How to Get Started with Sowing: Frequently Asked Questions About Sowing on Your Own

Growing your own plants from seed is fun and very rewarding.

Fortunately, planting your own seeds isn't that hard at all!

Still, sowing seeds is something many novice gardeners feel uncertain about or dread. After all, is all that work really worth it?

Since there are always so many questions about sowing, we’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions about sowing for you here. Of course, they’re arranged in a logical order, so that you’ll know exactly how to get started with sowing.

Of course, a complete step-by-step guide to sowing is a must. We've compiled all our tips for sowing, whether you're sowing outdoors or starting seeds indoors.

Why sow your own seeds?

Sowing seeds requires just a few more steps than planting (young) seedlings…

But it’s even more special when you’ve grown your garden plants yourself from seed. It’s very rewarding. It’s fun to do, and you can start as early as winter. That way, you’re actually bringing the gardening season forward.

Seeds are also ideal if you're looking for very specific or unusual types of plants. The selection of seeds is huge! You can also easily order seeds online and have them delivered to your home. For example, through DeZaden.nl

Are you still unsure whether you should start your own plants from seed?

Then take a look at the costs: plants are expensive, but seeds usually aren't!

Especially if you buy larger plants, you’ll quickly spend a lot of money. A packet of seeds, on the other hand, costs only a fraction of that amount, and there are plenty of plants in a single packet of seeds!

How do you get started with sowing your own plants?

So, sowing isn't as hard as it seems. With the help of these frequently asked questions about sowing, you, too, can get started. By the end of this gardening season, you'll have your first plants grown from seed!

When can you plant seeds?

You can start sowing seeds early by pre-sowing them indoors. You can start pre-sowing as early as mid-February or March. There are even some plants you could start as early as January!

You can start sowing outdoors (directly in the ground) around April or May.

What are some ways to sow seeds?

Pre-sowing or early sowing

Since the growing season in our climate is too short for some plants, or there isn’t enough time for the fruit to ripen during our summers, you can choose to start them indoors. You’ll sow the seeds in seedling pots, which you’ll place indoors in a bright, warm spot. Starting seeds indoors also allows you to enjoy mature plants sooner and is a good way to provide extra protection and care for delicate seedlings.

Sowing outdoors (directly into the ground)

Starting around April or May, you can sow most plants outdoors. Instead of starting them indoors, you can sow them directly into the ground in their desired location. Because this exposes your seedlings to outdoor conditions, it’s especially important to prepare well and pay close attention to the sowing process. Check out our complete Step-by-Step Guide to Sowing Outdoors, for a good start.

What do you need to plant seeds?

When growing outdoors in open ground, you don’t need much more than an empty patch of soil that’s suitable for the plants you want to grow. However, it’s best to prepare the soil beforehand so that it’s ready for sowing. And don’t forget to label your plants.

When sowing indoors (pre-sowing), you’ll need a few more supplies. Think of small pots, seed trays, potting soil or seed-starting mix, containers of water to keep your freshly sown seed trays or pots moist, and labels to clearly identify which seeds—and eventually seedlings—they are. A plant sprayer is also handy, since using a watering can can easily damage delicate seedlings. You’ll need a bright, warm spot to grow your seedlings.

What Is the Step-by-Step Guide for Indoor Sowing (Early Sowing)?

Check it out Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Indoor Pre-Sowing (Early Sowing)

What Is the Step-by-Step Guide to Sowing Outdoors (in Open Ground)?

Check it out Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Direct Seeding (Outdoors, in Open Ground)

Which plants are easy to start from seed?

• Eggplant
• Basil
• Begonia
• Cosmos bipinnatus (cosmos)
• Dahlia
• Lathyrus (sweet pea)
• Poppy
• Peppers
• Petunia
• Salvia (sage)
• Tomatoes
• Sunflower

Which plants are easy to sow directly?

• Alcea (hollyhock)
• Antirrhinum majus (snapdragon)
• Calendula (marigold)
• Centaurea (cornflower)
• Dianthus barbatus (sweet William)
• Foxglove
• Echium (viper's bugloss)
• Erysimum (wallflower)
• Chamomile
• Lobelia
• Myosotis (forget-me-not)
• Oenothera (evening primrose)
• Poppy
• Silene (pink)
• Tagetes (Marigold)
• Tanacetum parthenium (feverfew)
• Tropaeolum majus (nasturtium)
• Verbascum (mullein)
• Viola tricolor (wild violet)