One of the aspects of gardening that I really enjoy is seed sowing – the actual process of sowing them, all those little packets of potential, straight rows then the absolute joy,
when after some time in the propagator; – a stem, a leaf, 2 leaves … magic.
The late winter is a wonderful time for lolling around on the sofa surrounded by seed catalogues – or is as more often the case, working at the computer with a lists, garden plans, spreadsheets and … seed catalogues.
I always order far to many seeds, this year is no exception – although in my defence I had to order lots of veg seeds, especially salad, as I used up most of the seeds I had last year.
Then there were those rather delicious looking broad beans, “Red Epicure” and I thought I would give Tomato “Black Krim” a go, I am sure you get the picture.
Lets not forget the sweet peas, – that was 4 packets, although My Mum did give me three rather lovely packets for my birthday, but that is still over 100 loo rolls of seeds sitting in a very mouse proof cold frame
The flowers for the cutting garden required another lot of seeds – this year I am experimenting with Cleome, Stocks, Ammi Majuss and Bells of Ireland – Molucella laevis
Then there is the Garden proper, as we seem to have of acres of bare earth – Oh ok yards of bare earth. For the summer I am growing a few perennials and a lot of hardy and half hardy annuals and annual grasses, including Silene ‘Jack Flash’, Rudbeckia ‘Prairie Sun’, Sanvitalia ‘Irish Eyes’ and Oryza ‘Black Madras’ – an ornamental rice completely new to me.
I use a variety of online suppliers for my seeds, Nicky’s Nursery for their excellent selection of salad and veg. Chiltern seeds, because well I have always used them and for some reason I love the format of their catalogue – very easy to read in bed.
For specialist seed I like Derry’s “Special Plants” seed catalogue, and thanks to Helen / Patient Gardener I have also had a few from Jungle seeds. This year however is the first time I tried Plants of Distinction (they supplied the delicious looking ‘Red Epicure’ broad bean, Oh! And the dwarf bean ‘Purple Queen’). It is the little things that please me – when my seeds from Plants of Distinction arrived I had ordered both veg and flowers. All the flower seeds are in red packets and all the veg seed are in green packets! Perfect, at a glance I can see what’s what.
Of course not all seeds miraculously appear after a few days, some are quite challenging (for me this includes all varieties of primula) and some take an age to actually reach the stage of flowering. I sowed some Digitalis ‘Stewartii’ seeds in July 2008 – and I think, fingers crossed they will send up their flower spikes this year.
Fortunately I am at an age when time goes by so fast – the fact that I have had to wait for two years from sowing to flowering has gone by in the blink of an eye. I am also a big fan of “slow gardening” which is why raising plants from seeds appeals so much. If you raise your plants from seed – there is less choice – you wont be able to grow some of the modern cultivars that do not grow true from seed – but the flowers you grow will echo their ancestors, with an outside chance you will find something rather different amongst your seedlings.
I have grown some Canna from seed, and while they may not be as exotic as plants of the named varieties that are available – they will give me a good start to the tropical look that I want in the corner of the garden – and then I can buy plants of the more flamboyant types of canna, ginger or banana over a period of time.
Growing from seed is a cheaper option than investing in plants if you are just trying out “the look” – will a tropical corner really work here in wet Wales?
Growing from seed is ideal if you want drifts; a drift of echinacea ‘White Swan’ is much cheaper from seed than it is to buy 5, 7, 15 or even 21 plants. Your echinacea ‘White Swan’ may not have the pizzazz of say echinacea ‘Tomato soup’ – but they will probably be sturdier plants and will look more natural when planted en masse … well in Wales at any rate.
Then of course there are the hardy annuals that you can just chuck in the garden in the late spring / early summer and be rewarded by a riot of colour and dancing flowers because really, all a seed wants to do is grow. With any luck they will self-seed with abandon giving you poppies, eschscholzia, cornflowers, and nasturtiums for years to come.
Another joy of sowing from seed is swapping with friends – since starting this blog Easygardener, Patient Gardener and Green Tapestry have all sent me seed – and that makes the resulting flowers doubly special.
(Edit – Plus my good friend Linda, who has recently sent me a huge pile of seeds – and although she is a wonderful gardener, she doesn’t blog about it!)
What’s not to like? If you don’t grow your own flowers, buy a packet of seed or two and a bag of compost when you next visit the nursery and give it a whirl.
Tips.
Keep seed packets in a labled sealed container in the fridge.
Buy small seed trays, or recycle plastic containers so you don’t sow too many.
This way if it all goes pear shaped, you will still have more seeds to try with other sowing conditions
And you won’t have to prick out 100’s of seedling you don’t need or want.
(Trust me – it is very hard to throw away those seedlings you don’t need)
Label your seeds – when the first two leaves pop up, they often look like every other seedling.
I love that first glimpse of green. So far, I’ve only sown onions and leeks and they haven’t germinated yet. Today I went shopping for some flower seeds. I was fairly restrained (only bought seven packets!) but in two months time I will be inundated with seedlings. Can’t wait!
Amanda´s last blog ..Punks make my day
Amanda lovely to ’see’ you – well done for getting your onions started – Shedman is going to be responsible for the onions here this year, and the potatoes!
K
This is a great article. I’m very curious about where you purchase canna seeds? I’ll try your links first. I’m also wondering, Karen, about daylily seeds. Have you seen these for sale anywhere?
Shady Gardener´s last blog ..Mr. Helping Hand May Inspire the Rest of Us
Shady - Chiltern seeds sell day lily seeds, although they are one of the things that dont come true from seeds – but you might get some lovely surprises.
I have e-mailed you about the canna seeds
Glad you enjoyed the post.
K
Well done for being so organised, I haven’t planted a single seed yet.
…well it is a tad early – I start the season organized – and then dissolve into chaos as the year progresses!
Thanks for visiting – for some reason you name didn’t link to your blog – so I have edited it, hope thats OK
K
Hi Karen,love the canna seedlings,only have rocket here so far,but you have stimulated me to get out to the seed cupboard.Best seed here last year,white californian poppy,the plants have survived well too,and I hope will flower again, so a good value annual!
Arrrgh – Linda – how come I didn’t mention you? Thanks you for the most fantastic parcel of seeds that recently arrived in the post!! It is a tad early for seed sowing (light levels a bit low really) but it is a good time so sow all those slow to germinate seeds.
Big Hugs and thanks
K
Hi Karen, you have expressed the gift that seeds give to the gardener in winter well! Being able to choose, sow and maybe even grow plants during the cold months is what keeps us sane. Even if most are failures, there will always be something that lives to be planted out in spring, making the whole enterprise worthwhile. Your cannas look like trees! Congrats!
Frances
Frances´s last blog ..Winter Plant Portrait-Wallflowers, Erysimum
It is all about the choosing isn’t it Frances – I just love the planning and deciding what to grow for where – almost as much fun as being out in the garden. The cannas were sown last summer, they have had the full force of my attention for ages now … fingers crossed
K
I am so behind the times! I confess…I haven’t winter sown and unless I get my self away from too comfy desk chair and out in the 24 degree F weather to get supplies those seeds I had to order from Chiltern will stay in their envelopes and never turn into sweet flowers. Gardener-Up is my affirmation! gail
Gail´s last blog ..I Planted It For My Mother
I am afraid that some of my autumn sown seeds have not fared to well in the greenhouse this winter
You still have plenty of time to loll around some more in your comfy chair Gail!
K
A great post, which has made my fingers itch to get sowing. It’s too early, I know, but my seeing is always a triumph of optimism over experience.
HappyMouffetard´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday – Cyclamen coum
You are so right HappyM – it is to early to sow – because of the low light levels (unless you have grow lights – which is getting far to complex for me) – but I have given myself the excuse that I have got soooo many seeds to sow – I might as well start a few off now, makes me feel better
K
Oooh, seeds!!! I’ve been itching to get started with mine… I want to get some early carrots going… So many flower seeds to sow too and not enough space to keep them in
Lovely photos, nice and green.. Spring!
Hi Liz – you are SO right – I have far to many seeds to sow this year, although I dont have any luck with carrots – perhaps this is the year when they will work
K
I love Plants of Distinction – I hope I’m not to blame for you discovering them as well as Jungle Seeds! I was being good but at a low point the other day I turned to their flower seed catalogue to cheer me up and well succumbed and an order was placed!!!!!
No Helen – I am not blaming you for P of D – I blame Nigel Slater. It doesn’t take much for me to succumb to buying seeds (sigh)
K
Thanks, Karen!
Shady Gardener´s last blog ..Mr. Helping Hand May Inspire the Rest of Us
Your welcome Shady
K
Seeing as you are so good at it all, I will just go out and buy some seeds and bring them along for you to grow on for me!!
Err, Err – Really? not sure I am going to have room – you will just have to have some of the things I am all-ready growing
K
I see you are starting the season all organised with your seed packets in neat piles. I have been quite restrained this year on the seed buying. I tend to lose control when I visit a nursery and see actual plants. So for now I’m feeling virtuous as I haven’t yet been tempted (that won’t last!)
easygardener´s last blog ..Jack Frost – hanging around for far too long
Easygardener – I think I am just so lucky that I don’t have any nurseries locally, although I am a bit worried about my trip to Malvern! I might loose control there.
K
Not sowing one seed in trays this year. Just broadcasting in drifts and scratching in very roughly. Where has the botanic gardener in me gone. You put me to shame!
Best., Robert
Robert – broadcasting in drifts is such fun – I have earmarked one bed to do that with this year. Thanks for visiting
K
Ooooooh you have got my fingers itching to get going Karen but will wait until half term week – my traditional time for starting . I must admit that since getting the allotment most of my seed sowing has been vegetables
Must broaden my horizons this year. I am off to investigate that ornamental rice forthwith!
Anna´s last blog ..A Little Bit of Local History
Does half term week happen at a different time every year Anna (like Easter)? I have not actually seen the ornamental rice in the flesh – so it could be nice – it could be awful – but I thought it was worth a go.
K
I haven’t sown anything yet and much of the stuff I sowed in the autumn and put in cold frames doesn’t look too happy. You do make me itch to be getting on with it but it is sooo cold. Not long now though!
elizabethm´s last blog ..Bits and bobs
I know I am a bit early Elizabeth – but I seem to have so much to get on with before I go back to work, fingers crossed some of these will survive without getting too leggy – we have had some wonderful days here – although the nights are still a bit chilly.
K
Very inspiring I have made a start at last but I start mine of in trays in the back bedrooms until they germinate then move things somewhere cooler until they can eventualy go in my cold greenhouse.
This year I will grow less seeds I will! I will!
(lol) bet you don’t Joanne
K
I love this time of year! The seedlings everywhere bespeak innocence and potential to my winter-weary soul.
Our kitchen table is holding an assortment, and soon we will be forced to plant some outside or eat standing up! (We were supposed to plant out on Monday and Wednesday, but argh! we are expecting a possible snow this weekend, just to screw up the seasonal schedule.)
Lovely post. I have yet to grow something that requires two years from seed, but I’m doing much better at the seeds in general lately, so perhaps I’ll work up my nerve and just do it!
Meredith´s last blog ..happy half
Hi Meredith – I am a big fan of biannuals – so I am quite used to waiting a while for things to flower, I also do manage to kill a few things before they get around to flowering.
K
Karen,
I look forward to seeing these beauties in your garden. This is my second year starting seeds, and I can already see the need for more indoor lighting. The annuals and perennials have left no room for vegetables. I so enjoy selecting and planting seeds, such a rewarding experience. And, it certainly helps us maintain our sanity over these cold winter months!
Liisa´s last blog ..A Time of Celebration
Thank you Liisa – quite often I find that when I grow what seems like a huge amount of seeds – by the time they get into the garden, they don’t seem to cover half the ground that I earmarked for them.
Glad that you are enjoying growing things from seed – both flowers and veg.
K
Your photos really make me yearn to get outside and plant. But we have so much snow, it will be awhile!
Eileen´s last blog ..A Peony That Stands Alone
Oh, Eileen, so sorry that you still have snow – but Spring will come soon …… wont it?
Thanks for visiting
K
Karen, you don’t read a newspaper, huh? I know the feeling. Sometimes my only news is how much snow is on the ground out back, whether my rez pups will run too far after deer, and how frozen the growing beds are. Thanks for following my blog. Your’s has beautiful photos that I so enjoy.
Cindy, thanks for visiting and taking time to leave a comment, no I am afraid I don’t read newspapers, (to depressing) my friends now mention from time to time what is going on in the world – so I get the important bits.
K
Mmmmm seeds now there’s something else that’s quite addictive along with buying plants… this time of year is often full of such good intentions!! I love seed sowing but we’ll be a little way off doing that here – it’s SO cold! I love Chiltern Seeds and also quite like Jekka McVicar for her herb seeds – they also have great open days there ( just north of Bristol) might be worth a trip!! Have a lovely weekend – Miranda x
Miranda Bell´s last blog ..Have a special Valentines Day…
Hi Miranda – I have bought seeds from Jekka when I saw her at shows in the past – but I do forget to check out her website for seeds – although this year I am tempted by some of her hard to find varieties of herbs.
I am possibly more addicted to seeds than plants …. no wait, I have to think about that …..
K
OK! I am really starting to feel jealous reading your inspiring and helpful post Karen…I have not started any seeds early… only what I put into the spring ground … for many years now. Mostly because I do not have a place to put them. It is how I began gardening however… hundreds of little baby seedlings… it is magical and hard sometimes to keep them healthy. I have the perfect place to build my greenhouse but have not be able to do so yet. Till then I will enjoy vicariously watching you nurture your young ones. I do hope we will get regular updates of your upstarts! Yours are not social climbers but may climb to heights within your garden and make you smile to have known them all their lives… on this end anyway of being a seed. Great advice btw! Lovely photos too! ;>)
Carol´s last blog ..Thank YOU! "Giving Gardens!"
I love trying new seeds specially the mixtures. Canna seedlings are looking very healthy and they are one of the toughest i have ever grown.
muhammad khabbab´s last blog ..Garden geek nominated in National Blog Awards