I used to (well the last two years that I have grown veggies) sow outdoors, partly because I found it less daunting as a novice and partly because I didn't have the space to start seeds off in doors.
Well this year, armed with all I have learnt in my previous growing seasons, I have cleared off all the windowsills in the flat, (had to stop myself from clearing off my sons bedroom windowsill too) and have decided to use them to sow my seeds in doors.
My plan is to start off some early in doors and then do a later sowing outdoors. By staggering the sowing in this way I hope to lengthen my growing season and to have veggies ripening at different times so I won't have too much of a glut.
I am a novice and have no idea if it will actually work but the theory seems sound to me.
It is important to use a special compost for growing seeds as these contain the right balance of nutrients and fertiliser to promote healthy growth for young plants. Special seed compost is also a lot lighter than other types of compost so the little seedlings can fight their way through.
Don't use a homemade compost or a pure wormcast for sowing seeds. Vegetable seeds need a sterile soil with no weed seeds or pathogens that might damage the young seedlings. Homemade compost is also to rich in nutrients for seedlings, you don't want to over feed them.
All kinds of container are suitable for sowing seeds, including plastic trays, yoghurt (or similar) pots, egg boxes, loo roll and kitchen roll tubes. It is also possible to make your own pots out of newspaper.
The cardboard tubes and newspaper pots make wonderful biodegradable pots and are especially useful for larger seeds such as peas that grow long roots and other seedlings that do not like to have their roots disturbed. These pots can be planted directly in to the soil and will breakdown overtime as the plant grows.
It is best to follow the instructions on the packet for how to plant the seed, how deep to plant in the soil, whether to cover the seed etc. Water the compost gently and lightly after planting the seeds otherwise you will find them floating off all over the place. The pots should then be covered with glass, perspex or clear plastic to keep the seeds warm and humid.
Keep the seeds in a dark place or cover with newspaper. Check them every few days to see if there is any signs of tiny plant life. As soon as you see the little green shoots move the pot to a light area like a sunny windowsill.Different seeds will sprout and grow (germinate) at different times, so check your seed packets.
If that all sounds too much for you, then just wait until later in the year and plant the seeds directly in to the soil.
You might also like:
My tips on planning an edible vegetable garden 