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How To Plant Seeds In A Basic Seed Tray

How To Plant Seeds In A Basic Seed Tray

Plant Seeds in a Basic Seed Tray. Make an early start on your garden by learning to propagate vegetables in containers. This short, expert led guide tells you all you need to know.

Step 1: You will need

  • seeds
  • basic seed tray
  • striking board
  • firming board
  • sieve
  • soil
  • watering can
  • rose
  • indelible pen
  • white labels

Step 2: Fill the tray

Put the soil into a sieve breaking it up as much as you can with your hand. Sieve the soil over the tray, working the lumps out as you go, keep adding soil and sieving until the tray is over flowing.

Tap the tray, allowing the soil to settle into the corners. Drag the striking board across the top of the seed tray to sweep off the overflow. If you don't have one you can use your hand. Then fit the striking board into the tray, and sweep off about 1 cm of soil.

Step 3: Firm the soil

Use a wooden firming board to push the earth down into the tray until the board is level with the lip. If you don't have one you can use your hand.

Step 4: Water

Turn the rose on the watering can upwards and start running the water at the side of the tray. This will prevent disrupting the soil surface as you water the soil. Pass it over the seeds about 4 times, gently sprinkling the soil.

Step 5: Sow

Open the seed packet and shake a few into the palm of your hand. Take a pinch of seeds and drop them into the soil leaving a little distance between each one.

Step 6: Cover

Most seeds need a covering of soil. Check the seed packet to see if yours do. For demonstration purposes we are going to cover half of the tray so you can see how much soil is needed. The soil cover should be twice the height of the seeds, just a light layer. Then press down again with the firming board.

Step 7: Label

Lastly, you should label your seeds. Use an indelible pen to put the date on one side of the label, and the seed type on the other.

Step 8: Leave to grow

Different seeds require different growing conditions. Check the packet. It's usually somewhere warm and sunny like a greenhouse or a window sill.

To check if the seeds need more water, dig your finger into the soil up to the knuckle. If it doesn't feel moist, water them.