Grow Your Own Lettuce

Lettuce is one of the easiest seeds to grow - it will grow almost any place.  The main cause of lettuce not germinating is sowing it too deeply - this will slow it but usually not stop the seed coming up or not keeping the seed raising mix moist.  Use a watering can  to make sure you don't swamp the seeds and later, small plants and wash them right out of the tray.

   

Growing your own Veggies from Seed

Example of how the water will pool on the surface until it soaks into the seed tray 

Collect up all your seeds and get everything ready before you start sowing.  Make sure the seeds are being sown in the right season to germinate - the seed packets will tell you all the information you need to know for your area

Make  small drills in the seed tray - I use my fingers as a handy tool :)   I plant mine in seed flats but if you choose to use individual seed jiffy pots to make it easier in transplanting later 

 A general rule is that the smaller the seed the smaller the depth you need to sow - very tiny seeds need practically no covering and can just have a light dusting of seed raising mix over them.  Larger seeds need to be covered with seed raising mix to the level the same size  as the seed.  In other words a pea seed needs as much soil over it as the pea seed is in size. 

Make sure you label your seeds.  Especially if you are new to gardening so you can identify them.  I have used ice block sticks as these are quite cheap and you will get through a lot !

  

Sowing Seeds - how to sow your own seeds

Sowing seeds from scratch is one of the easiest and most enjoyable parts of gardening so long as they all grow :)   Growing your own plants from seeds is simple and your chances of high germination can be even higher by following some of the tips below to help you get it right and  get higher strike rates.

Use good quality seed raising mix.  

Do not buy potting mix and think it will do as it doesn't have all the nutrients that seeds need to germinate successfully.  Sift your seed raising mix to remove all the loose bits and gently pat down in the seed  tray 

Find something  large enough to immerse your seed tray in - here we have used a wheel barrow but anything suitable will do.  The reason for soaking is to make sure the water is distributed evenly throughout the seed tray and there are no dry patches that may cause uneven germinating

Leave to soak until the seed tray is saturated with water and is evenly moist

I have used our local seed raising mix but any will do if it is suitable for raising seeds Just make sure you do not use potting mix or ordinary garden soil  either as it will not be as free draining and seeds will have a job coming up through it.

  

Broad Bean Tops and Elephant Garlic

Broad bean tops just picked and ready for tonights meal - we love them briefly cooked or stir fried and seasoned with salt and pepper and a knob of butter but equally delicious with something like oyster sauce.
Easy to grow crop just pop the seed in an away they go but most people don't know you can eat the tops and it will also help to set the beans to fruit more
Elephant garlic, a lot larger than normal garlic and has a milder flavour - easy to grow just pop the cloves  - best to plant in mid winter and harvest in mid summer

Seed Saving - Tomato Seeds Drying

There are all sorts of fancy pants ways of selecting and saving seeds but I like to go for the simplest.

• Choose something you like the taste of, in this case its tomatoes.  
• Squeeze out the pulp
• Dry on a paper towel.  
• If you are storing make sure the seeds are completely dry before you put away or they will form mould and rot and be no good
• Make sure you label them well and clearly !
• Plant next spring 

You can use this for lots of veggies, except hybrid so I tend to choose heirloom varieties or open pollinated so that they can easily be saved.