Sowing veg seeds direct in the soil

As soon as spring starts to warm up there is lots of veg seed sowing that can be direct in the soil or containers of compost, where the crops are to grow. Soil temperature for this needs to be around 8C for most of the hardier crops, but it is best to sow tender crops indoors and wait to plant them outdoors from May into June, depending on your location.

Direct sowing in the ground does away with the compost, pots and space that you need for protected sowing and is used for crop plants that you would grow in quantity – in particular root crops, leafy crops and podded crops like peas. If conditions are right, then germination should be fairly rapid and the seedlings can grow at a steady pace to make robust, resilient plants.

Preparing veg plot soil and containers ready for sowing

Prepare the soil by forking through to relieve any compaction to start with. This is best done when the soil is still moist, but not saturated. In dry weather it is worth water the soil and letting it drain before forking.

You can also use the opportunity to add some well-rotted garden compost (or bagged compost/soil improver) to the soil to improve moisture holding capacity and help hold the soil structure open. The compost will also provide some nutrients to the soil and act as a sponge holding on to any nutrients you add. If you soil is already in good condition then you may hold back on the addition of compost and use it in the seed drills when you prepare them (more details below).

Where you want to grow vegetables in containers, it is worth filling the bottom half with good garden soil or bagged loam (from the garden centre or DIY store). This will help to hold onto moisture in the soil and provide the best conditions for crops. Top up the container with an equal-parts mix (by volume) of soil/bagged loam and bagged peat-free compost. This should be mixed thoroughly before adding to the container. Lightly firm the mix in place using your hands.

How to get good germination outdoors

Pre-warming the soil or contain of compost is a useful technique for improving the speed and success of germination. Having prepared it, cover with thick black polythene, a piece of old hessian-backed carpet, or I use one of my rigid plastic water trays (shown here). In fact, any covering that is dark in colour will do as this will absorb heat from the sun and radiate it down into the soil or compost beneath. If the covering is impermeable then it will also prevent cold rainwater from soaking through.

Such a covering can stay in place for 7-14 days – longer if required. I then check the ‘feel’ of the soil or compost surface by lightly pressing the back of my hand against it. It should not feel really cold to the touch. In this condition, the soil or compost is ready to sow into and the seeds of hardy crops can go in.

On heavy, cold soils such as clay as well as very free-drained, sandy soil it is worth giving the seeds an extra helping hand. Rather than making a standard seed drill as directed on the back of the seed packet – or as suggested in most other sources – I use a garden trowel to take out a wide, shallow drill (about 65mm wide and 40mm deep) along the length of the row I wish to sow.

This is then filled with sieved, peat-free compost and watered with a watering can of tap water. I then make a standard seed drill to the correct depth in this compost, sowing into it and then covering the seed if required. This method helps to retain moisture around the seed so that it plumps up and starts into germination. I find it works particularly well with carrots, lettuce and beetroot.

How to sow veg in containers

For seed sowing in outdoor containers, it is simply a matter or making a seed drill to the correct depth in the compost surface. It is best to use large containers for your crops (a minimum of 40cm in diameter) and make 2 or 3 parallel seed drills depending on the crop you are growing and the suggestion on the seed packet.

Whether in the ground or in a container, keep the seed rows moist in dry weather to encourage rapid germination so that the seedlings grow away strongly. And here’s to a productive harvest!