Your guide for sowing summer crops with tips from our expert seed sower and grower, Elly Keen.
Spring is the busiest time of the year for seed sowing. Early spring is the time for getting your vegetable garden seedlings growing, ready to plant out later in spring for your summer crops.
But first, here’s a couple of other things to be mindful of at the moment:
Prepare for tomatoes
For those in warm areas, now’s a good time to start preparing your tomato beds. Tomatoes are heavy feeders, so try to plant in a different area each year so the soil’s nutrients don’t get too depleted (which can lead to pests and diseases).
Tomato companion plants: onion, garlic, shallot, carrot, lettuce, basil, parsley and marigold.
Seed potatoes
Plant seed potatoes now if you’re wanting fresh new potatoes for Christmas.
[ Related reading: Growing potatoes | How to plant, grow & harvest potatoes ]
Sowing summer seeds
Early spring is the time to start all your annual summer seeds (if you haven’t already). I start all my summer vegetables in trays at this time of year, as the nighttime temperatures can still be very cold which slows the germination rates.
Here is a list of handy materials you can use for seed sowing:
Instructions for sowing seeds in trays:
- Fill tray with quality seed raising mix
- Tamp down and bottom water (water from underneath)
- Use pen to create evenly spaced holes in soil
- Place two seeds per hole (this increases your chance of germination, if both seeds sprout you can snip off the weaker seedling at soil level with scissors)
- Cover lightly with soil and label
- Place tray inside Sistema tub and close lid
- Leave in a warm position – on top of heat mat or sunny windowsill
- Keep moist and seeds should germinate within 1-2 weeks.
I use a Sistema tub on top of a heat pad as it speeds up the process, but it’s not necessary. Instead, you can place your tub in a sunny spot during the day and beside the fire at night. This should provide consistent warm temperatures that seeds need to germinate.
Once fully sprouted, move the tub outdoors in a sheltered spot for the seedlings to grow on. They need lots of light at this stage to prevent them from becoming leggy. Be mindful not to subject the tender seedlings to harsh frosts – be ready with a frost blanket or to bring the tub back indoors if temperatures drop.
What to sow in trays in early spring:
- Tomatoes
- capsicum
- cucumber
- chillies
- zucchini
- watermelon
- pumpkin
- corn
- rainbow silverbeet
- spring onions
- beans
If in the far North Island only as beans prefer warm soil temperatures and are fast growing. For mid and South Island regions you can direct sow these in late Oct / early Nov and they will quickly catch up to your transplanted crops.
—
