Sow seeds
to grow your own flowers
For a head start on spring, consider starting flowers from seeds.
Starting your own plants saves money. Another bonus is having a greater choice of species and varieties.
More plant choices
You can try more fragrant varieties of favorite annuals such as nicotiana or grow less well-known plants, such as airy Brazilian verbena ( Verbena bonariensis ) or firecracker vine (Mina lobata ).
You can start perennials that may not be available at your local garden centre, and when it comes to vegetables and herbs, you can find more flavorful varieties that put supermarket produce to shame.
Starting your own plants is easy once you get the basic techniques down.
Step-by-step sowing instructions:
Most packets have growing information printed on the back. In general, annuals and vegetables germinate quickly and are easy to grow, so if you are just getting started, these are your best bet.
Annuals tend to germinate at temperatures between 64 to 70F (18 to 21C), but many perennials need cold treatment to break dormancy.
In the real world outside, they lie on the ground all winter and then sprout when the weather warms in spring. You can mimic this in the refrigerator or outside in a cold frame.
Seed-starting mix
For sowing, use a commercial starting medium (a mix of peat, perlite and vermiculite, such as Pro-Mix). Moisten it an hour or so before sowing. It should not be soggy - aim for the moisture of a wrung-out sponge.
As general rule, sow seeds about as far below the growing mix as they are large. Big ones generally need to be covered with growing mix, and tiny ones barely need to be covered.
If light is needed for germination, do not cover them at all - just press them into the growing mix.
Give all trays or pots a light watering and cover with a plastic dome lid or seal the container inside a plastic bag. Newly sprouted seedlings tend to look alike, so be sure to label containers as you sow.
Planting small seeds
Sowing small seed can be a bit tricky. A simple solution is fold a piece of paper and then pour the contents of your packet into the fold and tap the end of the paper lightly so that seeds slide down onto your germination mix. If they stick, sprinkle a little baby or talcum powder over them to reduce the static cling.