While the particulars of planting seeds can vary according to the needs of individual seeds, the basics remain the same….you want to give them the requirements that help signal to the seed that now is the time to grow. The most basic necessities for seeds are water, oxygen and temperature. Most of them don’t even seed light to grow. After potting, you could put them in a warm and dark place inside and they’ll still germinate (but they definitely need light after they sprout.) Using the right type of potting mix, meets the requirements for oxygen if it provides a good space between the soil particles. A good potting mix also holds moisture but doesn’t stay wet. Temperature is where your climate comes in and the right season to grow different plants. That said, many seeds may shoot out of season but won’t thrive afterwards. (This is why it annoys me when I see Bunnings selling snow pea seedlings in summer in Queensland. It is simply too hot for them to grow though they initially sprouted fine. It is taking advantage of beginner gardeners’ ignorance. Rant over!)

Always read your seed packets for the requirements that they need for planting. But the general rule of thumb is to plant the seeds at twice the depth of their size. So, for example, if a seed is 5mm big, you generally plant them 1cm deep. Don’t get obsessed over complete accuracy though unless you are planting notoriously difficult seeds, but those sorts of seeds wouldn’t be the ones I’d recommend to newer gardeners anyway. I’ve been gardening for 30 years, and I still fail with the more difficult seeds. (But it’s still fun to experiment!)

Ingredients

• potting mix (see my recipe here)
• seeds
• vermiculite (optional)

Other equipment

• punnets or containers for planting in
• water (misting spray preferred)
• labels and pen

Method

1. Fill each pot with potting mix and tap on a hard surface to help the soil settle and eliminate any large air pockets.

2. If potting mix is a little dry, give a light mist with water.

3. For small seeds, scatter thinly on the surface and cover lightly with vermiculite.

4. For larger seeds, make a depression with your thumb, and place 1 or 2 seeds in the depression. Cover with potting mix or vermiculite until the depression is level with the rest of the soil.

5. For legume seeds (peas and beans) or other quite large seeds, use a stick or pen to make a hole in the soil about 2 cm deep. Plant your seed in this hole then fill in with more potting mix.

6. Tamp down lightly with your thumb to ensure the seed has contact with the soil. (The seed won’t like it if there is an air pocket around it.)

7. Water with a light spray until damp. With the exception of legume seeds, water everyday so the soil stays damp. (Legume seeds can rot if they are kept too moist.)

8. Label with the name of the plant and optional variety, date of planting and estimated sprouting time.
For example: Squash – Scallop Bush – 8/11/23 – (7 – 14 days)

Banner photograph by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-pots-with-white-seeds-4750387/