Seed Starting Success: Sow Like a Pro! 🌱 

I am sure it has been said before but your videos are not only very informative but just pleasant and fun to watch. Thank you for all the work you put into trying to help the gardening community!

I love how gardeners all over the world have a favorite stick they use for planting. 😄

Putting the seeds on top of an appliance for warmth is so smart! I never thought of that!

Ben, you are a national treasure. Nay, a global treasure! Not only are your videos incredibly clear, educational, and accessible, you also radiate such a genuine warmth. It’s like the very best of the Great British Bake Off, but for gardening. Thank you!

Aww Ben’s so lovely. I wish he was my neighbour and I could chat to him over the garden fence 😊

When using trays, I always sow just one seed in each cell unit. I achieve redundancy by sowing 3 times the plants I need. Say, I want 4 plants, then I populate all the 12 cells of a small 3 x 4 tray. Even with old seeds, I end up with at least 5-6 beautiful plants. When time comes to plant them outside, I offer the excess to some friends and neighbors, they never go to waste.

Forget Christmas 🎅🏻 I think this is the most wonderful time of the year 🤣 seed starting is the best feeling of hope & new beginnings for the new year. There’s nothing better than getting your hands in the soil again & the smell of damp soil when you open your greenhouse!!! Great video as always Ben 👍🏻 happy gardening everyone 🌱☀️👩‍🌾💚

This guy is adorable and he just saved me from purchasing some unnecessary clutter. I was looking at buying some seedling heating mats but have never used them and didn't know if they were worth the cost. I also just decluttered and am averse to buying things I don't absolutely need. My seedlings will be going on top of my giant, American fridge in my kitchen. Thanks!

I gave my first seeds of the year a bath in a chamomile tea, for a couple of hours. So they could suck full of moisture before they came into the soil. I was really surprised how good that worked. I had the first green leafs on the 3rd day (cocktail tomato and sugar melon). Most sweet peppers showed up after only 7-10 days. That was really incredible. I did the first sowing about 2 weeks ago and added the seeds of salads, radish, onions, chard, brassicas, and some flowers during the following days (based on the moon calender). In between almost every single seed did germanite. It was the first time i tried out the bathing method. I guess i'll keep on doing this for the following sowings. 😊🌱 Wish you all a good start into the new gardening season! 💚

I use an old electric blanket for bottom heat for germination. It works perfectly, especially for the heat loving plants, and especially because my cottage is never overly warm 🤓 Okay, I’m finished binge watching your videos now. Thanks for doing your part to help me get through the winter while I wait for garden season to begin again.

I usually pick one new thing to try in my garden each year. This year, I am trying ground cherries.

LED lights generate little heat. I keep mine 2-4 inches from the seedlings-there is never enough light in the winter (zone 5b).

I've done a lot of seeds and started end of jan so now got some lovely veg growing in the greenhouse.

I've been really liking the Garden Myths (he has a blog and a RU-vid channel) improved kitchen towel/baggy method for sowing seeds. They basically take up almost no room until they've germinated, and then you know that you aren't wasting compost/pots/trays or windowsill space on non-viable seed, or seed that is going to take weeks to germinate. I currently have far more pepper/chili seeds in my tiny propagator than I could fit in there if I'd sown them into pots or module trays. Well worth checking out!

My remarkably sturdy kale is still going strong (about four winters old now I think) and I gathered a bunch of its seeds last year. Planning on planting some of the best looking seeds from that this year. Hoping I’ll manage to gather seeds from them eventually and help to evolve this kale to my environment as much as I can.

That was a super helpful video! I'm starting my first seeds indoor this year and can't wait to see what happens

Ben, I keep harping on the garden planner, but, it has taken a load off of my "when to" list. One big mistake I have been making is my timing. I had no idea a few of my seeds needed to be started outside- only. A couple of days ago, I had my trays and seeds ready. I stopped to check my planner and got a shooo, moment. Outside- in 2 weeks. For new gardeners- the planner will more than pay for itself when you don't lose seedlings for planting at the wrong time, or the wrong location. And, the bigger thing you can save is stress of figuring it all out by yourself! Stick with Ben and most of all- don't stop because you made mistakes. I have been "trying" to grow a garden for 20 years....I refuse to stop trying for those reasons! 😁 It's nice to go outside and see what the squirrels left me for dinner. 😅

I've started seeds indoors the last two years but this video was a real eye opener! Thanks for the exceptional tips!

Watching from cold, snowy Michigan in the US. Still have about 2 feet of snow on the ground and many nights with temps near 0 degrees F. In a couple weeks I'll be starting onions and chives, then a couple weeks later, lettuce.

Every year we get so excited about starting seeds that we start too soon. Not ready a bad idea, but they get so big and we have so many that we run out of room. We don't have a greenhouse, so in the house they stay. I did purchase two smaller greenhouse/netting set ups which will allow for room outside this year. I will be starting bunching onions and cabbages in the next couple weeks, and tomatoes and peppers in March. Thank you for all your tips, suggestions and inspiration! Happy planting from Missouri, USA.

I started herbs today...dill, cilantro and peppermint.Happy planting🌱

Thanks a lot, Ben for a very detailed explanation. It's very helpful for beginner gardeners like me. Be blessed!

Have always had a dream for my own veg plot. I had low confidence as any success was short lived and didn’t come to fruition. Was confused in how and what to start with . After searching online, for advice, I could relate to found your videos calm and easy to understand . all my questions were answered I was too embarrassed to ask. Thank you for not over complicating the beauty of growing my own veg .

Pro Tip: Put painters tape over your seedling label and then put the name of the plant on the painters tape. When the next season comes, just put another piece of painter's tape over the last. You'll save a lot of seed labels. Like this comment if you find it useful.

Good idea on the different soils depending on seed size. Thanks!

Fantastic timing! I am getting a couple trays going right now!

Excellent sowing tips! Thank you 😊

Spring Thanks for all your tips

Love your channel so excited for this coming season. I’m sowing for my grown up girls this year to help with their food bills.

Hey Gentle Growers! I learn tricks with labels every year. This year, I select my seeds and then I write up my labels in my office even before heading out to the seed table. That means that if the cleaning fairies come into the office and put away all my seeds, I at least can find the labels and then fish the seeds out (again) from the seed box. I am grateful both the office fairies and those who keep me company in the bottom of the garden ;-) Cheers!

Thank you for your protection for the peaks since a long time! We spend our holidays in the bohemian forest next a very old moor. I`ve nevver smell so a fine, soft and clean air before!!! We must care our mother nature and the soil. Best Wishes from Silke from Bavaria

Tomato seeds sown a week ago are germinating nicely, I’ve started them early for a few years now following the advice of a neighbour who has many years more experience. This year I’m trying a mix of seed compost and vermiculite for the first time. I always water my tray or pot before adding seeds so that there is less chance of them floating around after careful positioning. Many thanks for another really useful video.

This was fantastic and I picked up some things I didn't know. Truly appreciated!

Thank you so much for this video! You just answered so many questions that I had. I've watched so many tutorials and none of them answered my questions like this one did. Thanks again! Happy growing. 🙏❤️✨

I've got my sweet peas, radishes and onions sown in the greenhouse. Last year was my first year with an allotment and the weather was frankly hard work, got my fingers crossed for a better harvest this year!

Thanks Ben as always great video full of advise on seed sowing much appreciated 👍

Thank you for the thorough explanations. Well done.

Excellent job. Absolutely love your work

Thanks, Ben. All very helpful.

I’m in zone 8b so it’s always interesting to see how much colder climates have to plan ahead when doing seedlings and such

Thank you 😊 You always have great information!

I won’t be sowing for another few weeks yet! Toms go in on the 1st week of March 🙌🏻 Sometimes even April! Such an exciting time of year!

I've only recently stumbled onto your channel but I'm really enjoying the videos and their useful information. I have a small balcony and I managed to grow a few radishes and carrots in containers last year but most things didn't germinate at all. This year I'm absorbing all the information I can and have lots of seeds starting off which is exciting :D I'm determined to have a successful container garden this year and having lots of fun learning!

Very insightful video as always! I started to sow my Tomatoes, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Aubergine, Bell peppers and herbs: Parsley, Coriander, Basil and Sage.

Loved it. Thanks. ❤

Thanks Ben, great video.

Thank you first year I will be sowing alot of my veggoe garden Excellent video Michigan USA zone 6

Thank you, Ben. This was wonderful! DA - Vancouver, WA

So many seeds to get started over the next month. Great advice as always Ben 👍

I had to rewatch your video for a refresher today - I'm transplanting 150+ seedlings then seeding the rest of my garden (about 600 more seeds!) Great tips and super excited about what's to come this gardening season :D

I am loving the garden app. I used it this week to start my seeds, to capture notes and for once, I didn't overplant. ❤

Excellent video, very informative and clear! Thanks for your efforts.

You make it look so simple

Thanks so much for your videos. I consider myself an old hand at gardening but it never fails that your videos will give me a moment of "yeah, I didn't do that" or " oh shoot, that's why it didn't grow right". Gardening is Mother Natures way of telling us we never know everything!

Cant wait to start my garden 🥰🥰

Ben, you always cheer me up!🤗 I love your videos & I've learnt so much, thanks! Cheers, 🐱

Absolutely brilliant video thanks

Ben, this was a truly great video for a beginner. Thank you for sharing. Be safe and stay well, Catherine

I keep a handwritten journal to record what I have sewn and where and when. I could use the one in the planner, but I like writing in my pretty notebooks....lol. I write everything in there, what where and when as well as when the seeds pop and when the first leaves show, when they are planted up into pots and when I start to harden them off. When I do start in pots I use clear plastic bottles as covers. They work great because the lids can be taken off to allow for ventilation.

Just getting into gardening now and your videos are so helpful - thank you!

Gosh! This video is sparking my Spring seed-starting excitement 😆 😄 😀

I learned something useful. Thank you

Really helpful video. Thanks

I germinated on damp paper towel in Tupperware covered with plastic wrap, then transferred into plug trays. I got 100% germination on almost everything! I don’t have heating mats so my other option was to leave the trays outside, but there was a thunderstorm and the trays filled up with water and drowned the seeds and all the perlite floated to the top 😂 so I tried again with the paper towel and it worked great!

Very thorough!!! Thank you so much

Another great video. Thank you so much!

Thank you!!!

Thank you so much 🙏😊

Me and my granddaughter are starting our own veg plot this year, we planned starting our brasicas and onion seeds this weekend, but it's been so cold wet and windy we decided to spend our time in doors coudled up watching Disney instead, no chance of potting seeds indoors the wife would kill us 😂 there's always next week, onions cabbage cauliflower brocoli will be our first seeds in, in the past I've been so busy working 6/7 days a week the only thing I was good at is buying the seeds 😂 but she has inspired me to give it a go, I've cleared the garden and we will hopefully have 3 raised beds for March, we can put our seed trays indoors once planted up, I don't mind wet and cold I can't stand strong winds I hate been outdoors on windy days, so next weekend hopefully 😉

I absolutely love these videos. So pleasant to listen to and it’s such incredible knowledge. Thank you!!

Thanks for all the great advice - I really enjoy your videos Ben! Something I find helpful to get those seeds sprouted is use of a heat mat beneath my pots or trays.

Very informative video. All details clearly explained. Thanks.

Thanks for this video. I needed someone's voice to fall asleep to

Thanks Ben, especially for saying to label because "it's so easy to forget". I thought it was just me getting dementia, haha. Cheers

Great video and thank you for sharing 😀

Great information Thanks

Thanks, Ben - a really useful video. All my veggie seeds have arrived, so will get started early and spread the sowing out as you've suggested!

A brilliant video thank you

Thank you!

Love these videos! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💙💛

You seem to answer all my questions, first on compost, now on my seed and seedling woes; thank you so very much 😊 I love your natural presentation skills too, makes for very pleasant viewing!

Great video, love your dog.

All very helpful. Thanks. We are still in the depths of frosts up here in the North of Scotland, but it wont be long now!

Super helpful!! Thank you!

Thanks for the tips, I have mentioned before about my big garden project,it's going really well,and I have started sowing flower and veg seeds,with about 60,% growth success,I have learned from my mistakes,and I have maybe being getting carried away a bit,but it's has brought joy,I just love it when the seeds start popping up,with you help on your channel I can only get better,👍

When is always my biggest issue. I feel that if I start my seeds earlier then the earlier spring will come...still has yet to work. Thanks for the tips!

Excellent video! 👍

Thank you for making these videos.

If you want to more strentgh seedlings you need to take them out for 1-2 hours daily if you don't have enough time use a usb powered little fan (with programmable timer) for thick seedlings. When the seedlings swing by the air they produce hormone for thickness (what doesn't kill you makes you stronger)

This was extremely helpful, and you're a joy to watch. Thank you!

This is great information thank you

Just did mine in premodern peat pods. Little greenhouse tray. Sitting in the warmest spot in the house. On top of the heater. By the time the weather warms some I’ll put them under a grow light. Besides a larger barn, I really want a greenhouse !

Hi Ben! Truth to tell, here in central Florida I can direct sow year 'round. That said, I always learn something in every one of your videos; and if my own enthusiasm for gardening had a voice it would be yours! Cheers!

So nice video! Full of useful information and enjoyable to watch. I feel motivated to gardening now!

Looks so chilly

Great tips!

Thank You 🙏🌱🌸🐝👍

I love your channel!

Thank you I just thinking of this

I am planting tomato and peppers. Along with cabbage broccoli and Cauliflower