumps as it needs to be fairly fine for the seeds to root into.
2. If you come across any large lumps or bits that won't break up, keep them to one side. They are useful for putting into the bottom of pots later on.
3. Fill the tray to about half an inch, or 10 mm, from the top.
4. Gently smooth over the surface to level it, but don't press it down too hard as this will compact it.
5. Lift the tray and gently tap it down a few times to settle the compost.
6. Water the surface of the compost, just enough to make it wet throughout.
7. Allow any excess water to drain away.

Now, let's sow some seeds.
Small seeds, such as those of the antirrhinum (commonly known as snap dragons) are pretty small. They almost look like dust, but you do get a lot, up to 2000, in a packet. I'll deal with these first.
1. Cup your hand and pour out some of the seeds into it.
2. Take a small pinch of these seeds and sprinkle them finely over the surface of compost. It's just like sprinkling salt on your chips or fries.
3. Keep repeating this sprinkling until you have covered the whole surface of the compost.
4. Now cover the seeds with a fine layer of dry compost. As before, just take a handful and rub it between your hands allowing a fine stream to cover the seeds.

Larger seeds, such as Lathyrus Odoratus (common name is Sweet Pea, a beautiful flower with a lovely perfume) are much easier to handle. Just place these singly on the surface, spacing them apart, and then give them a little push beneath the surface with your finger. Aim to get them about half an inch (12 mm) deep. Then cover with some dry compost as described above.
Finally, cover the tray with some cling film (this helps keep in the moisture) and place the tray in a warm area out of direct sunlight. Anywhere in the house will generally do, I find that a warming cupboard beside the hot water tank is ideal. Keep checking the seeds every other day, and when they come through remove the cling film and give them a light spray of water. Move them onto a sunny window and watch them go. All you need to do is make sure that they don't dry out, but beware of giving to much water. As a guide, give a light spray every other day. If it gets too hot and sunny, just move them back into the room.

That's all there is too it. My next lens will look at pricking out.

Update:- I've published my next lens at Raising plants from seeds part 2