In this video, I explain the benefits of direct sowing vegetable seeds into the garden where they are to grow.
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Self Sufficient Me is based on our small 3-acre property/homestead in SE Queensland Australia about 45kms north of Brisbane – the climate is subtropical (similar to Florida). I started Self Sufficient Me in 2011 as a blog website project where I document and write about backyard food growing, self-sufficiency, and urban farming in general. I love sharing my foodie and DIY adventures online so come along with me and let’s get into it! Cheers, Mark 🙂
A total novice in planting, I live in my mom's apartment and she has a couple of unused gardening pots sitting at her balcony. I'm thinking to use them to try growing veggies / fruits. Their diameter / height are 20/16cm, 11/11, 16/12, 18/13, 16/12, 10/8, some having one hole on bottom, one having multiple holes, one having none. Wondering if they're good enough to use? And how do I tell if the soil inside is good to use? (They look pretty dry.) And what veggies / fruits would you recommend for beginners like me (I live in sub-tropical zone). Thank you.
I always starr my tomatoes and peppers indoors. The big stores usually only carry a few variety so if you want something specific you need to do it yourself
Here in the England 4 to 5 months of the year, especially where I am in the midlands, its too cold to sow directly even with greenhouses or covers. It's only around now at the end of April where you can really start to think about direct sowing. My last frost date is around mid May. April in general this year has been very dry and cold.
Thank you for your channel. I am learning a lot! Is it okay to direct sow zucchini, lettuce, arugula and carrots? I researched that its good to cover the arugula and lettuce? Can you cover them with a blanket? lol probably a weird question.
The growing season for some crops is pretty short here, late may till somewhere in september. And then its still too cold outside in may for the seeds to sprout. I have tried using foil tunnels and sowing directly in there, but for tomatoes and peppers and zucchini it didnt work, I suspect its just not warm enough. So I went back to indoor sowing for those.
I'm a beginer gardener and I've tried sowing ahead and transplanting but almost all of my seedlings died so I needed to direct sow. Should be fine now
I have sun gold cherries, that came up in my large flower pots from last year, I have lots from tomatoes left in the pots from last year.
Nikki jabbour I think… she’s the Canadian queen of cold weather gardening
Have only just discovered your channel Mark and am so pleased I have. I am finding it my new go to for growing food. I use raised garden beds which hubby made from old roofing tin as we get loads of rain in the March April (late Summer) and it takes to mid to late Autumn for the ground to dry out. It has been in the past very hard to find information on planting in our climate, however, I live close to you in the Landsborough area so we have the same climate and rainfall as you do which makes gardening so much easier. Where d you source your seeds from please? Thank you just love the information
I like to sow directly. I dont normally sow to pot. I dont do alot of gardening, but i do keep up the potted plants(mostly dug up annuals, and trees being propagated) for the decades(as you reminded me, because in this rental here i dont have garden beds yet). I had some nice rows of kale, carrots, beets, peas, and strawberry in Troutdale, Oregon(down to about 15DegF and ice in winters), and they grew like bombers I didnt have enough room for the strawberry and lots of pests, but the kale was in every day sandwiches and every night tacos.
Also, ive been trying to fill in my grass lately, and learning alot about direct sow apparently, as after the 2nd spring run, i need a 3rd run to see it all filled in.
I have a really hard time starting seeds in pots, they almost always die or take forever to grow. We recently moved to an area with a longer growing season, so I am wanting to try direct sowing. Wish me luck.
If the seeds are exceptionally small like mint, and it requires light germination like chamomile and needs to be at the very top of the soil, or requires excess moisture, or requires all three or those things like for example, wormwood (Artemisia Anna), seed starting is a good idea or required. I personally would never seed start something like squash or pumpkin, a big seed that is planted deep. That should be for direct sow.
I’m always waiting on the edge of my seat for mark to tell me “lets… get in to it”. Always makes my day.
..an avid viewer here fr.the Philippines
If the seeds are extremely small, transplant. If the seeds are big, direct sow. Deep root plants, direct sow. All other plants depends on the season and available space of the garden.
Im experimenting with my fall salad crops, I sowed half in the garden and half in trays. The trays, about 90% sprouted, but seemed weak and thin. The ones in the garden have been less successful, about 50%, but the ones that made it grew faster and stronger. Next year ill probably be sowing directly and just sowing extra
The summer heat makes it challenging to start seeds outside for winter garden but I’ll try shade cloth hoop
Are you using hay? Doesn’t it introduce grass seeds??
I suggest year round gardening with hoops
I directly sowed my broccoli this year in mid-March (early spring in Norway).
Grew some really nice plants this season, sprouted in mid-April and took off in mid-late May. I may have been lucky this year with that experiment : )
The coldest months in winter are January and February for Oklahoma. I like to start peppers and tomatoes indoors. The rest are started directly or I winter sow in milk jugs in February. I love to experiment in the garden.
In Tassie its a rule of the thumb to put your tomatos in after show day 20th October ive had my variety black russisan tomato seeds under lights but also out in the sun on nice warm days to get them use to being out doors but bringing them in of a night. I do have a question mark do you think with a good potting mix but also some blood and bone would help get a great yeild? Ill be growing in pots. Cheers Jake
I live in central Florida and only direct sow. When the seedlings get bigger I move them around as needed.
Slugs eating my direct sown plants at nighttime is my biggest problem. Next is birds pecking in the ground to eat the seeds. Lastly is the mulch falling over and killing the seedlings.
I am trying the planting straight in method and waiting for the seedlings to come out…
What kind of plant/ tree is growing in you raised bed?
Gen. 1:1 In the beginning the creator did not used any hoop houses or containers and etc. grow anything just direct seeding.
For stuff like radish, I agree there's no point starting them in plugs. They can handle light frosts, enjoy cool weather, and grow so fast that when you consider transplant shock, you won't gain much time. However, for nightshades, they generally grow quite slowly, require a long growing season, don't tolerate frost, and also won't grow well in cool weather (1-10C). Also in my experience many of them don't get much transplant shock. So if you start them indoors 2-3 months before it's warm enough to plant them out, you can get a good head start.
Cold frames don't raise the temperature that much. Areas with a short growing season will typically have temperatures that are more than just a little below freezing. In my area (Toronto), the coldest night in March is usually around -12C (+/-4C or so). Cold frames only raise the temperatures by a few degrees, which mean they will experience a freeze if it's that cold. Also, with our average temperatures of 5C in the day in March and -5C at night, and 10C in the day in April and 3C at night, a few degrees of extra warmth will still be too cold even on freeze-free days. Peppers, tomatoes and okra won't do much in 5C temperatures. They'll do much better indoors at 15-20C.
Cold frames can work for stuff like spinach, lettuce, carrots, and probably many brassicas, but not for warm weather crops (unless it's to harden them off the week before planting). I would actually consider starting brassicas indoors too, since they're a little slow to get going, and will still prefer temperatures of around 10-25C. Around here, that means it'll be too cold for them to put on any real growth before mid-April, and slow growing until mid-May, and then hotter than ideal pretty early into June. So planting 6 week old seedlings in mid April can help ensure they'll reach a good size before the heat gets too intense.
I needed this video today! After planting my seeds directly just to be lazy.. and then wondering if I’d wasted my time!
Mark, A method I have been using for years is…..if you use egg cartons to plant your seeds (keep the carton moist at all times) …. then cut up the carton as the seedling develops and plant. This gives the best of both worlds as there is no shock to the seedlings when replanting as the carton will break down as the plant develops ….. and the roots grow through the carton when planted. cheers. Paul