Get Sowing

We have now entered the New Year and with that brings the opportunity to plan your garden for the year ahead. Get sowing! There are a number of seeds you can sow now that will produce flowers in spring and summer. Kick start the growing season now.

Early sowing Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

• Do use new compost – the best compost to use is free draining but yet holds enough moisture. Peat free compost would be ideal to use.
• Do reserve a bright and warm windowsill for your seeds.
• Do sow seeds even more thinly than usual. This gives the seeds space to grow
• Do give germinating seeds loads of air by opening windows or vents

Don’ts

• Don’t use too much heat – results are a bit slower but there’s less risk of legginess and more damping off
• Don’t place the trays with your seeds in near drafts which can dry out the seeds.
• Don’t forget to water, but don’t over water. Using a spray bottle is an easy way to water your seeds without over watering them
• Don’t forget to check your seeds everyday!

5 Seeds to plant during January

1. Delphinium

Sow thinly in trays of seed compost  with 1/3 vermiculite, barley cover with vermiculite. For the first here weeks keep the seedlings in the fridge. Then in a temperature range of 15-21 °c.
Germination takes roughly between 7-28 days. Delphinium flowers in June and July.

2. Dahlias

Sow 1-2 seeds in small pots and using seed compost with 1/3 vermiculite. Keep in a temperature range of 18-21°c. Germination can take up to 5-20 days.
Dahlias flower from July to October or November.

3. Petunias

Sow thinly on the surface in small trays of seed compost and with 1/3 filled with vermiculite. Lightly dust the vermiculite to barley cover.
Keep in temperatures ranging from 24-27°c. Keep somewhere the seedlings will get light to germinate. Germination will take 14 days.
Petunias flower late June to September.

4. Sweet Peas

Sow seeds 6cm deep in tubes or 7cm pots using seed compost and fill 1/3 with horticultural grit.
Keep in temperatures of 12°c in an unheated greenhouse or a cool place. Germination takes between 10-14 days.
Sweet peas flower May to August.

5. Basil

Sow thinly on the surface of pots or trays filled with seed compost and cover with vermiculite.
Keep in temperatures ranging from 15-25°c. Germination takes up to 14-21 days depending on the temperature.
Harvest Basil from May until October.

---

We’re here to help

If you need any help with picking out the right seeds for you or and questions about sowing seeds talk to any of our horticulturists in store or contact us on social media. We’d love to help!

---

SHOP PRODUCTS

All products mentioned in the above blog can be bought on countrylife.ie or in you local CountryLife branch. To find your nearest store click here.

---

---

---