I’m certainly not an expert when it comes to gardening, but I find that following the methods below increases my germination success rate when it comes to sowing annual seeds (flowers or vegetables). Always read your seed packets to know how and when to plant your seeds, as times can vary greatly, and if I’ve learned one thing the hard way, it’s that seeds really like to be sown at the right time. It is important not to sow too early, otherwise you may end up with overgrown plants that will need to be replanted, but the soil will not be ready or they will be wiped out by frost. So remember: timing is key.
But with that in mind, here are the two main methods I use, along with a list of some of my favorite seeds to grow.
Sowing in modules or boxes
This is how I start almost all of my seeds, especially in the spring. I fill large modular trays with a good quality peat-free compost (specifically for seeds) and pat it down gently. You don’t really want to compress it – the small roots of the seeds should be able to force their way easily through the air pockets in the compost.
I then make a small cut in the top of the compost in each module and place a few seeds (about 3 to 5) there. I’ll sprinkle a little more compost to cover them, then place the entire module tray in a container of water so it’s completely wet from bottom to top. This works better than watering from above, as this can dislodge the seeds.
The trays are then labeled and left either in the greenhouse or in a propagator (basically a heat blanket and roof for the plants). Remember that most seeds don’t need light until they’ve germinated (check the back of each seed packet), but they often need consistent heat. So even a warm ventilation cabinet can work well. Just make sure they move to a sunny location as soon as you start to see shoots appearing, otherwise you’ll end up with leggy plants that never really seem to recover. So check them daily.