The No-Nonsense Seed Sowing Guide (For Vegetable Gardeners)
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- čas přidán 6. 06. 2024
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In this video I share my no-nonsense approach to how I sow all of my seeds in module trays.
My module trays:
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Europe: thefarmdream.com/product-cate...
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#sowing #gardeningtips #kitchengarden - Jak na to + styl
I use the Staedtler white eraser to remove weather proof ink from my labels when I want to change them, works perfectly! I made my labels from vinegar jugs...the plastic is thicker than from yogurt pots and lasts for ages.
Good idea! I use lots of white vinegar and that's a great use for empty bottles.
@@tracyl5070 Thank you Tracy 🙂
@suepowlesland8541 Does it really work? I use alcohol to clean my tags but that is not a pleasant task to do at the end of a season. Can You tell me what is written on the label? I could find staedtler MARS plastic eraser - will it clean permanent marker though?
Yes, works great. Staedtler Mars plastic eraser, blue label 🙂 It removes permanent Jiffy marker on my labels, just takes a bit of elbow grease!
Holy S*** that is sturdy!
The ones in my greenhouse crumple if you look at them wrong.
I understand 😂
For the name tags I use a B2 pencil. After transplanting I get an eraser to clean them and reuse.
I agree. Pencil works great
This is what seed sowing should be. Simple.
Ive always used multipurpose compost for seed sowing. The one year i didnt was when i had really poor germination. Good to see no faff advice 👍
Every year i grow in modules. So much easier to plan the growing space.
Thank you so much! Faff-free is my new motto😉
@@HuwRichards love it ❤️
Interesting! I've tried seedling compost this year and so far, I'm not that impressed
I love to reuse egg trays for starters and they can go on a tray like would get from the deli or grocery store that has a clear plastic lid and it creates a mini little greenhouse in the cold spot by the glass patio door. I am excited to use toilet paper rolls for the first time this year for peas! Bonus is the crows won’t be stealing my seeds!
For ordering seeds in Germany online, I can recommend Bingenheimer Saatgut AG.
To mark my seed trays and seedlings, I write on wooden spatula with a permanent marker. When I no longer need the labeling, I throw the spatula on my compost heap.
I love the no nonsense approach of this! I sometimes get a bit disheartened when I see the complex mixes they use on some garden shows. The amount of expensive seed mixes, vermiculite, perlite and horticultural grit they cycle through just baffles me, that stuff is so expensive over here!
Also, I love your dry sarcasm regarding the American spelling, and the fact that in the comment section so many people thought you - a well educated native speaker- were serious, had me in stitches!
Thank you I really am glad you like this video! And also that you get the humour, I wasn't expecting so many to miss it haha
So true about the potting soil! This year my biggest expense is just a couple bags of perlite to add to our "bottom soil" dirt from our sister's gully. It consists of alot of leaf mold and rich soils that wash off the hillsides every spring when heavy rains come. It is full of beautiful earth worms and is rich and black, so we're giving it a go. I just wanted to lighten it up a bit with some perlite, but we figured we are saving hundreds of dollars by doing this, instead of buying promix. Such a blessing! And you are also a great blessing to all of us! Keep up the good work! God bless you!
Lolly sticks! Cheap, effective, biodegradable, reusable and once exhausted just put them in the compost. 👍
I am so glad to have found your channel, I have learnt so much from your videos already and am looking forward to receiving my copy of your book.
Great video Huw. Wishing you a colorful spring!
This is what I needed as I start my first raised-bed vegetable-growing,Thanks so much
Simple and easy. Thank you. Just what I needed to start off the season and especially the 2 charts you shared. - Blessings of Abundance, Joy & Peace. 🙏🌱🌱🌱
Great video, Huw! I absolutely love your 10 plug seed starting trays! It is nice having them for each variety where everything is mature at the same time. I did buy some of the 20 plug trays but I really like the smaller trays.
Great video Huw. Definitely no nonsense is the way to go!
Thanks Hugh. Really helpful and encouraging.
New Year, New Garden, Huw.. 😊
Thank you for a most informative video! You are an amazing teacher and my garden will be so happy when I apply your lessons! ❤
Thank you Huw, I so appreciate your down to earth gardening knowledge. I even preordered your book!
I really appreciate that Julia, thank you!
Great video huw. The little details where you put them up on the screen so we can pause it is Very handy. I'm sure I'll get it with your new book. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the helpful advice Huw!
You're welcome 😊
Bullshit boggles brains. Modern CZcams ethos seems to be making things as complicated as possible to try and demonstrate how clever you are so people will listen to you. You're a breath of fresh air, Huw! 😀
Another lovely, encouraging and helpful video. Thank you Huw! ~ Ruby
Thank you Ruby!
Your no-nonsense approach is wonderful. Thank you!
You're very welcome!
Just came in from the greenhouse for starting seeds for the spring crops, and found this great instructional video. I use the same techniques, except I use screened homemade compost. The bunching onion seeds I planted last Friday are already sprouted, and they will be ready to transplant into the garden bed by early April.
I have several sizes of your module trays, and they are amazing. If anyone is unsure if they should order them, you absolutely should!
Great video! I usually sprout my pea seeds and that seems to improve the germination speed but then I am only planting a few plants every year.
On the marker pens, here in the States, we can get a "Garden Marker Pen" from Greenhouse Megastore and also Johnny's Seeds. I've used those for a few years. The writing doesn't disappear, even when outside! I just found some tags in my garden from last year that I can see clearly. And we use lids from the tops of oatmeal cartons, cut in 8 pie piece shapes, for labels. Also vinegar or bleach bottles, and milk cartons. Save money with recycling! I'm working on getting my beds ready. Peas are going in this week! Yum! Thanks again for your encouragement!
Love the idea of the wire mesh to put your seedlings on and watering it so the plants below get some as well.
Great simple advice Huw, for compost I'm still using clover multi purpose with peat for my seed sowing while its still available, 60l bags as for labelling Ive always used a pencil and find that lasts, I use the container wise cell trays, they aren't cheap but will last for years, thanks for the No-Nonsese sowing guide 👍... Steve
Love the hanging shelf!
In my greenhouse I built a table with a short rim around the edge. Placed gutter wire zigzaged across and then added sand. Next I place on my seedling trays. This gives the soil warmth and on cold nights I cover the whole thing with row cover for protection. Seedlings germinate in half the usual time.
Great video. I bought your HR10 & HR20 Plus Charles Dowding's CD 15 & the deep rooted modules last year. I love them as so sturdy and easy to plant out but still trying to get to grips with them. 1st lot were looked after when I was away, then I came back with covid so neglected the seedlings and they died. Then sowed loads more in October and put them on high shelf in my lean-to but I am only 5' 2" so didn't watch them and they germinated fine but dried out. Some are still surviving and I planted some in greenhouse on allotment 3 weeks ago but have not gone to check on them! Must try harder! This years tomatoes are in dining room & starting to get leggy plus fruit flies, whilst chillis & aubergines in same tray are still asleep!
How to organise time for planning, sowing, nurturing with other tasks is where I fall down...
To save water, I have two containers my plants fit in. The first I put water in and set my plants in just like you showed.
The second one I put a grate on top. I take the plants out of the first water container and set it on the grate. When it has enough water in it, I move the grate to another container and use the water that drains from the plants to water the next plants.
It helps a lot when you are using rain barrels and need to conserve water.
I hope that was clear instructions. Us Americans are sketchy sometimes, you can never tell if we are clear or not. We don't even use a "u" in color. 😂
😂
Totally understood, thank you! Our water is so heavily chlorinated that I try to conserve and reuse as
much rain water as possible also. I am Canadian, and we spell colour with a 'u'. It is the French version. Well, technically, that is the proper spelling here, but I use American, color. 😅
@@juanitaglenn9042 my Granny's mom was French. They were in Louisiana so I don't know if she was Acadian or actually from the country of France. My mom said when she was little her and my grandma and granny would ride a bus from TX to la and all the aunts spoke French but her great grandma would translate. My granny didn't have an accent that I remember.
Her dad was from Spain. No telling how she spelled anything 😂
Your smart Richard😊!
Love the videos and just preordered the book!
We are going into our 2nd season and seed starting was our weakest link.
Thank you so so much and I hope you enjoy the book 😊 Best of luck with your sowing and growing this year!
New to sowing and used leaf mould as medium in early February. Will have to sow on to compost, what a faff. Will adopt you approach from now. Thanks
I would suggest you mix something like melcourt compost with 25% volume leaf mould to easily increase water capacity of the module cells😊
Because I know peas, sweet peas have deeper roots, I went with the inside toilet roll cylinder and filled it with a compost, coco coir mix and put the seeds in, slightly deeper.
I have worm compost, which I use sparingly, 10 parts coir to 1 part compost.
My watering is done with a very weak solution of 1 spoonful of compost to 3 litres(quarts) water.
So far all my house plants, orchids etc. seem to thrive without any chemical inputs. Same water.
Here in NZ I also have found that good quality (dearer but much better) general purpose potting compost seems to work more satisfactory compared to 'seed' mixture. Where I live, we have very few frosts (Northland) but I can remember in the 70's, ( that is the 1970s 😃) we used to have very heavy frosts, but it looks like global warming is transforming our climate into a sort-of semi tropical one! To prove it, I had a fantastic crop of rock melons this year, when I lived in Queensland we used to grow them, and I never thought we could here. Also, we have just planted some Pawpaw, and they are growing like a rocket, my wife is already licking her lips. I love the no nonsense way you provide the information we need, even though I am now in my 70,s, you are never too old to learn. Thanks for your channel, all I have to do is mentally remember everything is opposite here as far as seasons are concerned. I do have a bit of a head start, as I am a pom my parents emigrated to Ausi in the booming 60's to give their 4 boys a better future, especially as it was only 10 pounds per adult and kids free!
Best pen for labels is a 4B pencil (or any soft pencil up to a HB), by far the best after trying countless pens over 30 years of growing.
Thank you for teaching me to save money❤
You are most welcome
Good advice, I just stick with bog standard compost, sieve it, get the lumps out. Job done!
Im a big fan of the HR20 Trays. I bought one as a trial to see what they would be like. I've now ordered another 4. Great for a home gardening context.
That is lovely feedback thank you so much!
thanks for all your info how can i get hold of the tables you showed very useful.... thanks
thank you for the great tips, Huw!!
My pleasure!
This was superb and very wise! Thank you! Also, no pricking out, yes! It's nice and meditative, but I don't have so much time.
You are most welcome
🐝Thanks for the great video 🌻 handy dandy tips!!! Still need to make a extra table
I use soft tip pencils for my lables. Those are waterresistant and you can erase the pecil with an erazer and reuse them.
For the first time ever I tried one of those sterile starting mixes (made it myself, fortunately) for a few trays in February -- it is such a pain! I used it to eliminate gnats and mold (I am starting seeds in the house) -- so far no mold, but the gnats sure do not seem to mind. Also, the question of when I am supposed to add fertilizer.... I started different plants in the same tray, and some germinated while others have not yet done so -- with compost, that is no problem; with this beast, I am using a stopper to water just the cells with the baby plants.
Experiment over; using pure compost going forward.
My pre-order is on its way!😁😁😁
I agree, as long as you have good seeds they should germinate. its more about temperature ranges from my experience🙏
New to gardening and started my first seeds last week. What I'd say for pens/labels is that a label maker has worked really well for me!
I have MS so my handwriting isn't brilliant. Using my Brother label maker makes everything look crisp and easily legible.
You might worry about how they'll fare in the weather. I've had some labels on my soap dispenser in the shower for the last year and they haven't shifted so I think they'll last. Maybe UV will be an issue but I'll check back in next year and see.
Would be nice if you could make a video about heating in greenhouses or polytunnels for seedlings. What kind of heating possiblities are there? etc. Cheers, love the videos and i hope you keep them coming:)
Check your local Asda, in the UK, for pretty decent MPC. My local is currently doing a 3 for £12 deal. You’ll find you need to amend it with BF&B and it’s a bit grass/hay heavy, but it’s served me well for the last few seasons! 👍🏻
I recently saw a video of someone comparing how well potatoes grow in beds compared to tubs and the raised beds did substantially better over 3x the amount of potatoes (weight). It’d be interesting to see you cover this.
I started using an artist grade crayon-pencil to write on my labels. It is wax based so it doesn’t wash off when I water. Hard to get a point on it though, so maybe not as efficient as Staedtler.
I used to do it like that, then I changed to special seed compost but it's so expensive. Here they sell the seed compost first and then only a month later you can buy the normal compost (unless you buy in very special super expensive shops). This year I'm trying to keep some normal compost for the next gardening season because with the seed compost I've realized that the seeds germinate very fast but then the seedlings don't really thrive.
I just recieved your book in the post
Found a way for my peas, sugar snaps, aso. Take a plastic container put with a hot needle little holes in the bottom, fill it with washed sand and fill it full with the peas, wet it and put it in a plastic bag wait till they come up and remove the plastic bag. If they are ready for planting put the whole cluster on a news paper, which absorb the rest of the humidity and wait till the sand is so dry till it falls off by it self. Did it already for 2 years in a row and will do it no other way anymore. Space and time saver and great success.
Do have a video on making your own compost?
Hi Huw Is there a distributor in Canada for your trays yet? Shipping and exchange from US or elsewhere triples the cost...and I'd love to purchase your trays (I'm confident I'm not the only one :)).
Also I had to smile as you are getting very cheeky these days. Not wasting your time or out time watching yt or in the garden. It's great! Thanks so much.
A free labeling option is clipping up food cartons with a silver inside (can be tomatoes, chickpeas etc) and then use pencil. It really withstands weather!
Thank you once again for such a wonderful video! I have a question for you. I have compost outside from kitchen scraps and garden "waste". Would using it inside for seed starting bring in unwanted "creatures"? My compost is really full of worms, earth and red wigglers. Again thanks.
Hello Huw, thank you for this vid. You mention a 'peatless' seed mix, could you share that choice? Also do you save seeds, if so which? My soil has been a struggle, but working to change the result. There are raw resources on this smaller than 1/2 acre property, working to increase results. I appreciate you as resource go to. Even across the pond, there are common garden issues.
As far as language, that's God given of course. Joy!
Stadler pen - great, finally someone eliminated my biggest problem. All other pens disappear in our wet Irish weather.
I can confirm it works wonderfully in my wet Welsh weather;)
Book preordered! One thing, the compost you used, although generally a good grower ive had a couple of bags that have germinated but had no feed in the bag and lost plants.
You can add a bit of slow release fertilizer to your potting soil. Or make sure you've got some well rotted animal manure in your compost. That should feed your soil and plants until you get the plants set out. If the plants start to droop due to lack of feed, you may even need to pot them on to a larger sized pot, if it's not time to set them in the garden yet. That helps them to not become root bound, and that will give them more nourishment, buying you some time as well, before setting them out. I hope that helps!
@@janetkrehbiel5799 I'm trying not to use synthetic fertilizers in my garden any more but I know what you mean.
Very good 👍
Hi Huw, quick question about raised beds, do you paint the wood?
Super!
Hey from Texas. How long do you leave the seedlings in the seed starters before moving them to the garden?
I'm also sowing seeds like this. Easy to care for and ensures high germination rate. My garden is often destroyed by chickens and pigeons and the seeds are eaten, so sowing seeds in advance like this is safe. But growing some seeds such as carrots, vegetables... small seeds will be a bit difficult. 😀
Or, in my case, i have to start my winter veg seeds in modules, in Feb ( late summer in Australia). Its too hot to sow them direct. I need them kept relatively cool while they grow enough to put them in the ground in late March (first frost is early/mid April)
Thanks for another clear and informative video Huw! I would argue though that there is a 6th thing that you need for sowing seeds - enough space to keep all the seedtrays while they grow! I have limited space inside my house, and no polytunnel or greenhouse. I do however have a covered, north-facing area (so a bit chilly but no frosts!) and a south-facing glass front porch that gets lots of light but isn't heated, so might get down to a few degrees above zero overnight. What is your advice for when I could move seedtrays out to these areas, to free up more space inside?
Thos is also something I battle with. I do have a greenhouse but it's buried in snow until April. I wondered if a tiny covered greenhouse on my deck might work, as it faces south? But I think I would have to take the trays in every night, as I don't think the greenhouse would stay above freezing?
I've not used seed compost in the past but I sure AF could not afford the multipurpose one you recommend. It is more expensive than seed compost! lol
Love the video! Thank you for sharing your methods. In my area in Canada, we don’t get compost/multi purpose compost & even harder to find peat free. Would potting soil work as a comparably alternative? I have started certain seeds in it without trouble in the past, especially those that need a long time indoors. Thanks again!
I think this is a lost-in-translation thing, many bagged potting soils are called compost. So potting soil is fine ❤
Additionally! UK peat bogs are badly managed, but Canadian peat bogs are more sustainable. So peat in canada is less harmful.
Check out Gardening In Canada by Ashley! She is less fuss-free than Huw, but she has info about soils, peat, etc. I watch her for the science and I watch Huw for the practical methods.
@@CWorgen5732 thanks! This is helpful :) 💗
@@CWorgen5732 I have come across that but never know what to trust. Yes, I do also watch Ashley for the science. I find the more varied the content I take in, the more helpful tips I can gain. Thanks so much!
Will your module trays be available in New Zealand any time soon?
Plug trays are very efficient for sowing a small batch of seeds quickly with not a lot of compost. But I find them are nearly impossible to keep moist enough for them to grow to planting out size in late spring/summer. Tried watering them twice a day morning before work/ evening after work and still I lost a few, tried trays of water and this would then make them too wet. Once those trays are dry the soil falls out of the drainage holes
The Canadian spelling of colour is with a ‘u’ so the spelling is not incorrect 😊 thank you for the video, I’ve been trying to learn more about sowing seeds lately!
I'm afraid the joke eluded you there, my dear
@@marijeb278it also eluded me....does the UK spell with 'u' as well?
thanks for the great video. How come some people tell you to put newly sown seeds in a dark warm cupboard??
It’s for the seeds who need the extra warms unstood of using a heat mat.
Hi Huw.......Is it OK to substitute bagged farmhouse manure instead of compost ??
When you say “compost” is that the same as peat based potting soil or is it actually composted organic matter only. In the U.S. those are two different things. Love your content!
The hr 20 is a great module size
Im in New Zealand Huw we use a U in colour.
Might sound a silly Q? but how much do you water seeds during its germination process? Saturated, wet or moist? I'm saturating mine and often failing this year.
did you plant onion sets in those seed flats?
Great video Huw. Have you ever experimented with overnight soaking of peas and beans before planting?
Thank you! You can but again not needed. For me it's an extra step of friction which would make me less likely to do it, plus you'll fantastic results regardless🫛
@@HuwRichards Makes perfect sense. Me Mam (said in your best Geordie) always did it so I wondered if there was any advantage. Less steps wins in my books!
Thanks huw another great tip 👍
I really like your videos. Are your own kompost not good enough for sowing, since you're buying some? In the US they spell colour without the U, but then again, that's not the only thing, they can't do right 😉. My English isn't that good, but it's because I'm Danish.
Huw, what are your thoughts using mushroom compost for starting seedlings?
And off topic, any suggestions for getting rid of moles/voles?
I've had some success with vinegar/unwanted pickles poured on the mounds. They hate the smell so it deters them. Contrary to popular belief they don't eat seeds or seedlings, they're insectivors, and I've read they can actually help to aerate the soil. I'm more concerned right now with getting rid of rats without poison or expensive traps!?
@@invokalink162 thank you. I will give that a try for sure. As far as rats, I have a neighbor who tosses the bags from their horse grain along my back fence line. So let me know what you figure out. I’m dealing with those also. 🙄
Great video. Why put 3 pea seeds in 1 plug? Would you kill off 2 of them or just separate out when planting outside?
No it's called multisowing and then you plant the WHOLE clump, do not separate. Same can be done for beetroot, radish etc
@@HuwRichards Thanks. Will give that a try. What are the upsides of multisowing?
@@aaronroberts1799 more yield, less compost needed, less time spent sowing seeds, less space raising seedlings, faster transplanting times etc 😉
Wh😊y are we concerned with Pete free compost? What has Pete done to your seedlings?
Goods evening. If I germinate veg inside can it then go outside to grow?
Thank you for the video! Just one question. When sowing multiple seed into the same module don't you have to separate them afterwards? Wont the roots entangle when they are sown so close to each other?
It's called multisowing where for some crops you plant them out as clumps too as a way to save space
How do you stop the pigeons!? Arghhh i covered mine last year, but then they got powdery mildew due to the shear amount of rain. I plan to grow nasturtiums along with mine to see if it confuses the pigeons
Great video! Learned some new things but....I NEVER have pea seeds that need to go back in the packet! bwahaha, never an issue for me! lol
Great video. Frustratingly, we just can’t get our seeds to germinate. We put the trays on a window sill. They have enough sun, it’s warm and they get watered frequently. What might we be doing wrong?
Try to saturate the tray when sowing but after that avoid watering until germination. Could be that you over water them. If you have bad quality seed that could also be the reason for bad germination. Good luck.
@@asterixbruggemann4486many thanks 🙏 We’ll try that out
peat-free compost ❤🙌
Hi Huw. I love the simplicity of your video but have a question. The compost that you are using is peat free. Is there a reason why we should not grow seeds in peat? I am growing seeds only in peat and for the first time I am having success. As you said, there are a lot of gardeners advising complicated soil mixtures and I have found them too heavy and the germination rate poor. The simpler the better for me.
Okay I'm going to maybe touch a minefield here in the comments section but put simply peat is a non-renewable resource so it is an environmental recommendation. Melcourt bark-based compost does have great water holding capacity, but to improve it further I would recommend adding in 25% leaf mould by volume. Happy sowing and hope you have a great growing season 😊
@@HuwRichards Wow! That I did not know. I am using Irish Peat which I bought in South Africa. Have sown directly into my planter boxes and also into seed trays in my small greenhouse. I want to see which is going to germinate the best.
My first february seedlings are growing inside YES !!,...but they are really leggy,....very leggy,...what to do, they look weird, and not good to put outside ?
I use b2 pencil ✏️ TIP plastic blinds ( White) wife changes only she know why BUT I use the blinds for LABELS THANK YOU 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Two more points about module sowing: 1) you can have a few spares if something doesn't do well for some reason whereas with sowing direct you have to sow densely and thin out which is wasteful, especially with expensive seeds, or if you sow to the "correct" spacing off the bat you risk having gaps if something fails to germinate, i.e. wasted space but 2) for me more importantly, in my situation at least, seedlings are extremely vulnerable planted direct, many of them will barely get their head above ground before getting destroyed by birds, mice, bugs etc. For instance, brassicas any younger than 6-8 weeks just get murdered, I've never figured out by what exactly, but those super young leaves get nibbled to oblivion. Older plants aren't as attractive to the critters, and that's true of various other plants, another good reason to module sow.
Huw, are you using the medium or fine point Staedtler marker?
Medium usually
@@HuwRichards Thank you!