Starting your garden seed in mix.

What to use as a growing mix

For sowing, use a commercial starting medium (a mix of peat, perlite and vermiculite, such as Pro-Mix). Moisten it an hour or so before sowing. It should not be soggy - aim for the moisture of a wrung-out sponge. As general rule, sow seeds about as far below the growing mix as they are large. Big ones generally should be covered with growing mix, and tiny ones barely need to be covered.

If light is needed for germination, do not cover them at all - just press them into the growing mix.

Give all trays or pots a light watering and cover with a plastic dome lid or seal the container inside a plastic bag.

Newly sprouted seedlings tend to look alike, so be sure to label containers as you sow.

More sowing tips

Small seeds can be a bit tricky. A simple solution is fold a piece of paper and then pour the contents of your packet into the fold and tap the end of the paper lightly so that the contents can slide down onto your germination mix. If they stick, sprinkle them with a little baby or talcum powder to reduce the static cling.