Growing Plants from Seed
Containers for Sowing Seeds
There are many types of containers available for raising plants from seed that can be housed on a windowsill in the house as well as in a greenhouse. Some come with Perspex covers and some even have built in heaters to help germination. These may all have their champions, but by and large you should have just as much success with more mundane and less expensive containers as long as you are careful with timing, temperature, light and moisture.
Plant pots, for example, make fine containers for sowing seed, though if they have been previously used, you should give them a good clean to avoid passing on any infection from what was previously in the pots.
If you don’t have plant pots to hand, then all kinds of other containers can be pressed into service, such as old yogurt pots in which you punch a few holes in the bottom for drainage.
Growing Medium for Raising Plants from Seed
The actual growing medium is not that critical for raising plants from seed as long as it is able to provide the moisture and the right temperature that the seed needs for germination.
However, that is not to say that you should just use any old soil or compost that you have in the garden. Just as you ensure your plant pots are clean, so you want to avoid any growing medium that might be host to harmful bacteria or weed seeds. For this reason, you are probably best using an artificial soil that is guaranteed to be free from bacteria and weeds.
If you must reuse soil, then you would be well advised to sterilise it. This can be achieved quite easily by putting the soil in a container with holes in the bottom and space at the top so that you can pour in boiling water. Ensure the container is not too big so that you can ensure all the soil is thoroughly drenched in the boiling water. You then need to allow time for the water to drain away and the soil to cool down before planting any seeds in it.
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