How to Sow Seeds

If you’re a gardening enthusiast, you know there’s nothing more exhilarating than seeing the tiny first green sprouts sprouting up after you’ve planted the seeds. To germinate seeds, you need to have the right soil, ensure there is enough light or shade, and regulate the temperature so that the seeds do not get too hot or too cold. Read on to learn how to create the right environment for seeds to germinate.

Table of Contents

Preparing to sow seeds

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Choose good seeds. You should choose seeds that are no older than 2 years old from a reliable source and suitable for the place you intend to plant. You’ll have a much better chance of success if you have seeds from native trees in your area – these seeds prefer the environment, soil and other factors you can provide. Buy seeds from local nurseries, farmers markets, or online retailers who sell seeds for a variety of growing regions. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Try looking for a seed exchange near you. You can meet other gardeners to collect seeds and seek advice for growing the seeds typical of the region.

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Plan to sow seeds at the right time. Some seeds need to be sown indoors for weeks before the weather gets warmer, others just a few days. The time to start sowing seeds also varies from region to region. Choosing the right time is crucial if you want your seeds to have optimal conditions to germinate and grow into strong, healthy plants.

Read the instructions on the back of the package to know when to start sowing. The seed packaging contains the necessary information.
You can also find more information online about when to plant.
If you’re still unsure about when to sow, start sowing a few weeks before the last frost. It is advisable to sow the seeds indoors and wait until the plants are a few centimeters tall before moving them to the outdoors. This is the safest way for most plants.

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Create a favorable growing environment. Often, plant seeds need a different medium than standard potting soil or garden soil. They require the right soil texture for germination, and each cultivar needs a different soil type. You should research the needs of the seeds you want to grow and purchase the right soil from nurseries or online retailers.

You can purchase a pre-mixed seeding solution that does not require soil, which works well with many types of seeds. ^{[2] X Research Source}
It will be less expensive to mix your own seeding soil with vermiculite, perlite, and ground sphagnum moss, all of which are available at your garden store. Usually, 1:1:1 mixing ratio is best.
Do not attempt to sow seeds on common cropland. The nutrients needed for germination are already present in the seed. Excess nutrients in the soil can be detrimental to the germination process.

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Choose a seed pot. You need a seeding pot about 5-8 cm deep, with a drainage hole in the bottom. The seeding pot can be a wide tray or a tray divided into several cells for sowing different types of seeds. The width of the tray depends on the number of seeds to be sown; Make sure to leave enough space for the seeds to germinate.

There are specialized seeding trays available, but you can make your own simple seeding tray out of cardboard boxes for eggs, old newspapers, wooden boxes, or other household items.
When the seeds germinate and sprout, the seedlings need to be transferred to another larger pot or planted in the ground. So the aesthetics of the tray is not as important as its convenience.

Drills

Prepare the seeding tray. Pour soil into the seeding tray until it is about 3.5 cm from the top of the tray instead of filling the tray. Sprinkle with water to moisten the entire soil to the bottom of the tray. Do not over-water; The soil only needs to be slightly wet to create a favorable environment for the seeds to germinate.

Determine if the seeds need to be soaked. Some seeds need to be soaked for several hours before sowing, others can be sown directly into the ground without soaking. You need to determine if the type of seed you plan to grow requires special treatment before planting. Read the instructions on the package or look online.

Soak the seeds by placing the seeds in a clean pot and pouring room-temperature water into the pot. Soak for 3 to 24 hours. Remove the seeds and pat dry with a paper towel.
If you have soaked the seeds, you need to sow immediately after soaking. Do not let the seeds dry out again.

Drills. Sprinkle the seeds evenly over the soil and gently press down with your fingers. Cover the seed with a layer of soil about 3 times the size of the seed. Moisten the soil again after sowing the seeds.

Do not sow too many seeds in one place; you need to make sure the seeds are not crowded. See packaging for what distance between beads should be.
Some seeds need to be sown deeper into the soil, others should not be filled with soil at all. A thin layer of soil over the seeds is usually suitable for most nuts, but you should check to make sure the seeds you are growing don’t need any special treatment.

Place the seeding tray in the appropriate medium. Most seeds don’t need sunlight to germinate, but some do, so you should check to make sure you’ve created the right conditions for the seeds to germinate. It is safest to place the seeding tray in a room between 15.5 and 26.5 degrees Celsius, but again, some seeds require special handling, and need extreme cold or heat. can grow well.

You can use a heating mat placed under the seeding tray to regulate the temperature and keep warm while the seeds germinate. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
Once the seedlings have sprouted, you need to maintain the ambient temperature above 21 degrees Celsius until the plants are sturdy enough to be planted outdoors. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Maintain moisture in the seeding soil. Wrap a layer of plastic wrap on the seeding tray to retain moisture and regulate temperature. Open the film every day to lightly water the seeds. Make sure the seeds don’t dry out, or they’ll have a hard time germinating.

Do not water too much. Seeds will not germinate if waterlogged.
You can use old newspapers instead of plastic wrap. Spray the newspaper with water to keep it moist while the seeds are germinating.

Caring for plants after germination

Move the seedling to a sunny spot. When you see the first cotyledons appear, you need to bring the seedlings to a place where there is sunlight. Make sure the room temperature is above 21 degrees Celsius, and at the same time give the plant a space with enough light for the plant to grow healthy and strong.

Maintain moisture for seedlings. If the seeds are covered with plastic wrap or old newspapers, now you need to open them and keep the seedlings moist by watering them twice a day. Water in the early morning and early afternoon, avoid watering late in the day. Water that sits in the soil all night long can create conditions for mold to grow.

Fertilize the seedlings after a week. Soil often does not have many nutrients, so you need to fertilize the seedlings after they have grown a few centimeters tall. Find out which fertilizer is appropriate for the type of plant you are growing. Use organic fertilizer if possible.

Remove the seedlings. If there are a lot of seeds germinating, you need to remove some weak plants to make the rest grow stronger. Trim the seedlings so that only 2, 3 sprouts are left in a pot or 2, 3 sprouts in each area with an egg tray. Hold close to the stump, pull it up, and throw it away.

Replant the seedlings at the right time. When the growing season begins, it is also time to transfer the seedlings to a larger pot or plant in the garden. Make sure to choose the right soil, while providing the right amount of sunlight and drainage for the plant.

Advice

Label the seeding trays to see what plants they are.
Some nuts have a longer shelf life than others. To check if the seeds are still usable, spread at least 10 seeds on a damp paper towel and cover with plastic wrap. Observe for a few days how many seeds sprout. If many seeds sprout, you can plant them. If none of the seeds have sprouted or too few seeds have sprouted, you must purchase new seeds.
Read the information on the packaging. The seed packets contain a lot of useful information about when to sow, light, water and other factors. If you have some seeds to spare, you can check out online instructions on how to grow them. In addition to water, some seeds also need the right temperature and light.

Warning

Once the plants have sprouted, you need to protect them from snails or other plant-eating pests, as they can devour your seedlings very quickly.

Things you need

Seeds
Sowing soil
Trays, pots

Steps