Introductory guide to sowing seeds, using large and small seeds of different vegetables for sowings under cover. There are many ways to sow and I help you to choose. One tip I shall mention here is that I have never sanitised any trays, and see no need for it.
My online course From Seed to Harvest has advice for each vegetable, about the best methods for sowing, and timings too: https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/from-seed-to-harvest-online-course/. The Seed to Harvest lessons are also available to buy separately. Links to relevant vegetable lesson in the timings below, or all listed here: https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product-category/fsth-individual-lessons/
00:00 Intro music
00:24 Introduction, and reasons for not sowing in January
01:12 Sowing seeds to go in the garden
01:35 What to sow seeds in? Options explained – seed trays, module trays, homemade trays
04:18 Germination, and the benefits of raising transplants compared to sowing direct
04:50 Importance of good, fresh seed
05:34 Importance of warmth for germination
06:43 Saving your own seeds
07:51 Covering seeds with compost – not too much
08:10 Vermiculite, and the importance of air for drainage
08:41 How much moisture, and how to water
09:29 Compost options, and comparing digestate with another type of compost
11:47 Homemade compost
13:00 When to use seed trays, as opposed to module trays
13:37 Adding vermiculite when sowing certain seeds – eg basil, lettuce
15:05 Demonstration of sowing tiny seeds (celeriac) in seed tray – pricking out, adding water and covering
17:18 Module trays explained – using different sizes etc
19:49 Multisowing homesaved onion seeds (https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/from-seed-to-harvest-21-onions-and-salad-onions/)
20:49 Multisowing homesaved coriander seeds
21:38 Multisowing pea seeds (https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/from-seed-to-harvest-23-peas/)
22:23 Sowing broad beans, and how to sow large seeds (https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/from-seed-to-harvest-2-beans-broad-fava/)
22:53 French beans – when to sow (https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/from-seed-to-harvest-3-beans-french-and-runner/)
23:22 Sowing tomatoes (https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/from-seed-to-harvest-30-tomatoes/)
23:51 Seeds not suitable for pricking out – carrots and parsnip
24:25 Multisowing lettuce seeds (https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/from-seed-to-harvest-20-lettuce/)
25:06 Multisowing homesaved spinach (https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/from-seed-to-harvest-26-spinach/)
26:52 Multisowing radish (https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/from-seed-to-harvest-28-swede-turnip-and-radish/)
28:15 Information on availability of Charles’ own module trays
28:39 Demonstration of covering trays with compost
Filmed at Homeacres and edited by Alessandro of @SpicyMoustache . See his channel for ideas about no dig suburban gardening, see also his amazing reels on Instagram.
https://www.youtube.com/c/spicymoustache, and
https://www.instagram.com/_spicymoustache_/
On Tuesday 5th April, I’m giving an afternoon course in my garden about how you can propagate successfully, ¡https://charlesdowding.co.uk/events/new-short-afternoon-course-skills-for-propagation-tuesday-5th-april/
My Sowing Timeline wall chart can be purchased from my website: https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/sowing-timeline-wallchart-with-a-no-dig-growing-guide/
CD 60 cell module tray is available in the UK from Containerwise: https://containerwise.co.uk/product/charles-dowding-60-cell/,
in North America from: https://allaboutthegarden.com/,
and in Europe from The Farm Dream: https://thefarmdream.com/product-category/propagation-trays/, who will also be selling my books in 2022.
To buy my collections of super informative video garden guides with an encyclopaedic search function, visit Retrieve with whom we partner https://charlesdowding.retrieve.com/store/#/
You can join this channel by paying a monthly fee, to support our work with helping gardeners grow better, and to receive monthly videos made only for members:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB1J6siDdmhwah7q0O2WJBg/join
thankyou.
Was that Vermiculite or Perlite you mixed in with your compost sowing mix?
Do you use heat mats at all?
Another question is do you use seed tape at all especially for carrots?
I always learn from you. Going through all your videos. I found egg cartons not to work that well.
Using your design seed modules, individual paper cups and pieces of 2 inch plastic pipe
Great content but turned it off due to so many adds
Hey Charles! How well did it go with the old egg cartons? I bought these special cardboard plant pots all the time, which are quiet expensive – never thought about old egg cartons!
Very informative video. All details clearly explained. Thanks.
Charles what do you think about coir compost I know it doesn't have any nutritional value on its own but is that easy to add or is it better to mix with other composts or leafmold sieved of course
Best Charles, thank you so much for another great video.
At the end of the process you dont say something about watering the seeds in the module trays. Could you tell me when and how you water them? Do you do this before sowing or after? I mostly find that if i water after, the seeds pop back up or move too much.
Thank you.
Hey! Charles! Thanks for another highly informative and timely video. Just as I am prepping my materials for the coming season's sowings. I am probably not even half as productive a gardener as you are but one thing we both share are that our thumbnails look exactly the same!
I am sewing seeds thank to your site. You restored my planting faith lol
Everybody gets free desiccant packs when they buy shoes, purses, medicines. Instead of throwing these away put them in your seed storage jars you keep air tight in the refrigerator and your seeds will stay dry and store for decades.
Great Video!
I learned a lot.
Someday I would like to have a sunroom also.
thanks for the great video. I am looking at the 2023 Calendar and I see that the same seeds are shown to be sown again at about a week or two interval? I am not really sure what this means – is it for succession sowing? If so, do you recommend that the " planned" crop is split across the different dates?
Where would you place these CD60 trays once you have sown them? Are they designed to fit inside a seed tray permanently or just for watering? Or should they just be put on a shelf on their own? Thanks (I have some CD60s, but not sure I've used them properly in the past)
Thank you for sharing your knowledge! I learn so much from you!!!
Great video Charles, thank you. Who eats all that food you grow?
Just watched this again. Always so good to refresh and these are really informative and inspirational. Thank you Charles
You keep referring to ‘this time of year’ but what month is it please?
Thanks again! I am trying to start seedlings with the cd60 with students. We sowed seeds and put them on a windowsill for a few days then under a light but they seem a little leggy. The light is right on top of the plants. Do you have a tip? I really appreciate your work
Hello Charles, thank you for this wonderful video. I have had great germination success on my seedlings, they are outside with morning sunshine and then in a sheltered shady spot for the afternoon. I am wondering if this is ok for their growth? or should they be in full sun? I don't want them to get leggy! as I have had that happen when starting seeds inside. When planting seedling outside what is the ideal amount of direct sun they should get?
Such helpful advice as not to put even slightly damp seeds back to a packet. Thank you.
Getting concerned now, I bought a bag of compost for seeds, and when I've opened it, it looks very fibrous like the first compost you showed.
Sown my tomatoe seeds indoors in a propagator,different varieties in one seed tray,as usual they didn’t all germinate together so most her leggy and waiting for others to germinate,this always happens .The seeds were only bought end of last year and fresh,but my seeds always become leggy overnight,including the radish seeds.Should I transplant them into the unseated greenhouse?
Whereas the sweet peas i sowed in the greenhousee 2 weeks ago,nothing has happened.I used seed sowing compost and covered my indoor seeds with vermiculite
What am I doing wrong???
I am eagerly awaiting your propagation trays !