How to Direct Sow Seeds
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- Starting seeds directly in the garden can save money, time, and effort. Sow seeds and you have control over the plant varieties and how you grow them. Gardener Scott shows the different methods he uses to direct sow seeds and discusses the different seed starting techniques. (Video #167)
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You explained everything exactly. It was so easy to understand and I for once wasn't confused about planting
You are not kidding about keeping things moist. I under-watered my seeds last year and set myself back weeks.
Gardener Scott is what would have happened if Bob Ross was a gardener instead of a painter!
Exactly. Couldn’t have put it better!
So true!
Bravo! For not confusing new gardeners: I think this is the first YT gardening video I've watched that mentioned SUCCESSION planting correctly. 😁
(All the others I've seen- and it's a lot... always say it means to start more seeds *somewhere else* well before a previous crop is ready to harvest. I'm sure that is called "staggering")
Very well spoken!
This was helpful. Thanks for showing all the different scenarios.
I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who might’ve accidentally washed my seeds into low spots or less desirable spaces in the raised beds. This is my first year kicking the veggie garden into gear and that was a bit of a bummer lol
thanks so much for sharing your expertise! you have given me ideas as to why my parsley seeds did not take…. fingers crossed next time 😉
This was really helpful, thanks. One area I've been struggling with is the whole watering thing. I have basil seeds planted next to tomato seedlings in an 8x4 raised bed. The basil is not coming up (about a month in now) -- my guess is that I let the surface get too dry. Your tip on watering every 2 hours until germination was an eye-opener. As a new gardener, it's easy to get information overload. Just watering alone: never water in mid-day; water twice a week, but sometimes twice a day; don't let tomato seedlings dry out, but be sure to keep tomato leaves dry; keep the soil moist for tomatoes, but if it's too moist the roots will rot. I have to laugh -- haha! I guess so much of successful gardening comes with experience -- thank you for sharing yours!
Lol! Been paranoid about root rot . I got some seeds in peat pots experimenting with flower seeds I touched the soil felt like cement bet they will not have root rot 😂
You've discovered why successful gardening can be hard to achieve. It comes with experience after many hard lessons. I have a video coming out next week that will discuss watering because it can be so confusing.
@@GardenerScott I'll look forward to that! Your channel is a fantastic resource! Thanks again.
I love your channel! Thank you for another informative video 😊
Very informative. Thanks for sharing. I did seeds indoors this year and it started well but when I transplanted most of them died. Im pretty sure most of what died, I should of direct sowed. It was just to much of a shock to transplant. Also, Oregon had over average rains which was crazy wet even for us. Lol.
Thank you Scott 👍🏼 much love from South Texas. 😁
I really enjoy your attitude and your videos!
Thanks! I appreciate that!
My entire garden this year is MIgardener. Germination was almost 100%.
Thank You for explaining the topic so everyone can understand it.
MIgardener is all about high-density planting, so it makes sense that his spacing is more compact
Great video Scott !
Nice little shot out to Migardener🤔 I was wondering about his seeds. I just buy botanical. Has always worked perfectly for me. And I stick to what works best for me🎯
Cool! Another seed catalog I will request ASAP
I really enjoyed your use of "broadcast" when talking about carrot seeds.
Baker Creek China Jade is a wonderful cucumber variety.
Great video, your manner is so relaxing. I like to watch your videos to start my day off. Thank you
Awesome, thank you. Good to know companion planting to protect certain plants and then succession planting with radish and spinach etc. Huge garden out there.
Great tips. Thank you.
this is what i was looking for... all info is here to direct sow seeds....
In zone 7b CT. Started my tomatoes Jan.-thruMarch. They look very big and healthy thus far.
Thanks for another great video!
Loved your advice. I'm late for the seeds this must be my options. Thanks again
Thank you for the simple break down, ITS surprising how much our parents didn't teach us.
Love the green shirt at the end! 👚
Thanks for the video, very helpful! Would be great to learn more about succession planting - with examples of what combinations work best and what are the Dos and Don'ts
Thanks! I have a succession planting video planned later in the season. I will show combinations and examples.
One confusing thing about most seed packets are from companies that adhere to commercial growing technics to allow for tractor harvest and wheel width. With square foot and personal gardens, that row spacing is a huge waste of space. In that regard Migardener is not a commercial grower and lists spacing for reasonable home spacing. To me seed spacing depends on the mature plant size and growing habits.
Great carrot seed planting tip!!!!
Hi Scott, nice video. I have found my carrot seed germination is spotty in my regular soil. I like to direct sow them in a very shallow trench of starting mix, mixed with a fair amount of perlite or vermiculite.
Yes, this works great. I plant carrots in just the shallow trench of seed starting mix and they pop right up.
Great video! I learned a lot!
thanks for all ur help. where do u buy ur seeds. If any of Scott's followers know, please let me know. thanx and b safe. Jose
I buy from many different sources online. I have other videos where I discuss seeds and where I get them.
I tried to direct sow sunflower seeds but the birds stole them 3 times.
I finally got red solo cups and rocks, direct sowed again and covered them with the cup and weighed them down with the rocks. IT WORKED.
Great tip!
I usually cover my newly-planted seeds with old carpeting. Then I don't have to bother that they will dry out. As soon as I see a few seeds sprouting, I removing the carpeting.
Good tip. I do the same with burlap.
@@GardenerScott Hmm .. that's even better especially for those who might be concerned with possible toxins in used carpeting. Cheers.
Love your videos. So resourceful.
I have watched many of your videos and am so appreciative, as I am on the new journey of starting a vegetable garden. I have started a compost pile in my back yard and it is already full! I am sure you have addressed this, but outside of compost humus etc, where does your soil come from in the raised beds? Other parts of the yard? I am doing a few raised beds and don’t want to spend a lot of money filling them with bagged soil. I live in Florida with sandy soil
There is places in my area called dirt depot you can get some good soil in bulk / by the truck load cheaper then buying bags.
I mix my native soil with organic material from my yard. I also brink in amended soil. I have other videos that show the process.
I made the rookie mistake when I started of planting too many seeds, its great that I have so much growing but I feel that half of the stuff could have grown better and less crowded. My main issue seems to be thinning, the seed packets suggest waiting until the seedling are a specific size, however when I wait until then the seedling grouped together become hard to differentiate.
I agree. I'll have a video soon about thinning. It's always been a trouble area for me too.
Great video as usual
Thank you very much I am learning alot from your videos. Sir can you please make a video how to build humus in a garden bed.
Thank you for the suggestion. I'll look into it.
I see MIGardener on that see packet. Shout out to Luke!
Wonderful information. So helpful. I have a 6 inch and a 12 inch piece of bamboo I use for spacing. I was wondering if you ever soak seeds before sowing....?
It depends on the seed. Some larger seeds or hard-shell seeds benefit from soaking, but I just put small seeds directly in soil.
Thank you for your hard work in making videos. I wanted to plant today but it was 100 degrees so I'm waiting for a cooler day. Will high temps damage the seeds or just delay germination?
High temperature can do both, it can both kill the seed from stress, and it could be outside its 'goldilocks zone', take a look online about a ' seed temperature germination chart ' you might find it useful for your question.
Each plant has its own range that it can tolerate, and a certain spot that they love and will almost immediately pop up!
The high temps shouldn't damage seeds, but it can affect germination. The soil temperature is more important than air temperature so shade over the soil can help.
@@GardenerScott Very good info which means I could have sown them and then with our cool down they eventually, hopefully, should sprout. Thank you!
We’re new at gardening. My husband sent for heritage seeds, but didn’t plant until mid-July. They’re still tiny babies in early October! 😮Can we bring in the watermelon in big pots and keep them in a sunny window during our Southern California winter?
You can try. Watermelon doesn't transplant well when it's big, but you might have success if they're small. As a new gardener, it will be a good experiment.
You can make your own dibber from a broken wooden garden tool handle or dowel
I should still direct sow when the weather is cooler, right?
Great video! I was taught as a kid to sow seeds on mounds to prevent them from washing away. At least I thought someone taught me that. I did this with the bush beans and they are doing great. Should I continue to use mounds? Thank you!
Mounds are a common recommendation for wet regions so the plants don't sit in water and there is increased airflow. In an area like mine with sudden downpours from thunderstorms the mounds quickly wash away.
@@GardenerScott thank you so much for this insight. Happy gardening!
I started my first seeds outdoors and nothing came up. My guess would be watering. The next lot I started in seed trays outside and had mixed success. The next ones I started indoors and this worked well. The problem came when I transplanted them. I had 4 lovely basil seedlings growing, next to those I had 12 leeks. 6 weeks later I have 0 basil and only 3 or 4 leeks left. I haven't seen any bugs in that garden and there is no evidence of snails or slugs so my guess is birds? The leeks are broken off about an inch from the ground. I was so looking forward to lots of potato and leek soup! It was disappointing to lose so many but once we move in September I will make sure I am able to cover the new garden with nets to keep the birds off. Lesson learned.
Your onions look good
I too am a bit jealous!
I need to finally get mine the soil, I just put some fence so the chickens wont rip up that nice loose soil.
They took a dirty bath in my onion patch
Thank you. That's garlic.
I just sowed some cucumber and zucchini seeds. This video came at a perfect time! I noticed your tomato trellis is different from your previous videos.I have leftover pieces of cattle panel that would work well. How did you fasten the cattle panels to the metal posts?
I fastened them with zip ties to start and then used the fence clips that come with T-posts.
I had tomato plants that took half my garden last year. Monsters vines were huge I had no idea how to manage them. They eventually pushed the cages out of the ground
The by product was v to much shade the tomatoes on the bottom side never ripped
How often do you water before germination. Are trying to keep a constant moisture level? Thanks for the video
I aim for consistently moist soil. Depending on heat and humidity, it's usually at least twice a day but some times three or four.
@@GardenerScott Thanks Scott, cheers mate.
You mentioned in your live stream that you don't use shredded cardboard as mulch because the wind will blow it away. But how do you keep the wind from blowing your straw away?
I mix the straw with leaves. It works well until the plants are big enough to help hold the straw in place.
Nice
What happens if you have a hard rain before the seedlings pop their little heads up?
It might cause some seeds to move around, but the moist soil helps germination.
@@GardenerScott My #singleseedchallenge2020 zucchini round seed planted June 16 sprouted today! I told my daughter she's a mom because the plant will eventually go to her. I have a heating pad to help germinate and 3 grow lights I use until the seedling is strong enough.
I have started a small garden bed in there I have asparagus, cucumber watermelons beans couple a corn stalks, and potato’s . Well the cucumber and watermelon are taking over . Thinking of transplanting asparagus and other veggies to alow the cucumber and watermelon do their thing . What do you think Mr. Scott?
Asparagus does better when planted by itself in a bed without competition. It can be hard to transplant while growing and is best done when dormant.
Gardener Scott, should I use use leftove roofing shingles as weed barrier in my garden, flowers and veggies, as I mix them?
It depends on the type of shingle. Asphalt shingles may not be best because they can leach chemicals.
Thanks to you I just planted my Greenstalk, . Some of the lettuce seeds are so tiny it's hard to judge how many one is putting in. Any advice?
Don't worry too much about that. I always overseed lettuce because it's so hard to tell. After they sprout you can pull out extra seedlings and just leave a few.
Hi Gardener Scott, we're preparing a raised bed for planting seeds soon. How firm should the soil be?
Ideally the soil should be loose so small roots can grow easily. If you try to push your finger in the soil and you meet a lot of resistance, it's too firm.
@@GardenerScott thank you! I've learned a lot from your channel!
When i direct sow, for example kale, and some germinated but some don’t...is that because of bad seeds or is it because of something else?
It could be soil temperature, low moisture, bad seed, or a delay and other seeds will germinate later.
Gardener Scott: I understand thank you 🙏
OMG I mentioned in another episode about wanting a shirt like that. Where can I buy it? :)
It is available in his store
Thanks! You can click the links below my videos or click here: ua-cam.com/channels/WsI0LmiDyezbnN2JCL4P9w.htmlstore
@@GardenerScott Got one!
If I grow a watermelon plant in a grow bag should it stay in the bag or will I have to take it out and put it in the garden?
If it's a big bag you can try leaving it. Watermelons don't like their roots disturbed when transplanting. If the plants are still small, the garden may give more room for the plants and roots to grow.
What are you going to do for the trellis?
I have different trellises for different plants based on their growing height.
After planting do you put mulch over the seed or do you mulch after plant come up
I usually put a light layer of dried grass to start and then add mulch as the plants grow.
Hello, gardener Scott! I have my first year garden in Fort Morgan, CO where it's really hot and sunny now (mid June). I understand that your garden is also in CO. I see that this video is posted on June 3. Did you film it recently? Can you still sow cucumbers and squash directly in the soil in this area? Thank you very much in advance!
I filmed it just a few days before posting. I just started some cucumber seeds last week and some squash yesterday. It's not too late if it's a variety with a shorter growing season.
I filmed it just a few days before posting. I just started some cucumber seeds last week and some squash yesterday. It's not too late if it's a variety with a shorter growing season.
Hiello Gardener Scott got a question for you . I am an accomplished organic gardener but i am facing a weed i have never had to combat before and i need some help the weed is called sow thistle its very evasive . It pops up everywhere any help or advice would be greatly appricated. Thanks in advance also great content on your channel keep up the great work
Thanks. Thistles can be a terrible problem. Like many other pernicious weeds, constant combat is usually the answer. Pull and kill every new plant you see and try not to disturb soil where old seeds might be. If you can stop them from flowering and seeding you'll reduce the population, but it can take years to defeat.
Does this work for green onions as well?
It does.
Another great video! Thank you! Great idea to put watermelons in grow bags. Do you think a 5 gallon grow bag is too small?
Thanks! I know of gardeners who use 5-gallon buckets so it's worth a try,
Depends on the type of watermelon.
The smaller variety will work. Just be sure to water often! Bags get dry quick! And you was off nutrients. So look at some fertilizer! But the size itself is fine with staking, cause the roots will prune.
I’m realise this question is two years late, but watermelon in grow bags? Incredible. How do they do? Must take a lot of watering.
Yes, it can take a lot of watering because the bags dry out faster than other beds.
I wish I had you for algebra. 😊
I noticed you have cinder blocks on one of your beds. I have access to some and wanted to make a bed with them, but read of heard somewhere that they leach out harmful chemicals into the soil. Have you heard that and if so, how did you overcome that objection? Thank you.
Modern concrete blocks may leach a little lime, but it's usually not a problem. Older blocks made with fly ash did leach chemicals.
@@GardenerScott Thank you
I have a 4' piece of 1/2" pvc. At one ft I've marked it with colored electric tape. I use this for a guide for spacing.
This year I laid down weed mat and making small holes spaced about 1' apart. This should work for plants requiring 1', 2', 3', or 4'. Good for beans, small peppers and determinant tomatoes to large peppers and indeterminate tomatoes. Let's hope it works out. I see alot of work up front and at the end of season when I need to amend the soil. Any thoughts (pros/cons) on using weed mats?
I don't use weed mats. I prefer mulch.
@@GardenerScott I'll see how this year plays out. I already get the feeling while the weed mat might be nice during the season for weed control but for maintenance, like amending the soil will be much harder. I wish I had known about the mulch idea before installing the weed mat. My beds are the same level as the walk paths but I could always use T Post or some other stake to mark the corners of the beds.
When using grass clippings for light mulching, is there worry of weeds growing from the clippings. I have a weedy (dandelions mostly) yard so should I not use my clippings???
Most lawn grass is cut before it gets high enough to grow seeds so it's not a concern. I would be cautious using grass from an area where active weeds are growing that have gone to seed.
Gardener Scott okay great. Thank you very much.
This grass clippings idea is great! I was wondering what to use as a light mulch while the seeds germinate. I live in zone 11b so very hot in the summers. Any alternatives to grass clippings since my yard is also weedy? How do you protect the young seedlings once they emerge?
I use heirloom seeds for generations of home growers. How do I figure the times? All are currently germinated since April. Various peppers, tomatoes, squashes, herbs, filled with a ton of recycled foods we store and spin all year. Help!
The time for sowing depends on the plant and how long it takes to grow until harvest. The warm season plants you list will grow during summer and be killed by frost.
Am I mistaken, does that bed have a huge gap on one side of it where the boards are supposed to meet?
It does. After I built the bed one of the boards warped. I inserted shingles between the soil and boards to keep the soil in and filmed it for a future video about what can go wrong in the garden.
Hay for coverage...salt hay or regular hay? What are differences?
They are different plants. Both can work as mulch.
Can we direct sow tomato and cabbage seeds ??
Yes. They can take many months to grow. If your growing season is long enough you can start from seed.
@@GardenerScott many months ? But why scott
Why it takes lots of time while direct sowing?
I don't know if anyone can answer this, but if you direct sow the seeds and water them in, but then they dry out (say a day or two into the process), is it a complete loss or can they be rejuvenated by consistent watering afterwards?
It depends on the seed and far along they are in germinating. They could be killed. The only way to know is if they break the surface and grow within normal germination time.
How much watering should we do than
Use as much water as the soil needs to stay consistently moist.
Are there certain seeds you like to soak overnight?
Many of the big seeds like peas can benefit from a soaking. Some like nasturtium are hard to germinate without soaking. Many native plants with very hard seeds can benefit from soaking too.
@@GardenerScott Good to know that it varies. I soaked my corn seeds and then the eggplant seeds said it is good to soak them so I will do that.
For size reference purposes, can I ask the size of the t-shirt you are wearing. I would like to buy one for my dad.:)
It's a large. Thanks!
Will you be going through "The Best Ways To Plant Corn"?
I will, but not this season. I'm still preparing the area where I'll plant corn next year.
@@GardenerScott Thank you!
i planted corn in a large bed
planted them 5cm/2inch deep using a broken mop stick in moist soil
also mixed some compost with urine activated biochar in 5:1 proportion and spread it over and put some to fill the holes
even tho i presoaked then for like 24hours, it took 10days for 1st ones to spout
and now its 18days and and around 50% sprooted, not sure if watering once every 2-3days is to blame or germination rate for for those seeds and at this depth is low
How do you get rid of nematodes?
Consider crop rotation and look into solarization.
:-) Have a nice day!
Thanks! Who's in the Air Force, if you don't mind? Pic by your dining room table
That's me. Many years ago.
@@GardenerScott Thank you for your service! This is AF base #3 in 3 years, 3 new gardens in 3 years for me.
Why plant cucumbers that close together in a garden bed, don't they vine?
I use trellises so the vines grow vertically. I show it in this cucumber video: ua-cam.com/video/P3xGnALoZc8/v-deo.html
☺️👍👍👍👌
? Mr Scott. Why do you hace hay on some of your bed and play soil in others
When I sow seeds I wait until they sprout and grow before I add the straw mulch. In beds with bigger plants the mulch is already in place.