These instructions explain step by step how seeds transform into strong seedlings under the care of the gardener. Find out here the optimal procedure for direct sowing and growing on the windowsill. Helpful tips point out typical stumbling blocks when beginners sow seeds for the first time in their gardening life.
How do you successfully sow plants?
For successful sowing, prepare the soil well, choose suitable seeds and sow them at the right depth. Pay attention to adequate watering, protection from pests and temperature conditions - if necessary, prefer plants to the windowsill first.
Direct sowing - Guide for direct sowing in the bed
In April and May things get busy in the flowerbed and vegetable garden. After the Ice Saints at the latest, the time window opens for direct sowing of native species such as sunflowers, snapdragons, carrots, runner beans or radishes. If you want to create a lawn, you should also choose this time of year to sow lawn seeds. How to proceed correctly step by step:
- Work the soil with a rake and rake until a weed-free, loose, fine-crumbly structure is created
- Sow the seeds widely or in rows depending on the type of plant
- Sowing in rows: make a furrow, plant the seeds at the prescribed distance and cover with soil
- Press seeds with your hands or a lawn roller and water with a fine spray
To protect against pecking birds and hungry snails, cover the seedbed with a protective net. At the end, please do not forget to mark the seed rows with the seed labels.
Growing on the windowsill - this is how you prepare the seeds
Numerous garden plants come from distant lands, such as popular petunias and tomatoes. Higher temperatures are required for germination, so home gardeners sow the seeds on the windowsill or in the greenhouse. Pay attention to these preparatory tasks:
- Provide low-nutrient, germ-free sowing substrate
- Clean seed containers and check for drainage openings in the bottom
- Fill spray bottle with room temperature, stale water
- Prepare transparent hoods or plastic bags
- Soak seeds for 24 to 48 hours in lukewarm water or chamomile tea (thermos)
Ecologically responsible home gardeners do not use peat-based tools. Coconut fiber substrate, for example, is ideal for sowing. Sowing in peat pots is also frowned upon, as reusable seed trays, pots or used egg cartons are perfect growing containers.
Sowing instructions – the path from seed to seedling
While the seeds are soaking, fill each seed container two-thirds full with substrate. Press the soil down and spray the surface with water. You can now sow the still moist seeds on the moistened soil. Press the light germinator down with a wooden board to ensure a good connection to the soil. Cover dark germs with substrate at a species-specific height. You can find out what type of seed it is on the seed label. This is how it continues:
- Cover seed containers with a transparent hood or plastic bag
- Place in a partially shaded window seat at temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius
- Air the cover daily
- Spray with water as soon as the soil dries
- Do not fertilize seeds and seedlings
The germination time depends on the plant species. Some growth rockets germinate after just a few days, while other seeds take weeks or even months to germinate. If the first cotyledons sprout, the cap has fulfilled its duty and is removed. Continue to keep the substrate slightly moist and do not apply fertilizer.
Pricking out seedlings and hardening them off - this is how it works
The first true leaves grow after the cotyledons. Both types of leaves can be easily distinguished visually. As growth continues, the seed container becomes crowded. It's high time to give the busy seedlings more space. For this purpose, repot the strongest specimens into their own pots. This process is called pricking. This is how it works:
- Small plastic pots fill with special potting soil
- Drill a small planting hole in the middle with a pricking stick or spoon
- Lift the seedlings out of the seed container individually and with great sensitivity
- Planting in the pricking soil, pressing and watering
From mid-April, place your pupils in a warm, partially shaded location on the balcony or in the garden during the day. The young plants spend the cold nights behind glass until mid-May. This hardening phase guarantees robust plants and vigorous growth in the bed right from the start.
Small ABC of sowing – this is how you avoid stumbling blocks
So that everything goes smoothly on your first sowing, we have summarized the most common beginner mistakes. Practical tips show you how to avoid tripping hazards:
- Dried soil: keep the substrate slightly moist with soft, warm water
- Too much or too little soil on the seeds: do not cover light germinators, sift dark germinators at least to the thickness of the seed
- Cold draft: do not place seed containers near tilted windows
- Graying shoots due to lack of light: if the shoots are long, thin, illuminate the seedlings with plant lamps
The most common and fatal care mistake is waterlogging in the seed container. The instructions for regular watering and spraying should not result in seedlings standing in water. The result is fungal infections, such as the dreaded damping-off disease. Drainage holes in the bottom of the pot and a balanced water supply are the best prevention.
Tip
With your own cold frame, the starting signal for sowing is given in February and March. Equipped with natural heating, the first seeds germinate here when there is still snow in the garden. You can easily build the ingenious box yourself or purchase it from retailers as a finished kit.
