Tip Tuesday: Seed Starting part 2

This time we’re talking about direct seeding or direct sowing seeds (vs. starting them inside and transplanting).

I know many growers hate direct seeding. Some don’t do it at all. There is certainly much less control and typically lower germination rates than if you were to start seeds inside. Also, the weeds can easily outgrow and overtake baby seedlings so that is always a battle to stay on top of. However, I love direct seeding when I can. There are varieties that much prefer direct seeding over transplanting. Seeds are relatively inexpensive so if a seed prefers direct seeding, I will absolutely seed heavy in order to overcome low germination rate.

Mother Nature is so much better at growing things than I am. If I can use her help, I will!

For instance, seeds like bupleurum, are notoriously hard to germinate but I’ve had great success with direct seeding in the fall (I’m zone 6a bordering 5b), allowing baby plants to overwinter, and growing very tall useable stems in the spring. This is true for several cold hardy plants that can be difficult to germinate: I’m looking at you Larkspur and Nigella!

If you are a new gardener, I would highly suggest starting with direct seeding over growing transplants. Once you get some experience, definitely give seed starting inside a go. It’s so fun to watch your baby plants grow!

If you are new, my top flowers to direct seed in the warm season are: sunflowers, zinnias, and cosmos. If you want to start a small flower garden, these are my top three easy staples! I do start my first round of zinnias inside but my successions are always direct sown. Sunflowers and cosmos never see the inside of my house until they’re blooming and cut!

Like I mentioned in part one of my seed starting blog post, it’s imperative to learn if a seed needs light or dark to germinate. This information will apply to all seeds whether they are direct sown or grown inside. Cosmos, sunflowers, and zinnias can all be covered lightly. Seed packets do not always offer up this critical information (huge pet peeve of mine!) so if you’re unsure, Google the variety’s name with ‘culture sheet’ and look through several sources to ensure they’re all saying the same thing. There may be some horticulture jargon to dig through but that’s generally the best way to find this information. Another irritation is they don’t always come right out and say they need light or they need dark for germination. Sometimes they’ll state “press lightly into the soil”…this typically means they need light but they also need soil contact so pressing lightly into the soil ensures they get both. Do not cover these seeds. Some will say plant 1/8” into soil, this is a little more obvious that they need darkness to germinate and will not do well otherwise.

Another reason some people hate to direct sow seeds is because they are eaten or dug up by critters: squirrels, deer, birds, etc. I also have this problem but have a little trick to prevent it. After I direct sow a row of seeds, I cover the freshly planted seeds/soil with a frost blanket like this. There are a variety of weights but if this is your only use, you can use the very thinnest AG19. I use AG 30 or 50 but only because I also use it for frost protection in the spring (if you’re using it for that purpose as well, AG19 is too thin and will be ruined quickly). It serves as a deterrent for critters but it also helps to keep moisture in and a more consistent temperature which is super important when germinating seeds. You can lay it directly on the soil or place simple wire hoops over the seeded area and drape the frost blanket over the wires. Either way, you will need to weigh it down around the edges, simple rocks will do just fine. I leave mine on for about 2 weeks or until you have clear germination and little baby seedling popping up, then remove the cloth.

Another tip to know if seeds prefer being grown as transplants or direct seeded is to look at the back of the seed packet. Sometimes it will say (preferred) next to the best choice but if it does not, the first method listed (direct or transplant) is the preferred method.

Do you have other questions about direct seeding? Ask below and I’ll be sure to answer them!