Tips for sowing seeds in a home vegetable garden

If you plan on sowing directly, make sure the soil is warm.

Cold soil is not congenial for the growth of seeds. They tend to enter into a shock state or just rot away if there is any dampness in the cold soil.

The best time to sow seeds directly in the soil would be around mid spring or at least a few days after the last frost date.

How to go about sowing seeds

• Dig a small hole, 1 inch deep, place your finger inside the hole and feel the temperature. If it is chilling cold, you should delay your seedling planting for a few more days.
• When the time is right, follow the below steps to sow the seeds.
• Dig in small furrows where you plant to plant the seeds, allow for the spacing as recommended on the seed packet.
• Place at least three seeds in a furrow. This is based on law of averages. If all the three seeds sprout, you can just cut off the ones which are weaker.
• Backfill a small layer of soil and compact it slightly.
• Make sure you place a label indicating the exact spot where you planted the seed.
• Add mulch around the spot, keeping a one inch distance from the spot where you planted the seed.
• Keep the soil damp by spraying water regularly. Don't make the soil soggy by watering with a hose.
• Sowing seeds in your vegetable garden should be an organized process, to avoid frustration later.