Activities for Kids During the Covid-19 Lockdown: Sowing Seeds

Equipment

• Some trays, pots, yogurt containers or similar
• Spray bottle from shower or window cleaner
• Seed compost or multipurpose seed and potting compost
• Seeds

Time to sow

For annual and half-hardy annuals, February to April. Check the seed packet.

You can use any types of pots, boxes or proper seed trays

Steps

1. Fill the containers almost to the top with seed compost
2. Shake the seeds out onto your hand and scatter evenly over the compost
3. Don't cover very small seeds. Seeds a few mm in diameter can be covered with a sprinkling of compost. Larger seeds such as sunflower seeds should be pushed about 1/2 inches (12mm) below the surface.
4. Water with the spray bottle and keep the compost moist. Only water as needed, not everyday. You can use a watering can, but unless it has a fine sprinkler rose, it can flood the compost and wash away seedlings.
5. Keep the tray in a warm place and cover with a sheet of card to conserve moisture and keep the seeds dark until germination
6. Once the seeds germinate, remove the card and move to a bright place such as a window sill.
7. Transplant into pots once seedlings have their first pair of "true leaves" (the second pair of leaves to appear). Once the plants become large enough, transfer to their final location.

Fill tray with compost

Sprinkle seeds from your hand

Transplant seedlings once they're big enough and have two "true" leaves

Oriental Poppies

My oriental poppies finally bloomed! I collected the seeds of these the year before last and sowed them last year. Poppy seeds are small so they should be sprinkled on the surface of moistened seed compost in a tray and not covered with compost. Cover the tray with aluminium foil, a magazine or whatever and place in a warm are until germination. After about a week, check the tray each day and once germination occurs, uncover the tray immediately to prevent straggling of the seedlings. Keep the compost moist but don't over water. Seedlings can be transplanted into pots after they acquire about 3 pairs of leaves. And watch out for slugs!! Don't transplant into the ground until the plants have become so large that they can survive being partially eaten by these pests.