Gardening with Margaret Matthews
Sowing and growing —
Growing from seed
by Margaret Matthews
Several months ago I wrote two articles about growing plants from cuttings or layering and grafting from the parent plant. Now that we are approaching spring, it is time to think about sowing seeds. Many kinds of flowers and vegetables can be sown now.
Raising plants from seed can be most rewarding as well as saving money (especially if one is able to harvest the seed from the plant or has access to a non-profit seed bank). If you have recently purchased seed from a nursery or supermarket you will no doubt be surprised at the cost. One would be tempted to ask if the brightly coloured packet did not cost more to produce than the few seeds enclosed in tin foil within.
Gardeners who have a glasshouse or who are raising a quantity of seedlings will have already established their own methods. I am only concerned with those raising seedlings for a hobby, for obtaining a few extra plants from the seeds of a favourite plant, or perhaps teaching a grandchild the fun of seed raising.
It is always best to sow seed when it is relatively fresh. The fertility of seeds varies greatly. If you have harvested seeds from a garden plant, store in a small airtight bottle or jar and label with the name and date of collection. Some garden clubs have seed banks and will exchange seeds with other gardeners. Seeds do not always come true to their parent plant, but this can be interesting, as you could unwittingly create a new form. Plant breeders may take many years to develop a new hybrid or cultivar, while the amateur may achieve this by accident.
Today, seed raising is made easier by potting mixes especially designed for the purpose. The shallow trays available from nurseries (often free) are ideal for most seed raising purposes. Seeds should be sown as soon as possible and then covered with the potting medium according to their size. Tiny seeds are just pressed into the surface, otherwise bury the seeds at twice their depth and firm the surface. Water from the bottom by placing the trays in the laundry trough containing a small quantity of water, which will penetrate the soil without disturbing the seeds.
Very fine seeds such as wattle (acacia) should be mixed with sand and distributed from a salt or pepper shaker. Seeds such as wattle with hard outer casing should have boiling water poured over them and soaked for 24 hours before planting. Wattle seeds always germinate freely after a bushfire.
When the water has penetrated to the surface, remove the trays and cover with a sheet of glass or strong plastic film and place in a sheltered position. Label each tray with the date of sowing and the name of the plant.
Some seeds germinate more quickly than others, so be patient. After the seedlings appear, remove the glass or plastic and keep the tiny plants moist but not wet. Thin out seedlings to avoid crowding. When the seedlings are big enough to handle, transfer to individual tubes and label carefully. As the plants grow, pot them on into a slightly larger pot and they can eventually be planted into the garden, given to friends or donated to plant stalls.
Raising plants from seeds is a rewarding and fascinating hobby. I can still remember the delight I experienced as a small child when the tiny seeds (I think they were Californian poppies) which I had planted with such care, and with much expectation, were transformed into tiny green shoots. This ‘miracle’ of nature still has the power to lift my spirits, as does the sun breaking through on a bleak winter day.
Today’s children, with their time so much taken up with computers, TV and sport, may miss out on some of the simple but profound pleasures which were part of their grandparents’ childhood. Weeding, digging, planting, watering, picking flowers, harvesting vegetables, learning the right way and time to do all these things, teaches us far more than the mere tasks themselves. Anyone who has developed a love of gardening as a child retains this interest and all the skills involved for the rest of their life. Gardening also provides healthy exercise for our young ‘couch potatoes’. But it is the joy and satisfaction that comes from growing things that is the real value of gardening.
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