Seed Starting Success: Sow Like a Pro! 🌱

Let's start at the very beginning; a very good place to start. When you read you begin with ABC, when you GROW you begin with sowing a SEED!
When and how you sow seeds makes all the difference to how strong and healthy your crops will be.
Ben's top seed-starting tips will set your growing season on the road to success. So let's get going and let's get SOWING!

If you love growing your own food, why not take a look at our online Garden Planner which is available from several major websites and seed suppliers:
and many more...

[chamwatkins]

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!

[Tom-jbop]

You are a very good gardener, this is my second time growing this year so I just keep watching your videos to teach me thanks

[ALMill]

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!

[janinebean]

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

[mjk]

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.

[caneandabel]

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

[goupigoupi]

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.

[OurLordBacon]

Ben is the entire reason I got into gardening last year, and this year I'll have a self sufficient little farm that will feed my entire family for years to come. Thank you Ben for making gardening seem so easy and so much fun to do!!

[joj]

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 🌱☀️👩‍🌾💚

[yixiuchan]

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!

[gingerkissed]

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

[christianerardt]

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! 💚

[rosedoucet]

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.

[ironian]

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

[kitdubhran]

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.

[mamacamano]

Thank you for sharing! I'm excited to start my very first vegetable garden this year!❤

[yasminyousuf]

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 .

[tamararoberts]

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

[paper]

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!

[kristinz]

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