Sowing Seeds For Winter-Spring 2018/19

Seed Sowing Kit

Out in the gardens the summer displays in the borders, pots and containers are reaching their floral crescendo, meanwhile over in the nursery and greenhouse area the preparations for winter-spring 2018/19 has already begun. The annual deep clean of the greenhouse has started and the sowing of the plants for the floral displays were sown this morning.

The 10 seeds chosen are: Wallflower 'Sunset Orange'; Wallflower 'Sunset Primrose'; Wallflower 'Giant Pink'; Wallflower 'Blood Red Covent Garden'; Begonia x Hybrida 'Gryphon'; Bellis 'Bellissima Mix'; Dianthus barbatus 'Dash Crimson'; Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian Creme'; Digitalis purpurea 'Dalmatian White' and 'Digitalis purpurea 'Alba'.

Packets and containers of seeds

Filling the trays

Levelling

Each of the half trays were over filled with seed compost and the excess removed using the side of a firming board, placing it on to the sides of the tray and gently moving it across the soil from one end to the other.

Levelled

Pressing Flat

The firming board was then gently pressed down on the compost to create a level surface for sowing the seeds.

Flat surface

Half seeds trays ready for sowing

Wallflower seeds

To prevent the mixing up of the seeds a packet was opened, some of the contents broadcast over the compost of a prepared seed tray and then labelled. For an even distribution across the surface of the compost, a sufficient amount of seed is carefully tipped out in to the palm of the hand and the hand then moved across the filled tray, gently tapping it to drop the contents on to the soil. The completed label contains the name of the seed and the sowing date.

Seeds sown

Seeds sown in 10 half trays

Ready for watering

A small amount of compost was then sieved over the seeds to lightly cover them and, once all the seeds had been sown in their individual trays, were given a gentle watering using a watering can with a fine rose. All the trays were placed under the benches of the old, much cooler, greenhouse, on temporary staging created by plastic crates and covered with glass and newspaper. Germination is expected during the next few weeks.

Under glass and newspaper

In the cool under bench space

Update: 2nd August 2018 Wallflower 'Sunset Primrose' and Wallflower 'Sunset Orange' have germinated in just 2 days.

Wallflower germinated in just 2 days, 2nd August

 Wallflower seedlings