Get set for spring

The weather is not exactly conducive for doing much in the garden. It is either cold or soggy underfoot. I find myself staring out of the window wishing spring were here. But it isn’t far away and now is the perfect time to think about spring sowing and getting everything ready. 

Most plants can be grown from seed but most of us stick to annuals, for filling out borders and for bedding and vegetables. 

Some seeds can be sown direct, where they are to grow and, for most of these, sowing is delayed until March, with the majority sown in April and others later into May. 

But some plants need a longer growing season than we have outdoors and we start them, in the greenhouse or on the windowsill, rather earlier. These include early crops of cabbage, lettuce and cauliflowers as well as frost-tender crops like tomatoes and flowers that are classified as ‘half hardy annuals’ (HHA). Unless you have a heated greenhouse it is best not to sow too early. A few plants can be started in mid February but most can be sown in March and others in April. You need to think where you are going to put all the seedlings once they are up and transplanted into trays. Light levels in January and February are so low that seedlings will become straggly and more prone to disease. But you can certainly get ready now, and buy your seeds.

To start your seeds indoors you need minimal equipment. Over the next month, get ready by buying these. 

Trays and pots

It is essential that any containers are clean. Dirty pots will spread disease and can cause death of seedlings. If using old trays and pots, make sure they are washed and are clean. Containers for seedlings do not need to be deep and I use ‘cell trays’ but you can use standard seed trays. You can also use trays that contained meat or other food if you make plenty of holes in the base so the compost does not get waterlogged. 

Compost

It is essential that you use clean, fresh compost. Do not use old bags that have been open and outside over winter. The compost can be wet, contaminated with seeds or disease. Buy good quality compost that has not been stored outside. You will not need much for seed sowing but will need a lot more when you transplant the seedlings.

Propagators

In the most basic form a propagator is just a clear lid that maintains humidity around the seeds. Most seeds need ‘artificial’ heat to germinate in early spring so a heated propagator is an advantage. The most basic provide steady heat once switched on but if the room is warm or the sun shines on them the temperature can become excessive so one with a thermostat is an advantage. Placing an unheated propagator on a windowsill above a radiator may work for some seeds but because the radiators may be ‘off’ at night the temperature of the compost may fluctuate wildly and this will not suit some ‘difficult’ seeds. 

Vermiculite

We will consider actual sowing in a later week but most seeds benefit from being covered after sowing. But some seeds need light to germinate. For this reason I cover most of my seeds with perlite or vermiculite after sowing. It is clean and easy to lightly cover seeds without the need for a sieve. I also mix it with compost to improve drainage for plants that hate waterlogging like gazanias, rudbeckias and asters. 

Labels 

I am not sure where all my labels go! Never be fooled into thinking you will remember the names of all your seeds if you don’t label them. Get some new labels so you can mark the seed trays immediately with the name of the plant, date of sowing and, perhaps, number of seeds and seed company. 

Jobs for the week

Keep off the grass if it is frosted or covered in snow. Compressed snow melts slowly and can cause fungal diseases beneath. Walking on frosted grass leaves dark footprints where the grass is damaged. 

Make sure hanging baskets and pots with violas are kept moist. If allowed to dry out they are prone to mildew and aphid attack. Make sure evergreens in pots, such as bay trees, are moist at all times. 

If the soil is dry enough, tackle winter digging. Winter digging is especially useful on heavy, clay soils because frost will help break up the clods. Dig in garden compost, if available, to increase the organic material in the soil. 

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