What are you sowing methods?

tui34

Just come in from an afternoon of potting shed capers.  Pricked out a few tomatoes and sowed many different seeds.  Most in the plastic house and herbs in a cold frame.

Do you have little habits that you do to ensure that everything takes?  Was thinking about this as I watered the base of the trays after stamping down the compost.  Scattered the seeds and then "sifted" the compost on top, then stamping down again and not watering the final compost.

What do you usually do?

Blue Onion

I sow mainly direct, except for peppers and tomatoes.  I mix my compost about 50% garden soil and 50% general purpose bagged compost.  If the soil is dry, I water it in the bucket while mixing.  I then water the soil from on top to help settle it.  Let it drain, then push a finger in to plant a seed or two per cell.  Stick a label in, and then set it on a sunny windowsil.  Last spring in lock down I didn't bother with a grow light, as my house faces east/west.. the plants spent the morning on the kids bedroom windowsill and the afternoon on the hall landing windowsill.  Then at night I put them back in the boys room to await the sun the following morning.  This year it's back to a sunny window and a grow light.  

Also, brushing and blowing in the seedlings to make them tough and robust.  And getting them outside for a warm afternoon as soon as possible.  Even if it's not time to harden them off.. but rather to get them direct sun and used to exposure.  No greenhouse, so they are destine for the garden.  

Nanny Beach

Same as you T, I don't sow anything direct as a rule, too much competition, (slugs,mice)I did sow some salad leaves,small variety, last autumn and have been picking them, in fact a stir fry yesterday 

tui34

Good morning and thanks for your comments @Blue Onion and @Nanny Beach.  I will plant my seedlings outside around end April/early May depending on the weather.  I live in a hot spot down here but have to contend with (maybe) late spring frosts and mighty winds in May.

Blue Onion

Same.. I won't start my indoor seeds until April.  Just enough to give them a bit of a head start.