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Sowing hardy annual seeds
Posted by: Pippa Greenwood, 10 April 2008, 10.17AM
I'm like a kid in a sweet shop when let loose in a garden centre. Packets of seed are extraordinarily inexpensive when you consider what has gone in to producing them, and I always buy too many. This can cause serious damage to my credit card, especially during the high-risk hardy annual season.
I love sowing seeds and still get a thrill at what can be achieved from just a few packets. Any packet labelled 'hardy annual' (or the abbreviation, 'HA') will do the trick, and there's no need for seed trays, compost or propagators. Just clear the soil, forking it over to remove debris, weeds or larger stones and get sowing.
I use sand from the kids' sandpit to mark out separate areas for each type of seed, and sow in rough rows to make subsequent weeding easier. Kept adequately moist, the seeds will soon germinate, and, after thinning, the plants grow like billy-o. Hardy annuals tend to be more drought tolerant than more highly priced bedding plants, and are pretty resilient. They make for a splendid display that will look great throughout the summer and often well into autumn.
Comments
Marg
11 April 2008, 11.44AM
fallen-angel
12 April 2008, 06.52PM
Polly
14 April 2008, 07.23PM
Sarah from St. George's School Gardening Club
19 April 2008, 10.16PM
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