Kitchen Garden Forum

I always do this as I grow several varieties and can more easily identify them when planting out but can somebody please suggest which is best practice..

1. Half fill the pot with compost, sow the seed and then top up with compost as the seedling grows? OR

2. fill the pot with compost and sow at the top of the pot so the roots have more space to grow downwards?

I know there's a theory that in taking route 1, more small roots will develop further up the stem but worry about the roots becoming potbound with less room for expansion if I have to delay planting them outdoors because of cold weather.

Any theories folks?

I always go for almost filling pot and sowing seed and covering with light sifted compost.
When finally planting out I plant a few inches deeper than it was in pot. Supposedly gives more root growth and some extra stability when in ground, although cane support still needed for plants.

I sow in thimble pots then deeply pot on into something bigger - saves space in the propagator at a busy time.

I grow several varieties to but start them off in quarter size seed trays. When about 2" tall prick out into 3" pots setting them up to their seed leaves and later on will pot on to 6" pots so I get a good size plant to put out on the lottie mid-to end of May. They will need careful labelling though.

Beryl.

I grow lots of different varieties and sow five seeds in the top of the soil in a 5 inch square pot with a sprinkle of vermiculite on top. When they have got two pairs of leaves or if the roots are growing through the bottom of the pot, whichever is earlier I pot them on individually, planting them quite deep so the stems can put roots out and make strong little plants before going into the greenhouse border in 12 inch bottomless pots with enriched compost.

Beryl wrote:They will need careful labelling though.

Here's a labelling tip: Use coloured labels (available from a garden centre near you. Probably.) Write the name of the variety on one of the labels, but not on the other labels of the same colour which you then insert in the pots of the other plants of the same variety. Saves a lot of writing and reading, and labels can be immediately reused.

Very good tip - thanks FelixLeiter.
Beryl.