Seed sowing the Monkey way....Part the Fourth



An example of a seed sower

And so in this article we shall look at planting those fiddly little seeds. Now fine seeds are hard enough to deal with at the best of times, but when you have a disability that affects your fine motor skills, it can be nigh on impossible (sneezing at inappropriate times can be a real pain in the bum as well!). I tend to muddle on and hope for the best. There are apparatus available to assist those with disabilities. These suck up the seeds into a well and these can then be 'puffed' on to your planting media....but, I find them to be a bit 'scatter gun' in their approach with fine seeds and you might as well just blow them off your palm!

So for the purposes of this article I will be using Lobelia 'Crystal Palace' and Impatiens walleriana (busy lizzie).

The first thing you need to do is sterilise your trays and, as with the medium seeds;

• Fill
• Tap
• Fill again
• Strike off excess
• Compress

Got that?

Now, carefully pour your seeds on to your palm or into a saucer. The Lobelia seeds are small, but still just about handlable. Using your thumb and forefingers, scatter the seed across the compost, using an S shaped pattern from side to side. The turn your tray through 45 degrees....or is it 90? I was never very good at maths...basically, if you started with the long side facing you, turn it until the short side is facing you....(I think I got away with that!). Then repeat your S shaped pattern of sowing...if you don't have enough seeds to do this then you have bought F1 Hybrids and will probably need at least 2 packets....lesson, don't buy F1 Hybrids in their first year out...next year they will be cheaper or contain more seeds!

Lobelia seeds

Now we move onto a whole new ball game....I thought tennis might be nice, but perhaps later... Impatiens seeds are minute, there are smaller seeds such as those of Begonia or Tree Fern spores (like dust, not for the beginner or me), but Impatiens seeds are about as small as I would like to get.

Impatien seeds, and yes, that is my little finger

Now, bearing in mind that the plant world seems to have made these seeds the same colour as the planting media and the fact that you don't have senses fine enough to feel these little blighters; a little cunning needs to be used. The trick is to mix your seeds with a few pinches of horticultural sand (not builders, sand-pit or beach sand mind!). Now this stuff doesn't come cheap, but bear in mind that one, overpriced little bag of this stuff will last you for years. This way, you can see where you are sowing. Another little trick is to make a funnel out of a piece of paper and scatter your seeds, in the same S pattern as above.



It's now, just about, possible to see where I have actually sowed the seeds


The final task, before labelling and watering, is to cover the seeds. However, bunging a load of compost over the top is not a great idea as both seeds need light to germinate. There are couple of suitable options available; perlite and vermiculite. Again, these are available at large cost from garden centres; but again, a little goes a long way and the bags will last you for years. Neither of these have particularly green credentials. Perlite is a hydrated, volcanic glass (obsidian and water) which when heated to 871 degrees centigrade expands (a bit like rock pop-corn). It is useful because it is inert (neutral pH), sterile and holds water & air (although it's carbon footprint doesn't bear thinking about). It can also be used as a planting media in soiless systems (such as hydroponics...another time, dear reader). Vermiculite is a  hydrated laminar magnesium-aluminum-ironsilicate (Bet you feel better for knowing that...it's a bit like mica....still not clear, well never mind). Like perlite it is mined and super heated, where it forms shiny worm like shapes (there may be a technical term for it...but lets not get bogged down in the details). Like perlite it is sterile, inert and holds both water and air. Both substances also provide insulation for emerging seedlings as well.

vermiculite/perlite

So, lightly cover your seeds with a coating of one of these and label and water (from below....this stuff will go everywhere if you water from above...as will your seeds...so speaks the bitter voice of experience!). Just one final note...although these substances are inert, I wouldn't breath too deeply when scattering them about. They produce a lot of dust and I am not entirely convinced they are human being friendly.....just saying!

Right, that concludes our adventures into seed sowing....for now. I will be doing some outdoor sowing in the not too distant future, as it is a good time to be getting those broad beans out....however, I need to dig the soil over (as I haven't done it all winter) and I'm not too well at the moment...we have a large window though. I will also be doing a guide to seed packet terms and soon there will be seedlings to prick out! But for now, have a cup of tea (gin and tonic) and survey the fruits of your labour!