VEG AND FLOWERS: Plants can develop robust root systems before being transplanted outside (Image: PA)
It’s too cold for gardening outside, but there’s another way to get growing, says Hannah Stephenson. It’s the perfect time to start sowing seeds indoors, which not only combats the winter gloom but can lead to stronger plants.
You don’t needs lots of room as a windowsill will do. Sowing vegetables, flowers and herbs during late winter and spring means they’ll be ready for transplanting outdoors once the weather warms up, having developed good root systems.
“You get so much more variety and choice if you grow from seed,” says best-selling author and horticulturist Huw Richards. You’ll make significant savings, compared to buying established plants and know exactly what you’re getting.
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He says: “Here’s a simple analogy. It’s like going to a fast-food restaurant, getting a product that you consume, but you don’t really know what’s gone into it. But if you get all the primary ingredients and make that same meal yourself, you’ve got that transparency.”
What you’ll need
Seed trays (either with compartments or without), top-quality multi-purpose peat-free compost and, of course, seeds. Other sundries include a fine mist sprayer to keep the compost moist, plant labels and a permanent waterproof marker pen.
When it comes to indoor growing, you need to think about heat, water and light, says Richards:
Heat: Edibles like chillies and tomatoes are often sown first, but require warmth during gemination or they’re likely to fail. “Some people put their trays in an airing cupboard that’s warm and on the first sign of germination, move them to a sunny windowsill,” he says.
Water: “The biggest mistake that people make when sowing seeds is overwatering because there’s too much water in the compost. It just causes the seeds to rot. Make sure that it’s damp, like if you’ve just wrung out a sponge,” says Richards.
Light: Seeds will sprout in the dark and then grow in search of light. Once germinated, move the trays to a bright location to avoid the seedlings becoming leggy.
Indoor growing 🌿
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Windowsill veg
Chillis, aubergines, bell peppers and tomatoes can be started off in late February. If the weather is chilly, Richards recommends using heat mats, which can be rolled away and are easy to store.
“If you start them off too early, they’re going to get too big for their modules, cells or pots,” he says. They’ll need tending until you can plant them in a polytunnel (or other sheltered spot such as a greenhouse), which won’t be until May.
Windowsill flowers
Flowers such as calendula, cosmos, nigella, larkspur and ammi majus can be sown indoors from February onwards, if using heat mats or a heated propagator. Otherwise, wait until mid-spring, when conditions are milder.
He said: “These are heat-loving crops from a different part of the world, they’re not used to our low temperatures. You can plant them without any bottom heat, but you might only get the odd one pop up, but most will likely fail.”
MINI GREENHOUSE: Seed propagators can be heated or not (Image: PA)Planting tipsUse high-quality, multi-purpose, peat-free compost. Dampen it before filling your seed tray or cells, making sure it is moist but not soaking. Sow your seeds as per the seed packet instructions.Growing in individual cells or just regular seed trays is a matter of preference, however larger seeds, such as broad beans and runner beans, will need extra depth for the roots to develop. Once seedlings appear, if they are on a south-facing windowsill, rotate the trays daily. When the compost starts to dry out water it with a fine spray. You can transplant them to slightly bigger cells or pots once three to four true leaves have appeared – true leaves are those which follow the first two leaves after germination. Plants like radish and beetroot are planted out in a clump – with four to five seedlings per planting. Pick the biggest root first and allow the smaller ones to continue growing.
“If you’re after individuals, say, if you’ve two tomatoes per cell and two seedlings appear, you’ll then remove the weakest or the smallest one,” says Richards. “Cut it out, don’t pull it out, because they’re really small seedlings and the act of pulling might damage the roots of the other seedling.”
Finally, be patient. He said: “People need to stop rushing. I know they’re eager, and that’s great, but plants catch up as well. My biggest sowing month is actually May, so you’ve got loads of time, you can still sow tomatoes in early April and get a crop.”
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