Sow Direct or Raise Plants?

Index:

• Page 1 Overview (this page)
• Page 2 Sowing seeds direct
• Page 3 Raising Plants from Seed
• Page 4 Raising Plants from Seed – Pricking Out
• Page 5 Raising Plants from Seed – Pros and Cons

Its a good question. Sowing direct is less faff (but perhaps not as much less as you might think).

I grow almost everything in pots, and plant out when they are large enough. This is the more-faff route.

To sow direct you need warm soil – seeds planted in cold, wet, soil in January or February (or even early March) will just rot. But to be able to raise plants in pots at that time you need plenty of space in a greenhouse, or on windowsills (and an understanding partner!)

Some things don’t need much heat. Onion seed needs a bit of heat to get it to germinate, but as soon as it has germinated it can be outside (a cold greenhouse, or cold-frame is better, but keeping it in a centrally heated house will do more harm that good – e.g. encourage the plant to “bolt” later in the season). Brassicas (Cabbage, Cauliflowers, Sprouts etc) resent having heat when they are germinating and as young plants.

But things which are more tender, such as Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Melons, Peppers (Sweet and Chilli), Aubergines, need heat to germinate and heat to carry on growing – they need a minimum temperature of 10C, so even a cold greenhouse is not warm enough for them in February and March (but a cold greenhouse will do if you are prepared to bring the plants in at night – obviously a greenhouse near the house is much more suitable than one several miles bike ride away on an allotment!)

Next page (Sowing seeds direct)

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