Page 33 - ALG Issue 2 2018

10 tips for success when sowing seeds directly into your plot
1Always wait until the soil has warmed up before sowing any seeds. Some older gardeners would say that the soil should be warm enough to put your bare backside on the soil; if it felt cold
they would wait. Possibly not the best practice to drop your trousers on a busy allotment site!
Instead follow the seven 7’s rule: You should never start sowing seeds on your plot until you have had seven consecutive days and nights that are above 7°C (45F). Remember, if you get to day six and it drops below 7°C you have to start counting again.
2Don’t have itchy fingers; wait until sowing and weather conditions are suitable before thinking about sowing any seeds. Waiting a few weeks and sowing seeds into warm soil will give quicker and better results than sowing too early.
3Prepare the soil, raking it down so it is a fine crumbly structure ideal for seed sowing.
4Draw out seed drills using a swan neck hoe to the correct sowing depth. Always check and read seed packets for details.
5If the soil is dry, water the base of the seed drill first, then sow the seed, lightly rake soil over and then gently tamp down
using the back of a rake. Watering the base of the drill first traps
the moisture below ground where the seeds need it. If the soil was watered afterwards on top, this can cause the soil to cap preventing germinating seeds from emerging.
6If your soil is heavy clay, and not ideal for small seeds, take out a slightly deeper drill and fill with seed sowing compost , then sow seeds like carrots or parsnips into this to help them get a good start.
7Take your time; always sow seeds thinly to help reduce the need for thinning out.
8Sow little and often, giving continuity of crops to harvest throughout the season rather than creating a glut.
9If sowing peas, protect with netting at time of sowing to help prevent any bird damage as they germinate; birds will often see these emerge before you do.
10Always use new Kings Seeds each year; sowing old or left over seeds will give poor germination results wasting valuable
growing time.
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