How to identify seedlings

Posted on May 23, 2013 by greensideupveg

Do you know your lettuce from your parsnip seedlings?

Spot the coriander
(it’s the serrated leaf on the uppermost seedling at the top of the picture, the bottom seedling is a nettle)

Most gardeners like to feel they can identify their favourite plants but when they’re at their itsy bitsy tiny seedling stage, with only their first two seed leaves (known as the cotyledons) it’s a challenge.

Lots of seedlings look the same when they only have two leaves and in many cases it’s not until they’ve developed their next set of leaves, or their ‘true’ leaves, that it becomes clear what plants they will grow up to become.

Would you be able to spot the difference without the labels?

Often plants from the same vegetable families will look remarkably similar as seedlings, which is no surprise as their seeds and flowers are very similar too.

Parsley flowers top, hedgrow cow parsley bottom. Members of Apiaceae familey

Parsley flowers top, hedgerow cow parsley bottom. Members of Apiaceae family

One of the reasons we sow seeds in rows AND LABEL THEM is so that we can distinguish the seeds from the weeds.

I’m no angel here… it’s something I constantly have to remind myself to do, though weeding out an entire sowing of Florence fennel a couple of years ago might finally have cured me of my haphazard habits.

So if I can share any lesson today about how to name seedlings its label, label, label and that means every single pot and every single module if your tray of seedlings has more than one type of seed.

Use lollypop sticks, make plastic labels by cutting up milk cartons or even shave the bark off a twig and write on it if you want to avoid the plastic markers that are available in garden centres, but whatever you do label USING A PERMANENT MARKER. Pencil, felt pen or biro all WASH OFF.

If you don’t you may find you’ll be eating lettuce with your roast potatoes…

Lettuce seedling (thanks for the inspiration for this post @GardenerGareth & @DavidCorscadden)

Quick tip: Sowing Parsnips

Posted on April 6, 2013 by greensideupveg

Have you ever found parsnip germination to be temperamental? I’ve tried sowing them from early February through to May and the most successful germinations have taken place once the temperatures have warmed up, around April and in particular, when I’ve sown them directly on top of multipurpose compost in my vegetable beds.

This year I’ve delayed sowing everything until now as it’s either been too wet or recently, too cold. We’re still not out of the woods in terms of temperatures but I’m taking a gamble and hoping the weather forecasts are correct and that the days, and in particular the nights, should be warming up soon. If they don’t I’ll cover the bed with horticulture fleece to protect the newly sown seeds or seedlings a bit more.

You can see from the picture above how stoney our soil is and no matter how often we pick stones, they still keep coming back! We also have a heavy clay soil and all the books tell us that we shouldn’t grow carrots or parsnips in either soil type, but every year we do and every year they grow (so it’s always worth trying everything out and seeing for yourself).

So my quick tip for successful parsnip germination is: Line the cool clay shallow drill with a layer of multipurpose compost, sow the parsnip seeds then cover them with another layer of compost before finally coving them over with a thin layer of top soil and watering. Then patiently wait to see the little parsnip shoots appear. Germination can take as long as three weeks so don’t despair if nothing happens for a while.

Have you ever had problems growing parsnips?

Look After Your Seeds – Make a Seed Tin/Box

Posted on March 6, 2013 by greensideupveg

Have you ever complained that the seeds you’ve sown haven’t germinated, that you must have been sold a dud packet? I remember thinking something similar years ago. It didn’t occur to me that I might be the one at fault, that I might not have kept my seeds in prime condition. As it transpired, there was no might about it, I’d find seeds tucked away on shelves & in drawers, pockets and boxes and hadn’t realised that they were likely to last a lot longer if they were stored correctly.

I wrote a post a few weeks ago answering the often asked question “how long will my seeds last?” One of the prime considerations for seed longevity is how they’re stored. Seeds are living organisms (albeit dormant ones) and as such need to be treated well.

Most seeds can remain viable for several years if kept in a cool, dry environment – the cooler the better. By keeping your seeds in an airtight tin or container in a cool, dry room (or even in the fridge) you’ll increase their storage life.

It’s never advisable to store seeds in plastic bags which can attract moisture, instead keep them in the foil packets they arrive in or if they’re delivered from your seed supplier in small plastic bags as some of mine were recently, transfer them into brown paper envelopes as soon as they arrive before placing them in a container.

Make a seed storage container

So why make a container and not just throw your seeds into a tin or plastic sandwich box in a muddled heap?

Apart from the fact that specific seed packs are much easier to find if they’re ‘filed’ and you’re not having to rifle through the tin every time you want to sow something, filing them between monthly divider cards will also help with your sowing plans.

How to make your sowing life much easier:

All you need is a good, rectangular or square airtight tin (biscuit or chocolate tins are perfect) to store your seeds in and some cardboard cut to size with the twelve months of the year marked on them.
Sort through your seed packets and take note of the recommended month of sowing. Bare in mind that Ireland is generally a couple of weeks before the UK in terms of sowing dates so if the packet suggests you can sow the seeds from March onwards, think middle to end of March (weather depending) unless you grow your vegetables in a particularly sheltered and sunny garden.
Pop your seed packets in between the dividers.
Filing seeds like this comes into its own when you’re sowing successionally. After you’ve sown a few rows, don’t put the packet back into the original month, place it into the next month as a reminder to sow a few weeks later.

Always check the use by dates and use those seeds first. If you find you have too many why not talk to vegetable growing friends and have a seed swap… you never know what you might end up with!

How long will seeds last?

Posted on January 21, 2013 by greensideupveg

“Can I use last year’s seeds this year?”

and

“how long will my seeds last?”

Both frequently asked questions in almost all workshops but as with many areas of gardening, they’re queries that can’t be replied to with straightforward answers. Moisture content and storage conditions are the two main factors that govern seed viability and as everybody keeps their seeds in different containers and conditions, this will differ from house to shed.

Seed Storage

Seed experts recommend that seeds are stored in sealed containers in cool but not frozen environments (so not in a freezer). My wholesale seed suppliers have advised me that the best storage conditions are in a fridge (I have a shelf totally devoted to the Greenside Up seed collections). It’s also recommended that they’re stored in their original sealed packets (they can be folded once opened) or if not available, seeds should be stored in brown envelopes (which draws moisture away from them).

Advice also given is that seeds generally remain viable for two years from packing, apart from parsnips which should be used within one year. However, it is possible your seeds will last longer (and from my own experience I know most do).

The following is a list that was published in Amateur Gardening that offered the following guidelines for popular vegetable and flower seeds:

Veg and flower seeds and how long they are at their best:

Veg seed	No of years	Flower seed	No of years

Asparagus	3	Ageratum	4
Aubergine	5	Amaranthus	4-5
Beans	3	Anthemis	2
Beetroot	4	Anthirrhium	3-4
Broccoli	5	Calendula	5-6
Brussels sprouts	5	Celosia	4
Cabbage	4-5	Cineraria	3-4
Carrot	3-4	Clarkia	2-3
Cauliflower	4-5	Cosmos	3-4
Celeriac	5	Digitalis	2
Celery	5-6	Eschscholzia	3
Chicory	5	Gaillardia	2-3
Chinese cabbage	5	Godetia	3
Cucumber	5-6	Helianthus	2-3
Endive	3-4	Heliotrope	1-2
Fennel	4	Hollyhock	2-3
Kale	5	Impatiens	2
Kohl rabi	5	Larkspur	1-2
Leek	3	Linaria	3
Lettuce	4-5	Linum	1-2
Marrow	5-6	Lobelia	4
Melon	5	Marigold	2-3
Onion	1-2	Mesembryanthemum	3-4
Parsley	2-3	Myosotis	2
Parsnip	1-2	Nasturtium	5-7
Pea	3	Nicotiana	4-5
Pepper	4	Nigella	2
Pumpkin	4	Pansy	2
Radish	5	Petunia	2-3
Salsify	2	Phlox	2
Scorzonera	2	Salvia	1
Seakale	1-2	Schizanthus	4-5
Spinach	5	Sweet peas	2-3
Sweetcorn	1-2	Sweet William	2
Tomato	4	Viola	1
Turnip	5	Wallflower	4-5
Watercress	5	Zinnia	5-6

Germination Test

If you’re unsure whether your seeds are viable it’s quite easy to check by doing a germination test (and now would be a great time to do it before you go ahead and order more seeds).

Just place ten seeds in a row onto a sheet of damp kitchen paper. Carefully roll up and place them inside a clear plastic bag. Label and keep in a warm place. Check after a few days, then after a week to see if any of the seeds have germinated, ensuring the kitchen paper remains moist. Keep checking. If 8 out of 10 seeds have germinated then you’ll know you have an 80% chance of a decent packet of seeds. If only three germinate, order some new ones.

If you have the space, and aren’t overly worried about what will grow, just empty what you have into the soil and see what happens, you never know you could be in with a few surprises!

Ellis & Roberts 1980 via Kew Gardens

If you’re mathematically minded, it might surprise you (as it did me) that there’s an equation for predicting seed viability. This equation is from the Kew Royal Botanical Gardens website which explains in detail how to use it and others, and how they were configured.

Lastly if you’re looking for advice on how to choose vegetable seeds, here’s a blog post I wrote in 2010 giving some tips and advice.

The Grow Your Own Seeds Gift Collection from Greenside Up ~ How it came to be…

Posted on October 20, 2012 by greensideupveg

This week The Secret Garden on-line shop were able to show you a new collection of seeds created by Dee of Greenside Up. This new Grow Your Own range of seeds offers a practical, environmentally friendly, attractive gift solution that’s ideal for gardeners, grow your own enthusiasts, chefs and home-brewers alike.

Does that sound a bit salesy? If so I apologise, for this new venture that I’m in the midst of takes me to places I’m not very familiar with and I’m learning on my feet!

For those of you that have ever clicked on my website tabs above or who are regular blog readers, you’ll know that for the past three years I’ve been doing my best to help and encourage people to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

My small business started by offering advice to people in their own gardens, which in turn led to the provision of weekly indoor workshops. This was followed by hands on gardening and tutoring in community and country house gardens, helping teenagers to sow and grow, and more recently showing a large group of afterschool club kids how to garden at a family resource centre.

In amongst that there’s been a bit of garden design, project management, writing and raised bed making (thanks to the skills of hubby Ian). If I’m pushed I’ll also stand up and talk to groups about grow your own and community gardening, though I’m still trying to tick the confidence box that comes with the art of public speaking (why it should seem any different to talking and teaching a class beats me)!

So why venture into the craft and retail market with all that bubbling along? Is that not enough to keep a working mum going for the time being?

Well no….not if you’re working at something you love and are passionate about. However busy or challenging it is, you never stop thinking about ways you can improve upon your vocation. Showing people how to grow vegetables, watching their gardens develop and seeing the delight upon their faces when they start to harvest produce they’ve planted, tended and grown is such a rewarding experience! There’s a little voice inside my head that shouts

“Why aren’t more of you doing it!?”

I think I can answer that one as it’s something I’ve been so short of myself this year… time! It takes time to grow your own – how much time depends upon how much you grow… it doesn’t take long to sow a few seeds, pull a few weeds or water a few plants but it takes a bucket load of time if you have half a field of vegetables that you’re trying to tend to on your own (which is why I’m such a fan of community gardens as they share all the work!)

So one of my challenges when I was trying to figure out how I could encourage and help more people to grow their own was how to address the challenge of time. In the end, in developing this gift idea, my thoughts turned back to the first thing I teach in my workshops:

“KISS – KEEP IT SMALL AND SIMPLE”

Most of the seeds in the range can be grown in small gardens and some entirely in containers. The squashes, flowers and herbs can be grown in amongst flowers in beds and borders so you don’t need to go out and create a vegetable garden especially for these seeds, and the chillies can be grown in pots indoors on windowsills if you don’t have a polytunnel or greenhouse. The Grow Your Own Wine range needs a bit more space if you choose to grow the beetroot or parsnip wine, but might just be the little push you needed to get you outside to dig that vegetable bed you’ve been talking about creating for some time now ~ drinking wine made from ingredients that you’ve grown from seed is indescribable, and almost beats the pleasure of taking the first bite out of your first home-grown carrot!

So that was how I came up with the range of seed cards that are initially being offered and there are plans to introduce several more over the coming months..

The people behind the inspiration and a little housekeeping…

A project like this generally doesn’t come together with one person working alone and indeed, it may not have happened at all if I hadn’t had helping hands (or ears) with me along the way.

The initial spark started way back at Christmas when I ran a blog competition with the winners receiving a variety of chilli seeds. I was delighted to read that Nessa of Nessa’s Family Kitchen had sown her seeds when she tweeted a photo:

Can’t get over the amount of chillies on this plant; From just a few seeds I got last Christmas from @greensideupveg twitter.com/Nessa_Robins/s…— Nessa’sFamilyKitchen (@Nessa_Robins) October 2, 2012

Following on from that, in the New Year I met up with three lovely women who I met on twitter and who have since become very supportive and special real life friends – Susan from Vibrant Ireland, Roisin from Creative Dynamix and Catherine from Foxglove Lane. We try to meet every month or two and when we do we often bring a little gift of friendship. My gift at the Thomastown lunch was the Christmas chillies. As the girls opened the envelopes they exclaimed, “you should sell these, what a great idea!” That was all I needed to hear.

Over the following months several people have helped me with the gift range. First and foremost is Jim Juby, friend and global seed expert who has advised and generously shared his advice and contacts so that I can bring you the very best of seeds. Denis Coleman from Innochan Solutions, (who’s also a packaging expert extraordinaire) has advised on the style and was the man behind the QR Code idea that links the seeds to blog posts I’ve written. Bernie McCoy has been a star – not only did she take all the beautiful product photographs you can see in this post that have brought these seed gifts to virtual life, Bernie has also given me excellent mentoring advice whenever our children get together for play dates.

My best friend Elaine has read, proof read, given me card, paper, stamping and cutting advice as well as counted and dried lavender blossoms from her garden that will be included in all the gardening gift box sets. Elaine’s husband Pat gave invaluable advice on branding and I’m so grateful for them being there and encouraging me when at times I was thinking about shelving the idea.

Lastly, it’s unlikely that these gift cards would be available to you now without the support of Brian and Sarah of the Secret Garden Centre who’ve been the first to offer them for sale on their online shop. Brian’s retail advice has been invaluable and after consultations with Brian and then Eamon of The Arboretum Garden Centre, one of the next jobs on the list is to organise stands so that the gift cards can be sold at garden centres and other retail centres around Ireland.

I hope you like this new gift idea and can think of a special person who might like to receive one or two or all of them.

If you’d like to find out more, click the button below to read about the contents of the individual items. All items in the range will be available by the end of the week.

Teaching Growth. Teaching Green.

Category Archives: Seeds