Seed sowing the Monkey way.....Part the third

Today, gentle reader....and all you not so gentle ones, we are going to look at sowing seeds in modules. I find this is the best way for sowing large seeds, such as Helianthus annus (sunflower), Pisum sativum (no sniggering; it's common or garden pea) or Phaseolus coccineus (runner bean). By growing them in modules you don't have to worry about all that nonsense with pricking out seedlings, but can transfer them directly into larger pots before 'hardening them off' (this means toughening them up a little before they go to face the rigours of the British weather....or, in my garden, almost certain death at the hands [sic] of the gastropod nation!).

These are modules:

There, that was the hard part of today's lesson. Now aren't you glad that's all out of the way! Now, you are going to have to make a decision now, not easy I know, but needs must! When choosing which module to use, think about the size of your seed and how big that little seedling is likely to be. Especially, if like me, you are a bit of a slacker and re pot when the damn thing is the size of a triffid and has designs on taking over the world!

Today I have picked Zea mays 'Mirai' (sweet corn) and Rheum rhabarbarum 'Victoria' (rhubarb) [Yes, that is the Latin name for rhubarb and not a Lady Gaga song.....although it could be her muse I suppose]. For me this is an experiment, as I have never grown either by seed before. I have high hopes for the sweet corn....but not much for the rhubarb, we shall see! I have selected these trays, more for the fact that they will fit under my propagator, and that I won't be committing the cardinal sin of placing different species in the same module (see part the second), than for any consideration of seedling size; thus rendering my previous statement null and void. But, do what I say, don't do what I do, as it will cause issues with pricking out.....and I also wish to sow several seeds as I am not convinced that this will work!

In a different module I will be sowing Lathyrus sp. (sweet pea), in which I am much more confident of success. If I plant my sweet peas in the autumn, for over wintering, I tend to sow them in old toilet rolls, so that they have room to stretch out their roots....although the last lot I grew in the autumn got munched by mice; I need to have a word with my moggies about dereliction of duty!

As before, make sure your module is clean and sterilise in bleach or other solution. Overfill your module and then gently tap against the work surface to remove air holes.....If you are lucky the module manufacturer will have left you a level surface to strike off the excess growing media.....Mine didn't!! Leaving me to 'make do'. Firm your compost with your finger tips....a tamper is not really needed as you will be planting below the surface of the growing media.

Bloody camera strap!!

Using a dibber, in my case a handy finger from my Swiss Army Hand (seriously, a pencil will do if you don't like getting muck under your nails.....although what you are doing going anywhere near a garden with that kind of attitude, I really don't know!) and make a hole large enough for your seed and deep enough for the seed to sit in the dark. No matter what it says on the seed packet I tend to use the first knuckle on my finger as a rule of thumb for depth.

These are the sweetcorn seeds. Sadly you can't see the iridescence from the photo, but they sparkled like they had been kissed by fairies....my hands on the other hand look like I've been digging through graveyard soil, looking for the fresh corpse of my vampire beloved, to administer the blood of life.....or digging for worms in the garden (note to self, baby wipes for the shed).

I planted these 2 seeds to a module, at opposite corners, and I will remove the weakest when....if....they come up!



These are the rhubarb seeds, I have gone for four per module, one at each corner....I have absolutely no confidence in any of these coming up at all! But, nothing ventured and all that!

The next step is to water the seeds, again I would recommend watering from below and using capillary action (there's your science term for today. It means the action of liquid flowing in opposition to external forces; such as gravity). Label your seeds (date and name) and pop them in your nursery, under a sterilised propagator. Now, sit back with a large glass of Bats Blood (it's goth red wine....I don't go round squishing bats, that would be wrong.....and probably wouldn't taste very nice) and wait (you may need more than one glass.....and more than one liver.....better settle for a cup of tea). Part the fourth will look at those fiddly little seeds...