Beginners can really get caught up to speed just by spending 15 minutes with Ben here. Even experienced gardeners can benefit from a refresh and a new tip or two. Well done sir!
That’s why I’m here. Started gardening less than 2 weeks ago 😂❤ 9 sunflowers popped above ground :) but I think I killed a bunch of seeds in trays 😢 Live and learn (and get educated) ❤❤❤❤❤
A few years ago I started converting my backyard into a cottage inspired kitchen garden. Your videos have a great source of knowledge, humor and inspiration. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us!
I don't have fancy lights or heat mats but instead use polystyrene sheets that I have recycled from previous deliveries to make an "incubator" for my seeds. The sheets help with keeping things warm and because they are white they also help with light reflection back onto the seeds to keep them straight. I simply put my seeds on a table in front of the window and make a fence around the seeds with the polystyrene and some tape. I've been reusing the polystyrene for years now and it seems to really help.
What a great idea! I don’t have electric (only generators & solar) but I can easily get hold of polystyrene. Thanks for sharing this brilliant idea! 👍🌻
Oh thanks that's a great idea I have old polystyrene I kept for packing some day this is totally accessible to me. I've used milk bottles for tiny greenhouses before looked like a trash bin in my windows but worked and didn't cos me to buy seed trays. Was great for coriander. And tomatoes.
Thank you Ben for all the hard work you put into your videos. They are a delight to watch and full of such helpful information, I'm getting so much from watching them!
Your demeanor and ways of presenting…including your humor…informative ways to handle seed starting, planting, tending, and harvesting the garden items is very well received. Your straight forward and brief-to-the-point advice has helped us get better and abundant harvests. Much appreciated. Oh, and I learned a few things in this video. Keep them coming.
I'm saving this video as a reference when I begin to sow my seeds this year. Another tip I use is to have a fan gently circulating air around tomato seedlings. Makes them grow nice, thick stalks. ~ Sandra
Don't forget the peppers as well! There was a very noticeable difference in stem thickness with my peppers that had constant fan airflow vs. the peppers that just had open window air exchange. The fan created woody stems a lot sooner, as well.👍
While we don't condone violence on this channel ... but let's rough up our seeds! That cracked me up! I started watching your channel in August, when me and my husband bought our first garden in very bad shape. I have made an awesome compost heap that is now half full thanks to the many leaves of the fall and all the kitchen scraps we've collected and dumped there. This February will be my first ever time trying to sow seeds! I can't wait to see the results! Thank you for the awesome videos that kept me entertained on boring winter days!
I missed the part WHY he was using the tea from being too disturbed by the chicken squirting 🤪 so had to watch it again. Hmm, mankind. The only animal that feels it needs to hide when pooping. Something that STEMS from the GARDEN maybe? 😆
I LOVE the idea of using an ice cube tray for soaking seeds....genius! I will give that a shot this season as I'm usually too lazy to soak (except my sweat pea flowers). And it's always great to see Rosie, she's such a cutie. Thanks for the great tips and I always appreciate your videos! I'm so excited to start seeds next month, woo hoo.
I soak basil and use a pipette with the tip slightly cut off to make the opening a little bigger, and use it to suck up seeds, then squirt them into the soil.
I wish I had seen this video sooner! This is exactly the sort of video I have been looking for! Starting from seeds can feel daunting, but here it’s broken down easily. Next I need a good video like this about preventing pests
This is by far the best gardening video on the web, spot on with everything. The practices shown are tried and true, and it's awesome you are sharing them, so cool, thank you so much, I hope every gardener watches this. If I could just mention my own technique (sorry), which is using "old school" christmas lights as heat source. Has to be c7, the stuff from us old-timers' childhood. Table/lights/a rise (2x4), grates/pots. Obviously cant regulate heat via thermostat, but can lower or raise with the addition of extra strings of lights. I have been doing this in unheated areas for more than a decade, and am currently using it to heat a simple but effective hydroponic setup. I hope I'm not sounding arrogant, just trying to help. Thanks again for all you do, most righteous.
@@GrowVeg Oh bless you. You're a busy man so I appreciate it. I'll be checking back here when I come to gardening. I need to make some raised beds sooner rather than later I think
Thank you for covering the two areas that I have always had issues with: hydrophobic soil and how to properly prepare seeds for planting. Your tutorial relieves my mind greatly and inspires me very much!
Brilliant, thank you Ben. I’m a relatively experienced gardener and there are some great tips in there that had never crossed my mind. Really useful…a video that I’m sure to revisit. Ps great that you’ve posted lists. Again, really useful reference point and no doubt helps to make this video evergreen (pardon the pun) 😊
Such a great, peaceful gardening video. Thank you. A friend and I have had so many gardening adventures in our desert gardens. The first year, the mice ate all the watermelon seeds. We had to replant three times. Once the plants finally started growing, the early morning 'desert dew,' that is humidity, caused the young plants to wilt. As the weather changed, the intense sun burned the fruit ! We have moved on to peppers and some herbs which do well in the sun, and started growing grasses for the animals. Sometimes we just have to be guided by the land itself.
Great update as always Ben. I have never sown celery before and I bought some to try, they were pelleted and the package said soak 🤷♀️ so I did. You got it I had a nice mushy sludge in the dish but I sowed anyway 🙏. I’m going to be using the chitting method for lots this year. Have a great day from 🥶🥶 minus 14c 🇨🇦, Ali
Already have practiced some of these, but some I had never heard of doing. I'm quite excited to try the new to me ones! My germination for peppers has been low or takes so long. I love tea, especially chamomile. The sandpaper one is also on my list to try! Thank you for sharing!
Hi! Been enjoying your gardening videos, thank you. Please consider doing a video on growing fruit trees from seed please. I can’t afford the apple trees at the nursery…
My husband and I want to add a couple of fruit trees as well. Definitely an apple, not sure about the second. SW Ohio, US, here. Videos would be appreciated.
Many thanks for yet another great video packed full of advice and tips. I have always had problems with seed germination. Hopefully this tear I will have better success 😊
How does this guy know me so well? Reminding me to label everything like he's been around every time I say, "I'll remember." And flash forward a week and I'm looking at a seedling like, "Now what the heck are you?"
I recall sowing a full packet of rosemary a couple of years ago. 2 years of date left. Done in the same compost, same watering and temperature in the greenhouse. Was approx 30 seeds. One germinated. Planned on giving away many to my family and neighbours. Still have the solitary plant today and it's a beauty.
That is still better than nothing. But rosemary is very easy to root esp in water, I do about 10cm long cutting and put it in a jar of water on the window sill, within 2- 3 weeks you get healthy roots. Semi hardwood works fine. Mint will root within a week. Once I tried with 5-6 sage twigs from supermarket, only one rooted, but the remaining could be too softwood.
Great tips, thanks. After years of doing it, I still get a thrill from seeing seeds germinate. My own tips gleaned through trial and error include learning which seeds need to be out of freshly opened sealed packs. Old parsnip seeds for example are more trouble than they're worth but I've germinated lettuce seeds years after their expiry date. Having an idea of germination rate it useful too. With tomatoes on the window sill, I get 100% germination and rarely sow more than 6 seeds (in a disposable coffee mug) as my greenhouse will only take 6 plants. I get close to 100% germination with hollyhock seeds but lose at least half that die away early in growth, and so always sow plenty. For peas, beans, and especially sweet corn, I do a variation of the damp paper plastic bag but instead of damp paper, I use a sprinkling of damp compost in a plastic bag and keep them there until they sprout and begin to show seed leafs.
Ah great I always have old seeds ..last year I laid a few on a pizza box and damped it down with a mister and saw which ones sprouted and which just went moldy and died and did nothing then I didn't plant anything at all whatsoever 😂
I like the ice cube tray to soak multiple seeds. For my chilli's, i used paper mache/ cow pot cells and put them in a small tesco profiterole tub as a dome propagator and placed it on the window sill next to the radiator in the living room and then moved it under grow lights once they germinated a week later.
With so many gardening videos available on yt I prefer yours. Your enthusiasm is contageous. You waste no time explaining (the standard from other channels is a not needed long intro) and gosh it's really good advice. Your smile gives an upbeat, cute vibe of a bob ross for gardens. 😂❤ What is there not to like? Makes me wanna take up gardening asap!
Growing down in Florida. Thank you for your knowledge. I appreciated the difference in seed temperature! Here we can't grow what you grow up north but we can grow what you can't up north! And that is awesome. And knowing the difference is key to making a good garden turn into a bad garden.
Most of these tips I already know and use, but I really like your idea of soaking seeds in an ice cube tray. With or without hydrogen peroxide, putting each type of seed in its own little pocket saves a lot of space on the table.
When he said birds eat seeds then spread them in their droppings and then said he puts seeds in a cup of Camomile tea and drinks the tea I thought he was going to show us a novel way to spread the seeds.
I just really like how enthusiastic you are! The cool season crops are the ones that are the most difficult to get out because our spring is so wet, it rains right up until it doesn't and then it's just hot lately. However it's never too late to try. Who knows, it could happen.
Good morning Ben, good advice regarding our precious seeds! I by accident I found by leaving the garlic in just a touch of water makes them sprout and you can judge here to see healthy cloves or dud ones. I also like to soak the hard outer seeds in water, it does help to get them germinated sooner. Almost just common sense. A gardener's work is never done, there is always something to be done, clearing, cutting back, sowing, germinating you name it, hence you will have a flourishing vegetable patch and flower border. Thank you for sharing and showing how to get better results it will even get some to become enthusiastic and start sowing, even indoors. Have a great planting and planning day. Kind regards.
Am so glad the temperatures are given in both units, esp for someone like me who never grasped Fahrenheit. Centigrade is the only temperature I can relate to easily. Thankyou.
HI there from NZ. This is such a helpful video. I will be watching it again and again. I took heaps of photos. And, I will write down all the tables and make a chart that I can print out. Thank you for taking you valuable time to make a very much needed video!
This is my first time ever using heating pads and I’ve noticed a remarkable difference already! Just subbed to your channel and so happy I found your channel! ❤
I am totally new never grown any vegetables this video has helped me a lot to understand what I need to do and how to do it thank you very much I have subscribed to your channel for more help as I progress ❤😊
Fantastic video, thank you so much! In my journey of home growing I've found germinating the seeds in water works best for me. No soil, tray or pots. Did it with tomatoes, sage, rosemary and basil and it's great. Once root come out I transfer the seeds gently to the earlier prepared nursery pots. This do far has given the best germination rate (like 99%)!
We have a balcony, it is our second year here. This video is the best for beginners, lots of useful information! Thank you for sharing and showing us we have so many options!
A great recap, reminded me of many things my dad taught me. Always looking to learn something new. I will say, that bit about the camomile tea was fresh for me! 4:53 Awesome video!
I'll be pre-germinating my parsnip seeds this year! I followed "traditional" gardeners advice last year and sowed them direct on the 1st of May. Out of 250 seeds (Gladiator F1), this winter I had a total of 3 Parsnips! I think even if its not "traditional", if I use the paper towel trick or even the old pea-drainpipe trick for parsnips, I'm bound to get more than 3!
Definitely worth a try! Also be sure to keep the sown area moist as the seedlings appear. And use fresh seed - parsnip seed doesn't last for long. Usually around two years max.
Wow! So many golden pieces of advice. I learned the hard way that sowing too soon won't get my seedlings started. Actually they rotted 😅 Thank you so much for sharing so much valuable knowledge ❤
Wet compost is a great tip! I had a bag of compost left outside in the rain before sewing and had great results, However its was much colder so I made sure to keep the pots warm to balance it all out.
With such a short growing season here in 6b of the Pacific Northwest, starting seeds indoors is really important. Some seeds I see are just too small, such as milkweed or yarrow. Thanks for the very fine tips sir.
You may want to try winter sowing in plastic gallon water jugs. I start many cool weather crops outdoors that way. I started yarrow, echinacea, alyssum, spinach, artichoke and many more and I live in Ct
Awesome video once again!! I've been watching your videos since you started & seen how your channel has grown... I've always thought every video you've done is top notch & professional. You have helped me out so much with all these simple tips & tricks to make life easier, whilst gardening! I also have a question, where did you get your Hand Sprayer from? as it looks good quality. Also Keep up the good work Ben... 👍🙂
Really helpful tips here, thank you..I’ve pre sprouted sweet peas before, with really good success (& less wastage of seed compost) but not tried with other seeds yet…
You can use warm water instead of a heat mat. I like to pour half a gallon of rain into a pot, boil it and pour it back into the other half that’s cold. This works great to start seeds.
Once again great advice, I have learnt so much from your videos. For the first time last year I had problems getting sugar snap peas to germinate: same brand seeds and sowing time as had used for years. I remembered your tip about testing germination on damp kitchen towel, more seeds from the same packet germinated without problem so I pushed those into my gutter length of compost and away they grew. Still no idea why my first 2 sowings direct into compost failed (seeds just rotted in the compost) but I will be pre-germinating this year so that I don’t lose the first few weeks of our short North Yorkshire growing window. One TH-cam video advised that sugar snaps could be sown much later in the year than I had tried previously. I followed that advice and the plants grew beautifully, unfortunately although there were plenty of flowers, we had very few pods because there were no insects flying around to pollinate. Still pretty plants though, lovely white flowers against a fresh green background right through December.
Just checked photos, the last pod was picked 26th November, plenty of flowers after that but no pollination so no fruit. Beautiful plants though. Reduced to leeks and herbs now, I did note that a few very late lettuce are still alive but am guessing they won’t be good to eat. Never mind, seed potatoes bought yesterday and now sitting in egg boxes until we have more days light. Uncertain about tomatoes and capsicums for the coming year, certainly no more “gourmandia” tomatoes, curious about RHS Tomande, described as improved “marmande”, might be our experiment for this year. Wishing we had more space! Thanks again for all of your inspiring videos and for taking the time to respond to comments.
I can’t wait to watch this tomorrow while sipping coffee. Liked and subscribed already. Do you have any tips for berries? Would compost be sufficient or do I really need more acidic soil? Thank you in advance
So pleased you've found the channel and subscribed - welcome! Berries vary in their soil/compost requirements. Raspberries and related berries like it ever so slightly acidic, while blueberries need it really very acidic, but you can buy special compost for those. More on all this in this video: th-cam.com/video/iLDFEesvrS0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=4sQTNx5C8itZrpN_
I view a LOT of gardening vids, but many I just can’t get through - too yack-y to be helpful or just irritating. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this & found really good clear info. I think it will be very helpful this year. Love the ‘get to it’ attitude.
Timely and great information, Ben! As always, your videos are so informative and get straight to the point. We appreciate that so much! Thanks for these tips!
Brillant tips.Thankyou I thought I was doing it wrong . But that temp chart was brillant I’m sure everyone on this channel knows this and it’s really a lil extension of some of the tips . if you lack any real space and want to germinate a few seeds pop them in sand paper lined match box give them a shake to scarify “ but here is the clever bit if yo have no heat bed or germination cover. Cover them on a lil piece of damp kitchen paper and stick it in a li air sealed lol plastic bag to germinate. And pop it near a warm area 0:15 After few days all the seeds are popping open to say hello . 😂😂😂 I didn’t see the end . Lol he does it there pfft
Love this , any reason for a tea and roughing up a seed every now and again 😃 my channel is about cooking veg so I plan on growing lots this year , and this is my go to grow veg channel
Thanks ben for another fab video, i have never had any luck with the bag method or with pelleted seeds , in normal seed trays and compost i always have excellent germination go figure lol , i have given up on pelleted seeds , give rosie a kiss xx
I saw a video on how to start my canna seeds. It said to nick them with a saw. I tried and tried to no avail. Then I decided to soak the seeds in a glass of water over several days. Lo and behold roots began to poke through! Into a pot they went. Success without losing any fingers. 😂
I knew a commercial Brassica seedling grower. When the plants got to a certain size, he would stop feeding for the last week. Just water. This forced them in to a dormant state. Then when they were planted out, they grew faster than others as they came out of that dormant state.
Happy New Year Ben and Rosie! Great presentation with the basics and beyond. I'm now a big fan of winter sowing in jugs that act as mini green houses. Nature takes care of much of the process, and the seedlings produced are lush and healthy. I'll try again with some of these methods, but a short bout of inattention (or a weekend away) can result in disaster. As always, you inspire us!
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Beginners can really get caught up to speed just by spending 15 minutes with Ben here. Even experienced gardeners can benefit from a refresh and a new tip or two. Well done sir!
Thanks so much - appreciate your kind words. :-)
Couldn't have said it better myself.
That’s why I’m here. Started gardening less than 2 weeks ago 😂❤ 9 sunflowers popped above ground :) but I think I killed a bunch of seeds in trays 😢 Live and learn (and get educated) ❤❤❤❤❤
Beginner here, sitting in front of all my seeds. Super excited to get started and I’m already learning so much 😃
@@mcgritty8842 Might not have been your fault.
Seeds do have a shelf-life.
I have been researching gardening for 40 years now, and this is the best video I've seen on seed starting.
That is an incredible honour. Thank you for saying that. Happy gardening. :-)
W
O
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@@GrowVeg rather go to you then him their mate esspeicly when your proberly under 40 year's of age yourslef
Soaking seeds before planting helped me tremendously.
Lots of tips and tricks. I appreciate your putting up lists and charts to help!!! Seeing it visually helps a lot!
So pleased they helped. Happy gardening! :-)
A few years ago I started converting my backyard into a cottage inspired kitchen garden. Your videos have a great source of knowledge, humor and inspiration. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us!
You are very welcome. So pleased to have been part of your journey. :-)
I've done the same
I don't have fancy lights or heat mats but instead use polystyrene sheets that I have recycled from previous deliveries to make an "incubator" for my seeds. The sheets help with keeping things warm and because they are white they also help with light reflection back onto the seeds to keep them straight. I simply put my seeds on a table in front of the window and make a fence around the seeds with the polystyrene and some tape. I've been reusing the polystyrene for years now and it seems to really help.
What a fantastic method, absolutely love this! :-)
What a great idea! I don’t have electric (only generators & solar) but I can easily get hold of polystyrene. Thanks for sharing this brilliant idea! 👍🌻
I usually surround my grow shelves with foil emergency blankets to keep the light distribution
Oh thanks that's a great idea I have old polystyrene I kept for packing some day this is totally accessible to me. I've used milk bottles for tiny greenhouses before looked like a trash bin in my windows but worked and didn't cos me to buy seed trays. Was great for coriander. And tomatoes.
@@diannew5264haha I have a few of those I've never used they're always in a first aid kit and the last thing to get used!
The top of a refrigerator is also a warm spot to get seeds to germinate
Didn’t think of that- of course, I’ll need a note to remind myself where they are! 👍
oo thank you!
I've done it over my dryer 😂 laundry never stops lol
If you live somewhere with heated flooring, like some bathrooms have, this is also an excellent place to germinate seeds.
@@johnsonjohnson4725
kitchen usually.
Thank you Ben for all the hard work you put into your videos. They are a delight to watch and full of such helpful information, I'm getting so much from watching them!
This, I particularly love the puppy breaks.
That is so so lovely of you to say. Thanks so much. :-)
Your demeanor and ways of presenting…including your humor…informative ways to handle seed starting, planting, tending, and harvesting the garden items is very well received. Your straight forward and brief-to-the-point advice has helped us get better and abundant harvests. Much appreciated. Oh, and I learned a few things in this video. Keep them coming.
That's so lovely to hear, thank you. I'll be sure to keep the videos coming! :-)
I'm saving this video as a reference when I begin to sow my seeds this year. Another tip I use is to have a fan gently circulating air around tomato seedlings. Makes them grow nice, thick stalks.
~ Sandra
That's a really great idea. I think you could also brush your hands gently over the seedlings to help firm them up and mimic the wind.
i blow on my seedlings to strengthen them
Don't forget the peppers as well! There was a very noticeable difference in stem thickness with my peppers that had constant fan airflow vs. the peppers that just had open window air exchange. The fan created woody stems a lot sooner, as well.👍
@@irenemacwilliam530 - I tried that, but got dizzy and fell into my seedling table! lol...
just kidding...
While we don't condone violence on this channel ... but let's rough up our seeds! That cracked me up! I started watching your channel in August, when me and my husband bought our first garden in very bad shape. I have made an awesome compost heap that is now half full thanks to the many leaves of the fall and all the kitchen scraps we've collected and dumped there. This February will be my first ever time trying to sow seeds! I can't wait to see the results! Thank you for the awesome videos that kept me entertained on boring winter days!
I'm sure you will absolutely ace sowing seeds. Good luck with it all and I'm so pleased you found our channel. :-)
Not “ me and my husband”, but “ my husband and I”. Literacy matters.
@@judeirwin2222 thank you Jude, now let's discuss how many foreign languages you speak. English is not all people's first language.
Hmm seems to me like this is all just a thinly-veiled plot to have a cup of chamomile tea... not that that's a bad thing
Good for the soul I reckon!
Lol 😁 love it !
😆
I missed the part WHY he was using the tea from being too disturbed by the chicken squirting 🤪 so had to watch it again. Hmm, mankind. The only animal that feels it needs to hide when pooping. Something that STEMS from the GARDEN maybe? 😆
😂
I LOVE the idea of using an ice cube tray for soaking seeds....genius! I will give that a shot this season as I'm usually too lazy to soak (except my sweat pea flowers). And it's always great to see Rosie, she's such a cutie. Thanks for the great tips and I always appreciate your videos! I'm so excited to start seeds next month, woo hoo.
Thanks for watching. Sowing begins in earnest very soon! :-)
I soak basil and use a pipette with the tip slightly cut off to make the opening a little bigger, and use it to suck up seeds, then squirt them into the soil.
What a fab idea - love it! :-)
So many great tips! I always prespout my sweetcorn but never thought of doing cilantro, thank you for the idea😊
Brilliant! Inspiring information. Many thanks
Wonderful timing! did some retail therapy and have quite some seeds coming my way. This is going to help with getting them to germinate.
Thank you so much. I've watched a lot of videos on seed starting but that was by far the best. The lists were particularly useful.
That's really great to hear. Thanks for watching. :-)
I wish I had seen this video sooner! This is exactly the sort of video I have been looking for! Starting from seeds can feel daunting, but here it’s broken down easily. Next I need a good video like this about preventing pests
We've got you covered for that too: th-cam.com/video/29xCQ1m_xTw/w-d-xo.htmlsi=8gYd87IKGiFJV925
The way to prevent pests is to encourage their predators - flowers in the vege garden do this
This is by far the best gardening video on the web, spot on with everything. The practices shown are tried and true, and it's awesome you are sharing them, so cool, thank you so much, I hope every gardener watches this. If I could just mention my own technique (sorry), which is using "old school" christmas lights as heat source. Has to be c7, the stuff from us old-timers' childhood. Table/lights/a rise (2x4), grates/pots. Obviously cant regulate heat via thermostat, but can lower or raise with the addition of extra strings of lights. I have been doing this in unheated areas for more than a decade, and am currently using it to heat a simple but effective hydroponic setup. I hope I'm not sounding arrogant, just trying to help. Thanks again for all you do, most righteous.
What a fantastic idea - I love this solution - and a great way to repurpose old lights. Love it! :-)
0:35 Master Information. Thats what needed. Excellent work
Your videos always arrive at the perfect time Ben 💪👍🌱
Haha - fab stuff! Keep up the excellent work on your channel. I'm checking in when I can. :-)
@@GrowVeg Oh bless you. You're a busy man so I appreciate it. I'll be checking back here when I come to gardening. I need to make some raised beds sooner rather than later I think
Thank you for covering the two areas that I have always had issues with: hydrophobic soil and how to properly prepare seeds for planting. Your tutorial relieves my mind greatly and inspires me very much!
That's great to hear. Appreciate your comment. :-)
Brilliant, thank you Ben. I’m a relatively experienced gardener and there are some great tips in there that had never crossed my mind. Really useful…a video that I’m sure to revisit. Ps great that you’ve posted lists. Again, really useful reference point and no doubt helps to make this video evergreen (pardon the pun) 😊
That is so lovely of you to say. I’m so pleased you found this video useful. Happy gardening! :-)
A lot of good advice. Nothing puts beginners off gardening more than failure with seeds.
Even as an Australian viewer, I found so much value in this video. Thanks for sharing the knowledge.
I'm so pleased. Thanks for watching. :-)
But since you are in the Southern Hemisphere, make sure you do everything in reverse...
Such a great, peaceful gardening video. Thank you. A friend and I have had so many gardening adventures in our desert gardens. The first year, the mice ate all the watermelon seeds. We had to replant three times. Once the plants finally started growing, the early morning 'desert dew,' that is humidity, caused the young plants to wilt. As the weather changed, the intense sun burned the fruit ! We have moved on to peppers and some herbs which do well in the sun, and started growing grasses for the animals. Sometimes we just have to be guided by the land itself.
Yes, it is definitely worth concentrating on what grow best in your climate. Sounds like you have a very challenging set of growing conditions though!
Great update as always Ben. I have never sown celery before and I bought some to try, they were pelleted and the package said soak 🤷♀️ so I did. You got it I had a nice mushy sludge in the dish but I sowed anyway 🙏. I’m going to be using the chitting method for lots this year. Have a great day from 🥶🥶 minus 14c 🇨🇦, Ali
Yes, the chitting method is very handy. -14C is incredibly fresh. Keep warm! :-)
Great video to watch as the snow falls. Very informative too. Thank you!
H202 is absolutely one of the best, PROVEN (in research) assister in germination rates.
Great tips, particularly soaking garlic cloves, I'm off to do that now!
Already have practiced some of these, but some I had never heard of doing. I'm quite excited to try the new to me ones! My germination for peppers has been low or takes so long. I love tea, especially chamomile. The sandpaper one is also on my list to try!
Thank you for sharing!
So pleased this has offered a few new ideas. :-)
I dusted off my garden planner this morning, perfect timing!
Fab stuff! :-)
Excellent tutorial Ben and the team. So valuable is the information here, I just keep on learning from you guys. Thanks very much.
So pleased. Thanks for watching Mike. :-)
Great idea about the pre-sprouting so you'll know exactly how many germinated seeds you have! I'm off to buy a Matabi now😂
Hi! Been enjoying your gardening videos, thank you. Please consider doing a video on growing fruit trees from seed please. I can’t afford the apple trees at the nursery…
Thanks for your kind words. Will definitely consider this for future video. :-)
My husband and I want to add a couple of fruit trees as well. Definitely an apple, not sure about the second. SW Ohio, US, here. Videos would be appreciated.
Thank you, Ben! We actually have snow at the moment so it will be awhile before we can plant outside but these tips will be helpful!
One of the best gardening videos I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen thousands. Great job.
Oh wow - thank you so much! Really appreciate it. :-)
Many thanks for yet another great video packed full of advice and tips. I have always had problems with seed germination. Hopefully this tear I will have better success 😊
I'm sure you will. :-)
How does this guy know me so well? Reminding me to label everything like he's been around every time I say, "I'll remember." And flash forward a week and I'm looking at a seedling like, "Now what the heck are you?"
I recall sowing a full packet of rosemary a couple of years ago. 2 years of date left. Done in the same compost, same watering and temperature in the greenhouse. Was approx 30 seeds. One germinated. Planned on giving away many to my family and neighbours. Still have the solitary plant today and it's a beauty.
I am so pleased you at least got one decent plants from it. :-)
@@GrowVeg had many improved meals from it, especially roast potatoes.
That is still better than nothing. But rosemary is very easy to root esp in water, I do about 10cm long cutting and put it in a jar of water on the window sill, within 2- 3 weeks you get healthy roots. Semi hardwood works fine. Mint will root within a week. Once I tried with 5-6 sage twigs from supermarket, only one rooted, but the remaining could be too softwood.
Great tips, thanks. After years of doing it, I still get a thrill from seeing seeds germinate. My own tips gleaned through trial and error include learning which seeds need to be out of freshly opened sealed packs. Old parsnip seeds for example are more trouble than they're worth but I've germinated lettuce seeds years after their expiry date. Having an idea of germination rate it useful too. With tomatoes on the window sill, I get 100% germination and rarely sow more than 6 seeds (in a disposable coffee mug) as my greenhouse will only take 6 plants. I get close to 100% germination with hollyhock seeds but lose at least half that die away early in growth, and so always sow plenty. For peas, beans, and especially sweet corn, I do a variation of the damp paper plastic bag but instead of damp paper, I use a sprinkling of damp compost in a plastic bag and keep them there until they sprout and begin to show seed leafs.
Some really great advice there. Thanks so much. :-)
Ah great I always have old seeds ..last year I laid a few on a pizza box and damped it down with a mister and saw which ones sprouted and which just went moldy and died and did nothing then I didn't plant anything at all whatsoever 😂
thanks for this teaching video, it helps a beginner like me.
I like the ice cube tray to soak multiple seeds. For my chilli's, i used paper mache/ cow pot cells and put them in a small tesco profiterole tub as a dome propagator and placed it on the window sill next to the radiator in the living room and then moved it under grow lights once they germinated a week later.
What a fantastic method you have there. Love it! :-)
Great information in this video (as usual) thank you 🙏🏼
Thanks my friend!!! Well needed information!!!
THANK YOU!!!! What a BIG help!❤
Starting spring seeds past few days, this info will make it waaaaay easier! Thx!🥬🥒🫑🍈🍎🍅🫛🥦🌶
So pleased you found the video useful. Thanks for watching! :-)
With so many gardening videos available on yt I prefer yours. Your enthusiasm is contageous. You waste no time explaining (the standard from other channels is a not needed long intro) and gosh it's really good advice. Your smile gives an upbeat, cute vibe of a bob ross for gardens. 😂❤ What is there not to like? Makes me wanna take up gardening asap!
Thanks so much. This is so lovely to read! Happy gardening! :-)
North American youtubers especially tend to do minutes long introductions which essentially rehash the title.
Growing down in Florida. Thank you for your knowledge. I appreciated the difference in seed temperature! Here we can't grow what you grow up north but we can grow what you can't up north! And that is awesome. And knowing the difference is key to making a good garden turn into a bad garden.
Absolutely. You guys must enjoy a lovely long growing season at least. :-)
Most of these tips I already know and use, but I really like your idea of soaking seeds in an ice cube tray. With or without hydrogen peroxide, putting each type of seed in its own little pocket saves a lot of space on the table.
Yes indeed, it saves so much space. :-)
When he said birds eat seeds then spread them in their droppings and then said he puts seeds in a cup of Camomile tea and drinks the tea I thought he was going to show us a novel way to spread the seeds.
That certainly would have been a very novel way!
I just really like how enthusiastic you are! The cool season crops are the ones that are the most difficult to get out because our spring is so wet, it rains right up until it doesn't and then it's just hot lately. However it's never too late to try. Who knows, it could happen.
Fingers crossed it will happen. :-)
Good morning Ben, good advice regarding our precious seeds! I by accident I found by leaving the garlic in just a touch of water makes them sprout and you can judge here to see healthy cloves or dud ones. I also like to soak the hard outer seeds in water, it does help to get them germinated sooner. Almost just common sense. A gardener's work is never done, there is always something to be done, clearing, cutting back, sowing, germinating you name it, hence you will have a flourishing vegetable patch and flower border. Thank you for sharing and showing how to get better results it will even get some to become enthusiastic and start sowing, even indoors. Have a great planting and planning day. Kind regards.
Thanks so much. As you say, a gardener’s work is never done. Keeps us busy, hey?! 😀
This is wonderfully wise counsel. Thank you very much.
I wish I was your neighbor.
That is very kind of you to say. Thanks for your support. 😀
Same
Am so glad the temperatures are given in both units, esp for someone like me who never grasped Fahrenheit. Centigrade is the only temperature I can relate to easily. Thankyou.
HI there from NZ. This is such a helpful video. I will be watching it again and again. I took heaps of photos. And, I will write down all the tables and make a chart that I can print out. Thank you for taking you valuable time to make a very much needed video!
Thanks for watching Martin. You can also find the tables here: www.growveg.com/guides/seed-starting-masterclass-my-blueprint-for-success-every-time//
This is my first time ever using heating pads and I’ve noticed a remarkable difference already! Just subbed to your channel and so happy I found your channel! ❤
So happy you found the channel too. Thanks for subscribing - and a very warm welcome to you! :-)
I am totally new never grown any vegetables this video has helped me a lot to understand what I need to do and how to do it thank you very much I have subscribed to your channel for more help as I progress ❤😊
So pleased you found this video useful. Thanks for subscribing - and a warm welcome to the channel! :-)
Thanks for another great video ❤ the dog's expression 😊
She is rather sweet sometimes! :-)
Fantastic video, thank you so much!
In my journey of home growing I've found germinating the seeds in water works best for me. No soil, tray or pots.
Did it with tomatoes, sage, rosemary and basil and it's great.
Once root come out I transfer the seeds gently to the earlier prepared nursery pots.
This do far has given the best germination rate (like 99%)!
What a fab result! :-)
We have a balcony, it is our second year here. This video is the best for beginners, lots of useful information! Thank you for sharing and showing us we have so many options!
A great recap, reminded me of many things my dad taught me. Always looking to learn something new. I will say, that bit about the camomile tea was fresh for me! 4:53 Awesome video!
It’s my first year starting everything from seed. Very helpful indeed 😊
On top of the fridge also.
Good tips for cold climates.
I'll be pre-germinating my parsnip seeds this year! I followed "traditional" gardeners advice last year and sowed them direct on the 1st of May. Out of 250 seeds (Gladiator F1), this winter I had a total of 3 Parsnips! I think even if its not "traditional", if I use the paper towel trick or even the old pea-drainpipe trick for parsnips, I'm bound to get more than 3!
Definitely worth a try! Also be sure to keep the sown area moist as the seedlings appear. And use fresh seed - parsnip seed doesn't last for long. Usually around two years max.
Wow! So many golden pieces of advice. I learned the hard way that sowing too soon won't get my seedlings started. Actually they rotted 😅 Thank you so much for sharing so much valuable knowledge ❤
Thank you Ben I'll try this for my scarlet runners next year. Very poor germination this year.
Hope you get good germination from them soon. Here’s to a successful growing season! :-)
This video has SO much great information! Thank you! I'm just now beginning to try my hand at gardening and found a lot of great advice here!
Wet compost is a great tip! I had a bag of compost left outside in the rain before sewing and had great results, However its was much colder so I made sure to keep the pots warm to balance it all out.
Wow, this helped a lot. I didn't know about the chamomile tea trick. Thanks for the charts!
So pleased you found this video useful. :-)
With such a short growing season here in 6b of the Pacific Northwest, starting seeds indoors is really important.
Some seeds I see are just too small, such as milkweed or yarrow.
Thanks for the very fine tips sir.
You may want to try winter sowing in plastic gallon water jugs. I start many cool weather crops outdoors that way. I started yarrow, echinacea, alyssum, spinach, artichoke and many more and I live in Ct
Thank you for the kind words. And yes, definitely give the plastic gallon water, jugs method a try. Great suggestion! :-)
@@lgarden7086 Larger surface area to work with. Good tip. Thank you.
Awesome video once again!! I've been watching your videos since you started & seen how your channel has grown... I've always thought every video you've done is top notch & professional. You have helped me out so much with all these simple tips & tricks to make life easier, whilst gardening! I also have a question, where did you get your Hand Sprayer from? as it looks good quality.
Also Keep up the good work Ben... 👍🙂
Google Matabi bottle sprayer
Thank you so much for your kind words. What I’m using as a pump-action hand sprayer. 😀
This is the most interesting thing you have done
And that chart at the start is very helpful
Thank you
Really helpful tips here, thank you..I’ve pre sprouted sweet peas before, with really good success (& less wastage of seed compost) but not tried with other seeds yet…
Very helpful, and perfect timing as I plan my autumn garden, thank you 😃
Super interesting thank you! As a beginner gardener this is really useful info 🙏
You can use warm water instead of a heat mat. I like to pour half a gallon of rain into a pot, boil it and pour it back into the other half that’s cold. This works great to start seeds.
Great idea! :-)
Wouldnt that get cold in a few hours? I thought they took a few days to germinate?
Once again great advice, I have learnt so much from your videos. For the first time last year I had problems getting sugar snap peas to germinate: same brand seeds and sowing time as had used for years. I remembered your tip about testing germination on damp kitchen towel, more seeds from the same packet germinated without problem so I pushed those into my gutter length of compost and away they grew. Still no idea why my first 2 sowings direct into compost failed (seeds just rotted in the compost) but I will be pre-germinating this year so that I don’t lose the first few weeks of our short North Yorkshire growing window.
One TH-cam video advised that sugar snaps could be sown much later in the year than I had tried previously. I followed that advice and the plants grew beautifully, unfortunately although there were plenty of flowers, we had very few pods because there were no insects flying around to pollinate. Still pretty plants though, lovely white flowers against a fresh green background right through December.
Wow, that is very impressive that they were still going all the way to December. Just goes to show what a mild autumn it was. :-)
Just checked photos, the last pod was picked 26th November, plenty of flowers after that but no pollination so no fruit. Beautiful plants though. Reduced to leeks and herbs now, I did note that a few very late lettuce are still alive but am guessing they won’t be good to eat. Never mind, seed potatoes bought yesterday and now sitting in egg boxes until we have more days light. Uncertain about tomatoes and capsicums for the coming year, certainly no more “gourmandia” tomatoes, curious about RHS Tomande, described as improved “marmande”, might be our experiment for this year. Wishing we had more space!
Thanks again for all of your inspiring videos and for taking the time to respond to comments.
I can’t wait to watch this tomorrow while sipping coffee. Liked and subscribed already.
Do you have any tips for berries? Would compost be sufficient or do I really need more acidic soil?
Thank you in advance
So pleased you've found the channel and subscribed - welcome!
Berries vary in their soil/compost requirements. Raspberries and related berries like it ever so slightly acidic, while blueberries need it really very acidic, but you can buy special compost for those. More on all this in this video: th-cam.com/video/iLDFEesvrS0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=4sQTNx5C8itZrpN_
Brill Ben just what I needed right now have sown some early stuff in the tunnel and awaiting a propagator!
Fab stuff - spring is almost here then! :-)
💖 Thank you so very much for sharing your experiences and wisdom!
Thanks for watching. :-)
I view a LOT of gardening vids, but many I just can’t get through - too yack-y to be helpful or just irritating. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this & found really good clear info. I think it will be very helpful this year. Love the ‘get to it’ attitude.
Thanks so much! :-)
Very informative video thank you!!!! Got a lot of useful information watching this as usual
Timely and great information, Ben! As always, your videos are so informative and get straight to the point. We appreciate that so much! Thanks for these tips!
That's really lovely to hear. Thanks for watching! :-)
Brillant tips.Thankyou
I thought I was doing it wrong . But that temp chart was brillant
I’m sure everyone on this channel knows this and it’s really a lil extension of some of the tips . if you lack any real space and want to germinate a few seeds pop them in sand paper lined match box give them a shake to scarify
“ but here is the clever bit if yo have no heat bed or germination cover. Cover them on a lil piece of damp kitchen paper and stick it in a li air sealed lol plastic bag to germinate. And pop it near a warm area 0:15 After few days all the seeds are popping open to say hello .
😂😂😂 I didn’t see the end . Lol he does it there pfft
The word is “ little”, not “lil”. Lazy speech and writing mark you out as semi-literate.
I think this is your best video yet. Great overview!
Oh wow - thank you so much! :-)
Best video you have ever made! Good on ya!
Oh wow - thanks so much!
Thank you very much for taking the time to research these methods and share them with us all.
Much appreciated!!🌱
Love this , any reason for a tea and roughing up a seed every now and again 😃 my channel is about cooking veg so I plan on growing lots this year , and this is my go to grow veg channel
So pleased you enjoy this channel. Will definitely be sure to check out yours once I get a spare moment. :-)
Thanks ben for another fab video, i have never had any luck with the bag method or with pelleted seeds , in normal seed trays and compost i always have excellent germination go figure lol , i have given up on pelleted seeds , give rosie a kiss xx
Will give Rosie a wee kiss. 😀 Hope you have a great start to the growing season. :-)
Great video Ben!
So much information, thank you! I appreciate understanding not just what to do, but also the reasoning behind it.
Great video on seed starting.👍 It has motivated me! It seems your pooch is the best student in your masterclass...so attentive and well mannered.😃
She certainly is... some of the time! :-)
very helpful video!!! Thank you
Just seeing your channel and I really enjoyed it lots of good Info good vibe and adorable little dog helper 😮.
So pleased you're enjoying it - welcome! :-)
I saw a video on how to start my canna seeds. It said to nick them with a saw. I tried and tried to no avail. Then I decided to soak the seeds in a glass of water over several days. Lo and behold roots began to poke through! Into a pot they went. Success without losing any fingers. 😂
That's a superb result! :-)
Thanks for lessons... from across the pond 😊
Thank you, very good info. I pre-sprouted cayenne pepper seeds on paper towels with good results this year.
I knew a commercial Brassica seedling grower. When the plants got to a certain size, he would stop feeding for the last week. Just water. This forced them in to a dormant state. Then when they were planted out, they grew faster than others as they came out of that dormant state.
What a great tip - thank you for sharing this. :-)
Such an informative and easy to understand video, and no unnecessary yapping. You just won a subscriber; I can't wait to binge! Have a great day!
That's jsut wonderful, thank you - and a very warm welcome to the channel! :-)
Happy New Year Ben and Rosie! Great presentation with the basics and beyond. I'm now a big fan of winter sowing in jugs that act as mini green houses. Nature takes care of much of the process, and the seedlings produced are lush and healthy. I'll try again with some of these methods, but a short bout of inattention (or a weekend away) can result in disaster. As always, you inspire us!
Thanks so much. I've tried the mini greenhouse method too - a great idea to get an early start. :-)