Seeds of success! Seed growing tips

Although we do not stock seeds at our Monks Eleigh nursery you can order them through our supplier, Katie's Garden, and select to collect from us.

Including annuals, perennials, vegetables, salads and herbs, all easy-grow varieties from Suffolk's own Thompson & Morgan!

Click to order seeds

SEED GROWING ADVICE

• Always use new or thoroughly cleaned seed trays and cells to avoid spread of disease. You can also use recycled items such as yogurt pots and ready-meal trays - remember to add drainage holes.

• Use a seed or multipurpose compost and use your hands to elimate any lumps so you get a fine crumb texture.
  

• Once seed trays/cells are filled firm them down gently then soak them in water before sowing. Soil should be moist but not sodden when sowing seeds
  

• Different seeds have different needs so make sure you read the information on the seed packet for advice on how densely to sow and what temperatures are needed (generally between 16-21c).
  

• Some seeds need light to germinate so don’t cover these with compost - the seed packet will tell you if they should be scattered on the soil surface rather than buried.
  

• If you don’t have a heated bench and only have a small number of pots then a windowsill can work very well. Make sure you cover your pot with a transparent plastic bag kept in place with a rubber band. Remove the bag once seedlings appear.

•  Water seed trays and cells from below - especially if using a heated bench - to avoid build up of conditions that can cause damping off*. This is especially important if you are using a peat-free compost. Sit them in trays of water for about 30 minutes, rather than watering from above using watering cans.
  

*"Damping off" is a fungal problem causing seedlings to collapse and die. It can be caused by humid conditions as well as from sowing too densely.