Tuesday Tips

Hi Reader,

Happy Tuesday! We are heading into Autumn tomorrow! I can hardly believe it...especially with a heat wave currently hanging over us here in Perth 🥵

Autumn is a busy time in the garden with lots of refreshing and seed sowing happening! Today i'm going to share 3 common seed starting mistakes to avoid and help you get off to a flying start!

Image 1: Cabbage in toilet roll pot. Image 2: Asian Greens and onions

3 common seed starting mistakes 🌱

1. Sowing seeds too deep

Seeds that are planted too deep or with large pieces of heavy bark on top will not have adequate energy to make it to the surface. Seeds should be planted twice as deep as the size of the seed. If in doubt check the seed packet for depths. Ensure you have light fluffy soil on top with no heavy chunks to allow the seeds to pop up.

2. Getting the moisture wrong

Seeds need to stay moist especially while waiting to geminate and it is important that they don't dry out. Use the misting setting on your hose to help keep them moist without making them too soggy. Once your seeds have sprouted leaves it can be best to sit them in a tray and water them from below. This way the plants will draw up the water as they need and encourage roots to grow downward.

3. Lack of nutrients

Seedlings that are planted in a small cell will quickly use up the nutrients provided especially if there are multiple seedlings in each pot or cell. No extra nutrients are needed for the first few weeks just water and sunlight. Once the "true leaves" form (3rd and 4th leaves) it can be a good idea to thin out your extra seedlings or pot your seedlings up into bigger containers.

Liquid fertilizer can also be used to feed your seedlings. Try watered down versions such as compost tea, worm tea or seaweed can also be used every two weeks by watering in the bottom tray.