I live in Minnesota, USA, zone 4. We've had blizzards with high winds & 2 feet of snow as late as the first week of May & frost on June 1st & frost as early as the first week of September. I direct sow cold weather crops like potatoes, onions, radishes, kale, etc., but have to start warm weather crops like tomatoes, melons, squash, peppers, etc. otherwise there wouldn't be enough time for them to mature & produce. I also direct sow fast growing crops like cucumbers, lettuce, peas once the danger of frost has passed. I really enjoy your videos & have learned quite a few things, even though I've been gardening for 50 years.
I've just started gardening and tried to learn from others! But, then it hit me! I don't remember my mom and dad starting anything indoors or in trays. So i directly sowed most of what i planted outside in the ground! They are slowly growing but are growing strong!
When I was a kid growing up in New Mexico, United States, I always started my gardens by sewing directly in the soil and always had amazing gardens full of veggies. After I grew up, I moved to the colder climates of Alaska and tried to grow gardens, and have had absolutely no luck at all. I thought I would try to grow in planters to start since the climate is so much different than what I had growing up and I still cannot get anything to grow. After 12 years, I finally just gave up. I am getting ready to retire and move back south to Texas or New Mexico and I WILL have a vegetable garden again! My new motto is "Go with what you know!" Y'all stay safe out there and thank you for all that you do. You have taught a lot of people how to do things that they thought were beyond their capabilities and that is always a good thing.
I know this is an old post but there is a man that grows massive fruits and veggis in the summer months in Alaska. They are aboslute monsters! The long daylight hours help a lot.
We had a hard time recently and lost much of our seedlings. I was heartbroken as I put my everything into them after we lost my son at 15 weeks along. Thank you so much for giving me hope!!!!
@@janinebean4276 thank you. It definitely was a hard time and still hurts today but we're doing better and are now blessed with our rainbow baby!!! A baby boy who is a year old 💙
I "nearly" always start in planters nowadays..., we get severe frost here (inland southwest Western Australia) from May to September..., I direct grow carrots, zucchini, pumpkins, cucumber, melons (sometimes), radish, beetroot, beans and peas..., but I mostly start in planters/seedling trays as I can get a 6 to 8 week jump start on the season. I even put my potato's in 14cm pots to start germinating this year and just had the best crop ever. I will try that again next year..., just put 1 potato in a pot and leave it outside..., doesn't even need to be watered until the shoots start to come through..., and then only sparingly till it's planted. Also, when you plant your tomato (the one in the pot on the vid was perfect) strip the lower couple of leaves of it and bury it another 100mm or so (min) into the ground.., it WILL out perform the other tomato's because it will develop shoots right down the length of the buried stem.
I'll try that with a few of my tomatoes next time. I tried that decades ago, but it always ended up rotting the stem, probably too much water or just bad luck...plus I was a kid back then, winging it as I always have done with my green thumb, taught myself a lot of things though, what works and what doesn't.
I often put my heirloom tomatoes on their side when I plant them. That way, I end up with several inches of stem that will put out roots to support my plants. :)
Insomnia is caused by lack of iron. Lack of Vitamin B causes insomnia. Also stress thinking too much. Try yoga. Take time out. Walk on clran grass without shoes n socks. Take 1hr off without checking your phone updates text messages. Start gardening / painting drawing/ knitting doodling writing. Declutter wardrobe or 1 draw at a time. When your outer environment is changed n organised then you will feel better inside. Do you eat fruit?. Fruit LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE and Apple banana pears PREVENT Strokes.
@@MJWINNER_Sketchbook999 All water rich fruits prevent strokes because they keep you hydrated and therefore improve circulation and lymph flow throughout the immune system. Starchy plants - especially if they are cooked dry you out. Also the water in fruit is perfectly balanced and "structured" by Nature and therefore most easily assimilated by the body.
Although I have a similar climate here in Florida, I myself just like to first germinate seeds using a very classic soaked paper towel method, and right after germination I sow the germinated seed, no transplantation shock, and I feel more control over the growth location and better spacing. My preferences are my own, and I don't yet have ideal compost.
A week ago I was completely clueless with gardening haha....I've converted and slowly educating myself...I have a task ahead which now I'm excited about...glad I found this channel... :)
Amelia you're in for a fun journey. Mark is great. I've been gardening for years (decades actually) and I still lots of things from Mark. He's a cack. So funny and enjoyable to watch.
WORKED WITH REALLY OLD SEED! :o) I have been slacking on my gardening, and found some 10 & 11 year old seed that I sowed directly into raised bed soil in a half wine barrel, and most of it grew! I had to pull up some as it was too crowded. I wasn't worried about wasting the seed cause it was so old, but I was shocked at how many plants grew, and how well they did. I did have to cover the area with clear (plain, not scented or treated) recycling garbage bags cut open and stapled to some large wooden dowels for support as we got a fluke snow storm forecast right after I already planted them, but I am eating kale, sugar snap peas, and lettuce already, with the carrots slowly coming along. :o) I obviously did this weeks before I watched this video, but wanted to pass on that yes, it does work!!
I've always been afraid to direct sow because I felt like the dainty little seedlings needed a loving caring cosy little seedling tray to start off in. After watching some of your videos, I direct sowed some lettuce, bean and carrot seeds and they're looking super strong, so I might just be a convert :)
Tegan a good tip to start if your worried about the weather is placing a juice/ coke bottle with its bottom cut out over where you've put the seed. Creates a mini green house
I'm in South Florida, I have been direct sowing pretty much everything for a while now, and I prefer it. The seeds seem to sprout faster, they don't suffer transplant shock, and best of all, it is so much easier!
Direct sow only works in your type of climate....we have only a 3-1/2 to 4 month growing season.....so direct seeding everthing will not work for certain crops because the soil doesn't warm up enough to direct seed and harvest before winter sets in again, example tomatoes, peppers etc.
I was thinking the same thing..even now..night time temps are below freezing. Although, there are some garden plants that can tolerate a light frost..like, onions and rutabaga.
I'm new to gardening. Can anyone tell me for what climate zones this video is relevant? How long does your growing season have to be for direct sowing most seeds to be a good option? Thanks.
@@strega_bonnie I suspect he's no colder than a USDA zone 9. I believe he's in an area that rarely to never gets frost based on some of the fruit trees he has like Dragonfruit and Passionfruit. I think he even has a Banana tree. Plus I think he's able to grow tomatoes year round, though he has to switch varieties due to certain pests at certain times of year. Compare perennial plants he can grow to what can grow in your area, and you'll be able to figure out how it compares. Lots of useful info on his channel, though, regardless of zone. :)
I agree with you in general! I started gardening during the pandemic and I was just doing direct sowing because that's all I really knew about. It has worked well for me! I'm in a temperate climate where our last frost is the end of March, so I have a good growing season length. The two caveats I have found for sowing in seedling trays: plants that take a long time to fruit such as peppers and seeds where you are unsure about the viability. The third caveat is: if you are getting antsy for spring and getting into the garden it gives you something to do.
i think youre great.im a gardener too and love all your videos,but you just preety much cheer me up and brighten my day.thankyou for that .youre very positive at these trying times.best of luck with all you do.
I live in Wisconsin, an upper state. this year I am doing direct sow. It's still cold out and I have alot of seeds to use. I have a greenhouse so I will be planting extra tomatoes, peppers and I did find celery plants(which I did last year...grew very good) in it. I direct sowed beans,cucumbers and peas, carrots and peas and the carrots were the only thing that was sm. crop. but my grandkids helped in harvesting...probably why . the 3yr.old kept asking to go out to pick beans, he went through the whole group of vegs. he could remember. He loves gardening with me. And I am a beginner. Thanks...I enjoy your videos alot, common sense videos
HI stared seed.s indoors last year but unfortunately I lost half of them due to indoor farmers ((4 cats) one who is really great at getting lids off so direct sow is the plan this year hope I get some luck with the weather as we ten3d to be dry and windy here in zone 7 .great info as always ty
Thank you for promoting direct sow for hardiness. I'm in the US in an area with erratic spring weather, weeks of warm and sunny, then a hard frost and snow in early May. I'm direct sewing seeds I reclaimed from crops last year, they have proven themselves in this climate and have already handled the fluctuating weather. But when I buy a new pack of seeds with something exciting and potentially fragile, like heirloom melons, I start them inside for control.
Great video Mark. Direct sowing is good providing you have the temperature and weather for it, SOmetimes not always possible here, the seed will rot off if too cold and if you leave it until it warms the season can be too short. However, there are crops that I do direct sow later such as beetroot carrots parsnips, and some squash
Thanks for sharing your tips Tony! Yeah, I thought dampening off could be a problem in cooler climates but it's interesting to know you still direct sow some crops. Cheers :)
Your videos are the best! Witty and informative. I live in Midwest USA. 600 square-foot home does not allow for very much seed starting indoors. I made a little hoop house over my existing concrete block raised beds. Seemed to work pretty well. But, what worked best was direct sowing most of my seeds. The tomato plants that I direct sowed are almost as tall as the two tomato plants my dad bought from farmers market. I’m hoping I can direct-sow peppers next year, because the ones I bought from farmers market experienced transplant shock and aren’t doing well. We’ll see. Please keep up the videos! God bless you and yours during this crazy time. 💕
Here in the UK we have really wanky weather, so starting off in trays and pots is a good way to start off growing while we wait for the warmer weather and the last of the frosts to pass. This is my second year (last year I grew salad tomatoes and flowers) and I love watching your videos for tips and information about gardening 😁 you rock Mark! 👍
Totally. We've had an absolutely stunning April weatherwise, but generally you can forget about anything that's scared of frost till the start of May. Unless you got something already in the ground from last autumn waiting to finish off in spring.
I grow in the UK also this year I only started tomatoes, peppers and cucumber inside all the rest ,kale, cabbage, beetroot, carrots, chard, purple sprouting, turnip's, radishes, spinach, lettuce, squash and more I have direct sown. Other than a little bit of slug and rodent damage everything seems to be coming on well. It has all been a bit of an experiment but so far so good. Probably helps being home so much this year so I can keep picking off the slugs. Happy gardening everyone.
This is my second growing season as a gardener with my own home garden, so I'm definitely still a beginner and these videos are super, super helpful. My climate couldn't be more different from yours, Mark, but your tips are still brilliant and useful. This year I'm embarking on more experiments with succession planting, so I've been starting extra seeds in my greenhouse so that they are ready to plant out when the spaces become available. But other than that, it does seem like my direct-sown seedlings are ultimately the happiest and strongest. :)
Beginner gardener here and one great advice I took on was just to start. That is what I did, built a garden bed and sowed directly and also sowed into tiny pot plants for transfer later on. To my surprise the carrots I sowed directly have all shot up nicely so this will be my preferred method. Thanks Mark and you got a big thumbs up for your channel and videos.
Hi Mark! Everything you say is correct. I find they both have their place. On a side note, I have to THANK YOU for introducing me to Malabar spinach awhile back. I'm in zone 9b in Florida and regular spinach is tough. I planted it 2 months ago and it's doing great and is fantastic! So thanks for that one!
I live in an apartment and have my farm 30 minutes to drive away. So starting off seeds in the apartment is both relaxing, enjoyable and makes it easier to simply take the seedlings up to the mountains where then planting into the soil. That also reduces the risks of animals nibbling on the small weak plants.
I usually direct sow. Most everything I grow is in pots. If I have too many in a pot, I may transplant some to elsewhere. I don't like to waste any. I also have many of my smaller plants growing indoors as well.
Just wanted to say that I absolutely love your videos and all the awesome gardening knowledge you spread to the world. Watching you has given me so many ideas to enhance my garden over the past year and your videos have also been an amazing source of relaxation during these crazy times. Thanks for being great!
I have always done a bit of both ever since I was a 6 year old kid with my first vegie patch in 1981! lol My current crop = long beans/sugar snap peas/carrots/strawberries (red and white)/capsicums(green, red and yellow)/brown onions/atlantic & ranger russet seed potatoes/cape gooseberry as seeds and Cabbage/tomatoes (can't remember the variety, doesn't really matter tbh...lol) as seedlings. A handful of old seeds from last years crops self seeded from within the ground (tomatoes and cape gooseberries.)
Since I get crazy Pennsylvania weather and it’s hard to tell when the freezing temps are done, I use red solo cups and a fluorescent ballast with vegetative growth spectrum bulbs. Then I harden them off in the windows. I ALSO direct seed for a staggered harvest once the weather warms up.
Starting a new veggie garden on the NSW/QLD border, i did appreciate having a small greenhouse in which to start seedlings, and care for cuttings, as we found the heavy storms did so much damage when plants were most vulnerable. Now transplanted to New Zealand, my new greenhouse (DIY kit ...) will be used for protection from wind, rain and cooler winters !
I try direct sow where possible, but will start seedlings in punnets due to limited space. For example when the tomatoes are finished in Autumn, I can immediately replace them with brocolli which has had an 8 week head start in a punnet. It's a way of maximising output from a small urban garden.
We live in Melbourne suburbs so we do both. Direct sow for most summer crops as soil is warming, and punnets in cold months for brassicas etc. nWe can direct sow lettuce all year round, but it is trial and error. Thanks for your videos. We have learnt some good tips.
I do 50/50 ... as it's cooler over here in the UK I have to get seeds started earlier in pots and grow them on in the kitchen, also we have mice up at the plot that love beans, so I have to start those in pots too. For everything else I try and direct sow. Thumbs up my friend. Cheers Adam
I live in a cold climate and have a very short growing season, so I definitely need to start from seed or use cold frames. Building a few has been on my 'do to' list for awhile now.... maybe this will be the year lol Great tips on transplanting the tiny guys, thank you! :)
"dont think i dont" ..classic. love this content. learning things whithout being "told" how..and thank you for your service..its impossible to watch these videos and feel stressed..perfect
When I was a kid, we only planted directly into the ground. I start my soil amending tomorrow AM. I have two cast iron claw foot bathtubs. Planning to plant pole beans and corn together to hopefully save space. Then I'm planting zucchini, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. I didn't have much of a choice of seeds since they were free, my favorite price. Thank you for sharing. :-)
Corn & beans together, perfect! Here's a tip: plant the corn first in a square (w a can of fish if you can) and let it get 1 foot tall. Then plant the beans. Cukes and zukes don't like one another, but the corn & beans would love having some zukes in the tub. Happy growing!
I had a late start last year building our bed and bought seedlings and had great success. Later in the summer, the nursery down the road sells their leftover dying seedlings for a dollar a pop, so I plan to do some seedling rehab and rescue later in the season this year. But to start this spring I am going to direct sow only and see how it goes!
Hi, Mark. I enjoy your channel and appreciate seeing the things that you are able to grow. Our growing season in western WA is typically 154 days +/-. My seeds are started indoors with heat mats and grow lights to avail myself of as much growing time as possible. What I am able to grow, is different than what you are able to grow. I suspect everyone does the best they can for the area in which they reside. Thanks again for sharing your journey with the rest of us. Best wishes from Kate in Olympia, WA -- 4/19/2020.
Now this is a Gardening channel! Very lovely man. Great information. I built a hoop house this year. We had frost last night and I currently have peppers in the ground. I like both. Transplants and direct sow when ever I can.
I made the mistake of starting my seeds indoors too early. Not one made it to the garden. But I now have 6 raised beds with direct-sown seedlings and I’m happy with that.
We live in North Carolina here in the U.S. and HOPEFULLY *fingers crossed* we just had our last cold night where it got down in the lower 30's which was just this past Wednesday and Thursday. We wrapped up the tomato plants with fabric and pine straw. And I even used some extra landscaping fabric to put across the rest of our raised garden and stapled the edges to the frame. That worked out amazingly. Thank you for your videos, we actually have started our first raised garden this year thanks to you and we actually followed your video on Hugelkultur when we started filling it.
I live in Norway, and grow my cherry tomatoes on my balcony, so I transplant. It's sunny and 10-15c outside now, but still gets down to -3-0c during the night, so I feel like I don't have a choice considering May usually is the earliest they can be outside.. I wish I lived somewhere warmer with a garden so I could grow more!
@CLC - I live in South Australia & most of Australia can't do it either. It's Autumn here & we get frosts & sub zero temps too, but up in the sub-tropics where Mark is, the seasons don't change as much, or get as cold as they do everywhere else.
Hi you rock I've learner a lot from you. I'm east tennessee zone 7. Direct sow in containers. I like fabric air pots. First year. Last year had seedlings. A ton of extra work. Seems good so far. It's been chilly down to the 40s some nights high 60s to 70 s during the day but tomatoes are sprouting already. Growing in pots so when i move to my homestead I can take the babies with me. Thanks for your videos. Love them.
Yep direct sow is the way to go! This autumn sowing has been the best sow far🤣. Learnt my lessons, ie. Slugs and snails. So when they first sprouted i put down snail pellets. Once the seedlings are less vulnerable to their attacks I'll stop using it. Except for the cabbage, because those little buggers love to bore their way into the hearts. Also for tomatoes i prefer to get them started in pots in august (last month of witnter) inside. We're going to try cardboard pots. Saw a video on YT. Hopefully that will avert the transplanting shock due to the fact that you plant the pot with the tomato plant.
Mark, you are the best, up in Sunshine Coast CANADA! You helped us heaps, love your work and what you do for all us folks, keep it up and stay prosperous :) All our best, much love, Sam and Fam
I am stationed in New York and I'm trying to start my own garden. I'm currently growing my seeds in trays and it was working well but I have run into some problems as the weather here is still to unstable and isn't consistently warm. Right when i thought it was safe to bring the trays outside the temperature drops and kills halve of my plants. I guess that's the risk I take with trying to get a head start and growing too early. Lucky with starting early, I can just start over without worrying about growing to late.
We're in Autumn in South Australia & Autumn can be absolutely anything in between summer & winter weather & never the same for 3 days straight lol. After years of weather killing my stuff, I started using one of those super-cheap mini greenhouses (with the removable zip-on cover) to transition my seeds & seedlings to outside. I have the cover on atm to protect from frost & wind at night, but depending on what's inside, I'll roll the front door up or down or take things out in the sun during the day so the climate is less sheltered than indoors but not quite fully exposed to weather immediately. I also have a couple of clear containers which I invert like a cloche over anything that needs a bit more help. It has helped me stop killing & start keeping things.
Hi Mark, over in the UK its more practical to sew in trays and plant out with some veg but I can't thank you enough for the crowd planting tip! I can't belive I've spent all these years sewing in rows and spacing stuff out like it says in the textbook. You've completely changed how much produce I can grow! If your ever near Derbyshire uk, I owe you a pint. Cheers mate. Rob
Dr M: I’m in the UK and I’ve always sown in punnets 1st, but I’m trying more direct sowing now - it’s easier on the arthritic hands too!! Bless you for you excellent (and funny) videos!! And yes, I’m subscribed!! 👍
Here in East Tennessee I only start tomatoes indoors early in February and have had great success with it. It gives us a head start in early spring as the weather can be so tempermental here. Throughout the spring and into summer I harvest tomato seedlings that germinate up from our chicken manure compost bins and use them to extend the tomato growing season into fall. We grow tons of em. Bigguns. Every other crop we direct sow. I love your videos Mark. A Big Thumbs up to you Mate.
I'm fairly new to vegie gardening so been watching a fair few videos to learn. One I watched showed how to grow seedlings in toilet rolls, then when the seedling is ready to transfer into the ground, the whole thing is planted as the toilet roll will rot away quickly enough for the plant's roots to be able to spread. I haven't tried it myself. Thx for your videos.
I believed that toilet roll stuff once - I set up a seedling tray out of many toilet rolls & cared for it all meticulously that summer. Every single thing I planted died before I even got it in the ground, imho the tubes sucked the water away from the plants. I accidentally dropped one of the tubes on the ground on the way to the bin & thought I'd just leave it in the garden bed to check to see when exactly they do break down - 12 months later, even with being exposed to the elements it was still fully intact.
@@joannecarroll5504 oh really? that's good to know. They did have the toilet rolls sitting in a tray to keep them upright, so maybe a bit of water in with it would help?
I love your videos. It's finally warm enough here in zone 7a for me in the US to transplant my seedlings and direct sow. I really look forward to your videos, especially now when tensions are high and there's food insecurity.
Welcome to the future The On-Time shipping of expensive, dead and poisoned foods is coming to an end for the awakened. You'll make mistakes...we all do. Don't discourage, learn and move on. Good Luck with your gardening Cheers,
I am so glad I found your channel!! You're knowledgeable and funny! I love it. My family is easing our way into the more sustainable lifestyle and I'm looking forward to learning how to feed my family with your help. I love your humor. It's really refreshing!!
when just starting direct sow to get the fastest start. then plan transplants for when seasons change. some things grow so well that there really is no need to protectively raise in trays. but you can gain weeks of production through those same seeds and trays. tomatoes and many other plants benefit from having their stems buried at transplant. they grow more extensive root systems
You are so well spoken. I really appreciate how you explain things. I’ve just recently struggled with transplants of cantaloupe and watermelon and after seeing my cucumber seeds sprout 🌱 so perfectly, I have no idea why I thought I needed to buy plants....
I only direct sow, I tried growing to a seedling in a hot house then hardening off then planting. Not only it took up time and space, I had less germination and the ones that did survive were not as strong and healthy as only directly sown. I however start my garden with a plan, then just end up seed scattering. I find it more fun and I don’t need to mulch. Love your channel. We moved to SE QLD 6months ago from cold Victoria, so learning to grow in a different environment. Keep up the great work.
For an English perspective, which says that nearly everything should be started in module trays to maximise the growing season and avoid pests, see Charles Dowding’s point of view
You do have to love Charles. He is God of the Greenthumbs! And if you do love Charles, you will be in absolute awe of Liziqi. Seriously, her videos are perfect viewing for quarantine escapism.
@@lysabromaroff5039 I try to watch Charles & I am subscribed, but I find it very difficult to understand what he's saying; he mumbles a lot so the subtitles don't work. It's frustrating because I really want to watch.
I'm in a cold climate and am just arriving at the same realisation. My seedlings grown under lights / heat mat just never seem to thrive, yet the volunteers growing out of the compost consistently do well. It's actually demoralizing! This spring I'm going to try direct sowing and using cloches made from 15L water cooler bottles. I'm hoping the large bottles will both heat the soil, and protect young seedlings from the army of slugs/snails.
Same here It seems the more you control them the less 'healthy' they develop. Mother nature is much smarter than the naked ape. I buy local seeds that are designed for the local climate that can thrive under our condition.
I've only started being self sufficient since August last year. From my Dad showing me your videos. So I've always bought seedling and transferred them into my garden bed. But now I will most likely start sowing as it is cheaper one and two has more benefits as you have mentioned.
I always direct so where possible because of the reasons you've given less shock on the plants, but little seeded plants I like to buy like strawberries I planned a whole packet of strawberry seeds directly not one came up I don't know whether it was too deep or what so little seeds I like to buy in punnets🤙
I've found the same problem James. Smaller seeds just seem way more temperamental than larger ones. I think it may be Thyme or some other herb that just never comes up.
@@soapsoilandsunshine3241 I meant to mention carrots there are tiny seed but I've never had any problem with carrots I direct so them as well I think they're pretty Hardy seed actually and I love growing them to😉
Last year I planted half my seed packet of alpine strawberries; not one came up. This year I set the rest of the seeds on a wet paper towel (in the kitchen) and about a third of them sprouted! I covered the dish and set it out in the garden. Will attempt to set the towel directly in the soil in a day or two, and cover with a jar to give them a little protection until they’re a bit larger.
Hey Mark, love the channel, the material is fantastic keep up the good work. I’m here in the USA and I just sewed my garden for this year’s summer. Like you, I direct sow into the ground and have never used a small pot or any other growing medium for that. I’ve always placed my seeds directly into the ground and I’ve had success every year. like you, the only times, I haven’t had success was due to rodents or disease that plague my garden. Typically, I grow directly into the ground. But this year after watching your channel I’ve decided to try three raised garden beds. Fingers crossed, I hope the new beds work. Happy gardening!!
Direct sow is best because of the wind, sound daft ? Well if you can't sow direct outside then use a fan to provide wind as it stops the seedlings becoming 'leggy'.
50mph winds for 4 out of 5 days last week just killed my plants... it's not quite too late to try again, but I dont know if I'm going to have tomatoes this year :(
@@mareamiller6957 Bad luck, maybe you should use a fan to try again indoors until they are big enough to try outside. Frankly you need to build wind blinds of some sort as winds are only going to get stronger. Good luck.
@@stephenbird5641 yeah- I live with over a mile of field facing northwest. I should have waited for the corn to go out and get taller. Live and learn I guess. I just direct seeded again and am gonna cross my fingers
I live in New Hampshire, USA. I have raised bed gardens, 2 foot tall. I have pvc pipe for hoop houses, lots of healthy mulch incorporated into the soil. The hoop house raises us 1 zone, so I am essentially able to direct sow a month earlier than is typically suggested. I feel your videos are so on point, very well done, and full of information that I can use, even up here. Cheers and be well!
i am stuck at home with only a balcony, cant go outside and wishing that one day i will have a house with a garden but thats not realistic so yeah your one of the few keeping me happy
Direct sowing is OK but is far easier to start in pots. You can control the soil much better, you can control the moisture/temperature/sun exposure much better and the biggest advantage of sowing in pots is that you can do it months before the last frost date. And by doing so you can prolong the growing season :)
I love watching your videos. You have inspired me to start gardening in raised beds. I haven’t grown vegetables before but after watching your videos we have created one raised bed to experiment with. We have learned so much from watching your videos.
I direct sow as much as possible . That said, I do like to start seeds in trays also so that when one crop is harvested the next batch is ready to go in. Which is whole story in discipline unto itself. But some plants like carrots, parsnips, lettuce, and such do so much better by seed. Thanks as always, great tips.
I absolutely adore you and your videos. I'm new to gardening so I'm doing a little of everything with everything to see what works best for our growing situation and climate. I've had luck so far with both sowing directly and starting in pots. I prefer direct sowing, but like you point out, spacing issues can arise. I'll be going through these comments for thoughts and ideas. Love your videos! - from Southern California.
I live in the north of England and I find with the shock plants go through after transplanting, the losses incurred and the time it takes for them to get re-established you don't make many more gains than you would if you just waited til after the first frost to plant out. You're absolutely right, if I did this professionally, I'd direct seed everything using cat tunnels.
This year, i"ve direct sown a handful of radishes, lettuces, carrots, onions, beetroots in a small patch of my greenhouse : super strong and healthy growth. I'm thining them simply by picking early lettuces and radishes, same with carrots and onions soon. Best salads ever! Many Thanks from south France!
Hi.....I watch your channel all the time... I live where we have -20* in the winters..... In my experience, annual vegs WILL NOT grow in the winter unless one has several layers of row cover and maybe not then, so, i resorted to heated greenhouses.. Voila ! Greens year round.. I only transplant, peppers, tomatoes ,onions,herbs and annual flowers....all other veggies i direct plant into the outdoor garden. This system has worked all my life and i'm in my 60's.... ****If its not broke, dont fix it !*****
while I prefer to direct sow, we just can't do it here in Tas with many things. if I waited until it was warm enough here to direct sow many summer crops such as tomatoes, corn, cucumbers pumpkins etc I'd never get anything. we just don't have the time. as for mini greenhouses and that, they only work if they're not portable. in order for the ground to be warm enough to sow summer crops here, your little greenhouse would have to stay in one place to help warm the soil enough for things to germinate well before you wanted to sow the seeds. Cold climate gardening in a place like Tas just isn't conducive to direct sowing for many things. On the other hand direct sowing cool weather crops like the peas beets, carrots, brassicas onions, garlic etc all of which do best here in autumn and winter, works a treat. I'm just about to put in the garlic but won't do the onion seed for another month or so. the other reason I sometimes don't direct sow even if the conditions are right for it is space. I've very limited to space and if I want follow on crops I don't have the space to succession plant straight into the ground. I need to raise them in seed trays so that by the time they're ready for the ground, there's space to put them in. My leeks are a good example of this. I would normally direct so them but I've germinated them in seeds trays and they've just popped up just this week. the reason I couldn't direct so them is we've had such a crappy season and everything has been so late maturing, what would normally be out of the ground well and truly by now is still in there and I'm only just starting to harvest so there just hasn't been the space available to direct sow the leeks. at the same time I couldn't leave them to sow until there was space as it would be too late to get them going so I started them off in seed trays to ensure they would be ready when there was space and will be planting them out next week. while I agree direct sowing is best a lot of factors have to be considered when deciding whether I direct sow, such as time of year, what I want to sow and space.
@@Selfsufficientme I'm in north eastern Tas I too have found direct sowing works fine for cooler growing plants this year being the exception as we were still getting frosts where I am until October. I will for the most part use seed trays for warm weather crops or to head start cool weather crops. I have more than enogh room for what I grow but I'm fussy about having a uniform garden so mostly when I use seed trays the weather or temp is not to me as much of a concern (although always a consideration) I like nice straight rows and I plant with high of the plants in mind. We have a very short warm season here and if we have to wait for ground temps to rise enough there are time when you can miss your window for starting seed off. Having said that with such things as pumpkin,beans, peas,(corn(wich failed this year due to colder than normal weather) silverbeet and spinich I don't know why but I have had greater success with direct sowing.
I do a mixture of both here in North Charleston, SC, USA. Eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers take a long time to get started, so I start them early when we still have a danger of a random frost. Everything else is directly sown. Thanks for the great content. I really enjoy your videos!
I have a very short growing season and unfortunately I do have to start my seeds inside. If I want to have fruit from my plants like tomatoes then I must start them inside. Luckily tomatoes are so forgiving. But there are some crops that I just can't grow. I have a very difficult time with melons. They don't seem to transfer that very well and I get lots of vines but the fruit doesn't have time to mature before the frost comes then the whole thing is a waste of time and effort. Plants like kale and spinach I am able to start underneath Garden fabric. But growing in the cold does have some benefits. I'm able to grow probably three cups of kale and spinach and lettuce and I can overwinter many things right in the ground and pull them all winter long as I need them. For instance I plant my fall carrots and every time I want a carrot I just go grab one and I don't have to worry about storing them. The same is true for rutabagas turnips and beets. It sucks when you have to start plants inside because you can never mimic the Sun. You end up with leggy plants even with grow lights. And I don't know about anybody else but my seedlings are a Target of my pets. I can't tell you how many times I've grown a flat of seeds to come home from work to find my cat's got into them and ruined the entire tray and weeks of growth. Then when you bring the seeds outside to get them accustomed to their new outside conditions I have to struggle with birds and squirrels that pluck them out and want to eat the tasty fresh greens, or the rabbits. Growing is a challenge for everybody. But I will take my cold growth area any day over dealing with the python I saw in your garden in one of your videos! That would have scared me right out of the yard and I would have never gardened again
Look up "Winter Sowing" there are many RUclips videos as well. You will be very happy once you try it and will never go back to starting seeds indoors.
Hallo. Thank you for your knowledge. I learn a lot from you. I am in South Africa and I started building a backyard veg garden. I experimented with sowing directly too vs growing seed indoors. It is fun watching how they grow indoors but as you said. They need to get use to the outdoors and sometimes they do not make it. Maybe I plant them out to quickly (2 weeks/1 inch). Sowing directly also provide some exciting viewing as they grow. I even tried planting butternut seeds (winter squash) in its bottom part in compost outside and it worked. But now I have to plant them out. :D Happy gardening.
If you're going to say it, you'll have to learn how to say it properly, otherwise you'll sound like a politician pretending to be a man of the people. Now repeat after me, "G'day" (sounds like Gidday). 😁
Hi Mark! Zone 9 here. I've commented before and have consulted with you at times via email. I direct sew mostly everything. I've used the biodegradable egg packages to use as seedling starters,too.. I've had success with these as well. I do this as I'm so gung ho on successive plantings that I use the egg packs to keep the momentum where I don't yet have garden bed space etc I find that direct see seems to help the root system establish more healthily from the beginning. Thanks again for another great video!
I'm only starting out again, have tried to grow veg in the past and epic fail. I have brought myself vegtrug felt raised garden bed, they are $39 ea and got two in purple and brought a table so i don't have to bend (arthritis in back)
Thank you for the vid. I live in Sweden so many of your tips and crops don't work here, but I find your videos very interesting anyway and learn a lot about your climate. I have to pregrow many things, mainly because of the short warm season but also because of the bad slug problem we have. On the other hand we don't have as much bugs and pests that you have, or the same wildlife on the whole. I love that you show animal life as well.
I’ve used that method for years. If is easy to do and the plants don’t mind crowding just remember to thin them out. The wider row means less weeding. It works well for most of the smaller plants tomatoes and cucumbers need more space so do squash
Here in Colorado, US we have such a short growing season for plants with 120 day fruiting term you must start indoors. Last frost outdoor planting starts May 1st. The temps usually dive to frost around 4th week of September to 2nd week of October. Great videos Mate. Keep em flowing.
I live in Minnesota, USA, zone 4. We've had blizzards with high winds & 2 feet of snow as late as the first week of May & frost on June 1st & frost as early as the first week of September. I direct sow cold weather crops like potatoes, onions, radishes, kale, etc., but have to start warm weather crops like tomatoes, melons, squash, peppers, etc. otherwise there wouldn't be enough time for them to mature & produce. I also direct sow fast growing crops like cucumbers, lettuce, peas once the danger of frost has passed. I really enjoy your videos & have learned quite a few things, even though I've been gardening for 50 years.
It’s so sweet how your voice gets gentle when talking about the seedlings.
I've just started gardening and tried to learn from others! But, then it hit me! I don't remember my mom and dad starting anything indoors or in trays. So i directly sowed most of what i planted outside in the ground! They are slowly growing but are growing strong!
When I was a kid growing up in New Mexico, United States, I always started my gardens by sewing directly in the soil and always had amazing gardens full of veggies. After I grew up, I moved to the colder climates of Alaska and tried to grow gardens, and have had absolutely no luck at all. I thought I would try to grow in planters to start since the climate is so much different than what I had growing up and I still cannot get anything to grow. After 12 years, I finally just gave up. I am getting ready to retire and move back south to Texas or New Mexico and I WILL have a vegetable garden again!
My new motto is "Go with what you know!"
Y'all stay safe out there and thank you for all that you do. You have taught a lot of people how to do things that they thought were beyond their capabilities and that is always a good thing.
I know this is an old post but there is a man that grows massive fruits and veggis in the summer months in Alaska. They are aboslute monsters! The long daylight hours help a lot.
We had a hard time recently and lost much of our seedlings. I was heartbroken as I put my everything into them after we lost my son at 15 weeks along. Thank you so much for giving me hope!!!!
I’m sorry ❤️ that sounds so hard
@@janinebean4276 thank you. It definitely was a hard time and still hurts today but we're doing better and are now blessed with our rainbow baby!!! A baby boy who is a year old 💙
Rainbow baby?
@DianeBunn_DnBCouture it's what the surviving baby after a miscarriage or loss is called 🥰
I "nearly" always start in planters nowadays..., we get severe frost here (inland southwest Western Australia) from May to September..., I direct grow carrots, zucchini, pumpkins, cucumber, melons (sometimes), radish, beetroot, beans and peas..., but I mostly start in planters/seedling trays as I can get a 6 to 8 week jump start on the season. I even put my potato's in 14cm pots to start germinating this year and just had the best crop ever. I will try that again next year..., just put 1 potato in a pot and leave it outside..., doesn't even need to be watered until the shoots start to come through..., and then only sparingly till it's planted. Also, when you plant your tomato (the one in the pot on the vid was perfect) strip the lower couple of leaves of it and bury it another 100mm or so (min) into the ground.., it WILL out perform the other tomato's because it will develop shoots right down the length of the buried stem.
I'll try that with a few of my tomatoes next time. I tried that decades ago, but it always ended up rotting the stem, probably too much water or just bad luck...plus I was a kid back then, winging it as I always have done with my green thumb, taught myself a lot of things though, what works and what doesn't.
Lots of good points and tips Gary thanks mate :)
@@Defensive_Wounds it could have been a determinant tomato. Burying deep works. Best with indeterminate tomatoes
Potatoes season is end in my field aria now we growing corn crop and cotton crop
I often put my heirloom tomatoes on their side when I plant them. That way, I end up with several inches of stem that will put out roots to support my plants. :)
I love you so much it’s four am in America and I’m still watching you ❤️ much love even though I’m dieing of insomnia 😁
That's hardcore! Thank you very much and all the best - now get some sleep ;)
Self Sufficient Me hahahahaha just woke up it’s 3 pm💀
Haha I watch his channel lately as part of my end of the night routine too! It’s past 1am right now in California 😅
Insomnia is caused by lack of iron. Lack of Vitamin B causes insomnia. Also stress thinking too much. Try yoga. Take time out. Walk on clran grass without shoes n socks. Take 1hr off without checking your phone updates text messages. Start gardening / painting drawing/ knitting doodling writing. Declutter wardrobe or 1 draw at a time. When your outer environment is changed n organised then you will feel better inside. Do you eat fruit?. Fruit LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE and Apple banana pears PREVENT Strokes.
@@MJWINNER_Sketchbook999 All water rich fruits prevent strokes because they keep you hydrated and therefore improve circulation and lymph flow throughout the immune system. Starchy plants - especially if they are cooked dry you out. Also the water in fruit is perfectly balanced and "structured" by Nature and therefore most easily assimilated by the body.
Although I have a similar climate here in Florida, I myself just like to first germinate seeds using a very classic soaked paper towel method, and right after germination I sow the germinated seed, no transplantation shock, and I feel more control over the growth location and better spacing. My preferences are my own, and I don't yet have ideal compost.
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A week ago I was completely clueless with gardening haha....I've converted and slowly educating myself...I have a task ahead which now I'm excited about...glad I found this channel... :)
Find an old Ruth Stout book on gardening..good read about gardening simply.
Don't give up
You might fail some and succeed on others
It's a learning experience.
Good luck with your garden
Cheers,
Amelia you're in for a fun journey. Mark is great. I've been gardening for years (decades actually) and I still lots of things from Mark. He's a cack. So funny and enjoyable to watch.
same here. just starting. i threw some seeds in the backyard. lets see how i do
WORKED WITH REALLY OLD SEED! :o) I have been slacking on my gardening, and found some 10 & 11 year old seed that I sowed directly into raised bed soil in a half wine barrel, and most of it grew! I had to pull up some as it was too crowded. I wasn't worried about wasting the seed cause it was so old, but I was shocked at how many plants grew, and how well they did. I did have to cover the area with clear (plain, not scented or treated) recycling garbage bags cut open and stapled to some large wooden dowels for support as we got a fluke snow storm forecast right after I already planted them, but I am eating kale, sugar snap peas, and lettuce already, with the carrots slowly coming along. :o) I obviously did this weeks before I watched this video, but wanted to pass on that yes, it does work!!
BEST. GARDENING. CHANNEL.
Lol... I was just asking myself, "Why am I starting seeds in trays, I'm in a tropical climate"
Thanks, Mate!!! 💚💚💚
I've always been afraid to direct sow because I felt like the dainty little seedlings needed a loving caring cosy little seedling tray to start off in. After watching some of your videos, I direct sowed some lettuce, bean and carrot seeds and they're looking super strong, so I might just be a convert :)
Great stuff! Cheers :)
Tegan a good tip to start if your worried about the weather is placing a juice/ coke bottle with its bottom cut out over where you've put the seed. Creates a mini green house
Hmmm nice
@@tamaramuller5728 Did you get that idea from Marie Cachet's channel by any chance?
ruclips.net/video/7N-w0hjCU78/видео.html
I'm in South Florida, I have been direct sowing pretty much everything for a while now, and I prefer it. The seeds seem to sprout faster, they don't suffer transplant shock, and best of all, it is so much easier!
Direct sow only works in your type of climate....we have only a 3-1/2 to 4 month growing season.....so direct seeding everthing will not work for certain crops because the soil doesn't warm up enough to direct seed and harvest before winter sets in again, example tomatoes, peppers etc.
I was thinking the same thing..even now..night time temps are below freezing. Although, there are some garden plants that can tolerate a light frost..like, onions and rutabaga.
Maximum 3 - 1/2month season
Same in the Seattle area
I'm new to gardening. Can anyone tell me for what climate zones this video is relevant? How long does your growing season have to be for direct sowing most seeds to be a good option? Thanks.
@@strega_bonnie I suspect he's no colder than a USDA zone 9. I believe he's in an area that rarely to never gets frost based on some of the fruit trees he has like Dragonfruit and Passionfruit. I think he even has a Banana tree. Plus I think he's able to grow tomatoes year round, though he has to switch varieties due to certain pests at certain times of year. Compare perennial plants he can grow to what can grow in your area, and you'll be able to figure out how it compares. Lots of useful info on his channel, though, regardless of zone. :)
I agree with you in general! I started gardening during the pandemic and I was just doing direct sowing because that's all I really knew about. It has worked well for me! I'm in a temperate climate where our last frost is the end of March, so I have a good growing season length.
The two caveats I have found for sowing in seedling trays: plants that take a long time to fruit such as peppers and seeds where you are unsure about the viability. The third caveat is: if you are getting antsy for spring and getting into the garden it gives you something to do.
Mark mark he’s our man if he says you can direct sow then anyone can!!!!
i think youre great.im a gardener too and love all your videos,but you just preety much cheer me up and brighten my day.thankyou for that .youre very positive at these trying times.best of luck with all you do.
CO, USA, I only ever direct sow (except tomatoes), sometime have issues with snow in May, but the plants are resilient! Great video!
I live in Wisconsin, an upper state. this year I am doing direct sow. It's still cold out and I have alot of seeds to use. I have a greenhouse so I will be planting extra tomatoes, peppers and I did find celery plants(which I did last year...grew very good) in it. I direct sowed beans,cucumbers and peas, carrots and peas and the carrots were the only thing that was sm. crop. but my grandkids helped in harvesting...probably why . the 3yr.old kept asking to go out to pick beans, he went through the whole group of vegs. he could remember. He loves gardening with me. And I am a beginner. Thanks...I enjoy your videos alot, common sense videos
I direct sowed most of my seeds this year and in zone 7 it's working out great! I think this is my new way from now on. Save money and time!
HI stared seed.s indoors last year but unfortunately I lost half of them due to indoor farmers ((4 cats) one who is really great at getting lids off so direct sow is the plan this year hope I get some luck with the weather as we ten3d to be dry and windy here in zone 7 .great info as always ty
Thank you for promoting direct sow for hardiness. I'm in the US in an area with erratic spring weather, weeks of warm and sunny, then a hard frost and snow in early May. I'm direct sewing seeds I reclaimed from crops last year, they have proven themselves in this climate and have already handled the fluctuating weather. But when I buy a new pack of seeds with something exciting and potentially fragile, like heirloom melons, I start them inside for control.
Great video Mark. Direct sowing is good providing you have the temperature and weather for it, SOmetimes not always possible here, the seed will rot off if too cold and if you leave it until it warms the season can be too short. However, there are crops that I do direct sow later such as beetroot carrots parsnips, and some squash
Thanks for sharing your tips Tony! Yeah, I thought dampening off could be a problem in cooler climates but it's interesting to know you still direct sow some crops. Cheers :)
i know I'm kinda randomly asking but do anyone know of a good site to stream newly released movies online?
@Jackson Parker Yup, have been watching on flixzone for since march myself :)
@Jackson Parker thank you, I went there and it seems like a nice service =) Appreciate it !!
@Cole Dalton you are welcome :D
Your videos are the best! Witty and informative.
I live in Midwest USA. 600 square-foot home does not allow for very much seed starting indoors.
I made a little hoop house over my existing concrete block raised beds. Seemed to work pretty well.
But, what worked best was direct sowing most of my seeds. The tomato plants that I direct sowed are almost as tall as the two tomato plants my dad bought from farmers market.
I’m hoping I can direct-sow peppers next year, because the ones I bought from farmers market experienced transplant shock and aren’t doing well. We’ll see. Please keep up the videos! God bless you and yours during this crazy time. 💕
Here in the UK we have really wanky weather, so starting off in trays and pots is a good way to start off growing while we wait for the warmer weather and the last of the frosts to pass. This is my second year (last year I grew salad tomatoes and flowers) and I love watching your videos for tips and information about gardening 😁 you rock Mark! 👍
Yep!✋💞🌱👵😊
Totally. We've had an absolutely stunning April weatherwise, but generally you can forget about anything that's scared of frost till the start of May. Unless you got something already in the ground from last autumn waiting to finish off in spring.
I grow in the UK also this year I only started tomatoes, peppers and cucumber inside all the rest ,kale, cabbage, beetroot, carrots, chard, purple sprouting, turnip's, radishes, spinach, lettuce, squash and more I have direct sown. Other than a little bit of slug and rodent damage everything seems to be coming on well. It has all been a bit of an experiment but so far so good. Probably helps being home so much this year so I can keep picking off the slugs. Happy gardening everyone.
Nice good job I am from Pakistan
I'm in UK and start most of My plants off in small pots and trays under clear plasic mini Polly tunnels for 2 to 3 weeks.
You are the encouragement and positivity we need right now.
This is my second growing season as a gardener with my own home garden, so I'm definitely still a beginner and these videos are super, super helpful. My climate couldn't be more different from yours, Mark, but your tips are still brilliant and useful. This year I'm embarking on more experiments with succession planting, so I've been starting extra seeds in my greenhouse so that they are ready to plant out when the spaces become available. But other than that, it does seem like my direct-sown seedlings are ultimately the happiest and strongest. :)
Beginner gardener here and one great advice I took on was just to start. That is what I did, built a garden bed and sowed directly and also sowed into tiny pot plants for transfer later on. To my surprise the carrots I sowed directly have all shot up nicely so this will be my preferred method. Thanks Mark and you got a big thumbs up for your channel and videos.
Hi Mark! Everything you say is correct. I find they both have their place. On a side note, I have to THANK YOU for introducing me to Malabar spinach awhile back. I'm in zone 9b in Florida and regular spinach is tough. I planted it 2 months ago and it's doing great and is fantastic! So thanks for that one!
6:43 My mom found a similar bag in my highschool years.
Same here. Lol
Not with brown onion though 😂
Me too..colombian gold...grows well mate!
I live in an apartment and have my farm 30 minutes to drive away. So starting off seeds in the apartment is both relaxing, enjoyable and makes it easier to simply take the seedlings up to the mountains where then planting into the soil. That also reduces the risks of animals nibbling on the small weak plants.
Now THAT'S dedication...goood on ya
Good luck with your garden...mate?
I usually direct sow. Most everything I grow is in pots. If I have too many in a pot, I may transplant some to elsewhere. I don't like to waste any. I also have many of my smaller plants growing indoors as well.
Just wanted to say that I absolutely love your videos and all the awesome gardening knowledge you spread to the world. Watching you has given me so many ideas to enhance my garden over the past year and your videos have also been an amazing source of relaxation during these crazy times. Thanks for being great!
I have always done a bit of both ever since I was a 6 year old kid with my first vegie patch in 1981! lol My current crop = long beans/sugar snap peas/carrots/strawberries (red and white)/capsicums(green, red and yellow)/brown onions/atlantic & ranger russet seed potatoes/cape gooseberry as seeds and Cabbage/tomatoes (can't remember the variety, doesn't really matter tbh...lol) as seedlings. A handful of old seeds from last years crops self seeded from within the ground (tomatoes and cape gooseberries.)
Since I get crazy Pennsylvania weather and it’s hard to tell when the freezing temps are done, I use red solo cups and a fluorescent ballast with vegetative growth spectrum bulbs. Then I harden them off in the windows. I ALSO direct seed for a staggered harvest once the weather warms up.
We love you Mark. Very glad we have your kind guidance and warm demeanor.
G’day Mark, I know it’s going to be a great day when I wake up to a SSM notification!
Starting a new veggie garden on the NSW/QLD border, i did appreciate having a small greenhouse in which to start seedlings, and care for cuttings, as we found the heavy storms did so much damage when plants were most vulnerable. Now transplanted to New Zealand, my new greenhouse (DIY kit ...) will be used for protection from wind, rain and cooler winters !
I try direct sow where possible, but will start seedlings in punnets due to limited space. For example when the tomatoes are finished in Autumn, I can immediately replace them with brocolli which has had an 8 week head start in a punnet. It's a way of maximising output from a small urban garden.
We live in Melbourne suburbs so we do both. Direct sow for most summer crops as soil is warming, and punnets in cold months for brassicas etc. nWe can direct sow lettuce all year round, but it is trial and error.
Thanks for your videos. We have learnt some good tips.
I do 50/50 ... as it's cooler over here in the UK I have to get seeds started earlier in pots and grow them on in the kitchen, also we have mice up at the plot that love beans, so I have to start those in pots too. For everything else I try and direct sow. Thumbs up my friend. Cheers Adam
And you have rabbits Adam - I've seen them! Cheers mate :)
I live in a cold climate and have a very short growing season, so I definitely need to start from seed or use cold frames. Building a few has been on my 'do to' list for awhile now.... maybe this will be the year lol Great tips on transplanting the tiny guys, thank you! :)
Cool... Literally! Thanks for sharing your knowledge Sarah :)
You too! :)
Nice but in my country four climate
ruclips.net/video/7N-w0hjCU78/видео.html
I grow most things in small pots under clear plasic sheet. Week 1 and the runner beans have sprouted. In 1 or 2 weeks they will be plated out.
"dont think i dont" ..classic. love this content. learning things whithout being "told" how..and thank you for your service..its impossible to watch these videos and feel stressed..perfect
When I was a kid, we only planted directly into the ground. I start my soil amending tomorrow AM. I have two cast iron claw foot bathtubs. Planning to plant pole beans and corn together to hopefully save space. Then I'm planting zucchini, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. I didn't have much of a choice of seeds since they were free, my favorite price. Thank you for sharing. :-)
Corn & beans together, perfect!
Here's a tip: plant the corn first in a square (w a can of fish if you can) and let it get 1 foot tall. Then plant the beans. Cukes and zukes don't like one another, but the corn & beans would love having some zukes in the tub. Happy growing!
I had a late start last year building our bed and bought seedlings and had great success. Later in the summer, the nursery down the road sells their leftover dying seedlings for a dollar a pop, so I plan to do some seedling rehab and rescue later in the season this year. But to start this spring I am going to direct sow only and see how it goes!
Hi, Mark. I enjoy your channel and appreciate seeing the things that you are able to grow. Our growing season in western WA is typically 154 days +/-. My seeds are started indoors with heat mats and grow lights to avail myself of as much growing time as possible. What I am able to grow, is different than what you are able to grow. I suspect everyone does the best they can for the area in which they reside. Thanks again for sharing your journey with the rest of us. Best wishes from Kate in Olympia, WA -- 4/19/2020.
Now this is a Gardening channel! Very lovely man. Great information. I built a hoop house this year. We had frost last night and I currently have peppers in the ground. I like both. Transplants and direct sow when ever I can.
I made the mistake of starting my seeds indoors too early. Not one made it to the garden. But I now have 6 raised beds with direct-sown seedlings and I’m happy with that.
We live in North Carolina here in the U.S. and HOPEFULLY *fingers crossed* we just had our last cold night where it got down in the lower 30's which was just this past Wednesday and Thursday. We wrapped up the tomato plants with fabric and pine straw. And I even used some extra landscaping fabric to put across the rest of our raised garden and stapled the edges to the frame. That worked out amazingly. Thank you for your videos, we actually have started our first raised garden this year thanks to you and we actually followed your video on Hugelkultur when we started filling it.
I live in Norway, and grow my cherry tomatoes on my balcony, so I transplant. It's sunny and 10-15c outside now, but still gets down to -3-0c during the night, so I feel like I don't have a choice considering May usually is the earliest they can be outside.. I wish I lived somewhere warmer with a garden so I could grow more!
CLC in im in,a desert and getting ready to move plants indoors for hot season .
@CLC - I live in South Australia & most of Australia can't do it either. It's Autumn here & we get frosts & sub zero temps too, but up in the sub-tropics where Mark is, the seasons don't change as much, or get as cold as they do everywhere else.
Hi you rock I've learner a lot from you. I'm east tennessee zone 7. Direct sow in containers. I like fabric air pots. First year. Last year had seedlings. A ton of extra work. Seems good so far. It's been chilly down to the 40s some nights high 60s to 70 s during the day but tomatoes are sprouting already. Growing in pots so when i move to my homestead I can take the babies with me. Thanks for your videos. Love them.
Yep direct sow is the way to go! This autumn sowing has been the best sow far🤣. Learnt my lessons, ie. Slugs and snails. So when they first sprouted i put down snail pellets. Once the seedlings are less vulnerable to their attacks I'll stop using it. Except for the cabbage, because those little buggers love to bore their way into the hearts.
Also for tomatoes i prefer to get them started in pots in august (last month of witnter) inside. We're going to try cardboard pots. Saw a video on YT. Hopefully that will avert the transplanting shock due to the fact that you plant the pot with the tomato plant.
Mark, you are the best, up in Sunshine Coast CANADA! You helped us heaps, love your work and what you do for all us folks, keep it up and stay prosperous :) All our best, much love, Sam and Fam
I am stationed in New York and I'm trying to start my own garden. I'm currently growing my seeds in trays and it was working well but I have run into some problems as the weather here is still to unstable and isn't consistently warm. Right when i thought it was safe to bring the trays outside the temperature drops and kills halve of my plants. I guess that's the risk I take with trying to get a head start and growing too early. Lucky with starting early, I can just start over without worrying about growing to late.
We're in Autumn in South Australia & Autumn can be absolutely anything in between summer & winter weather & never the same for 3 days straight lol. After years of weather killing my stuff, I started using one of those super-cheap mini greenhouses (with the removable zip-on cover) to transition my seeds & seedlings to outside. I have the cover on atm to protect from frost & wind at night, but depending on what's inside, I'll roll the front door up or down or take things out in the sun during the day so the climate is less sheltered than indoors but not quite fully exposed to weather immediately. I also have a couple of clear containers which I invert like a cloche over anything that needs a bit more help. It has helped me stop killing & start keeping things.
Hi Mark, over in the UK its more practical to sew in trays and plant out with some veg but I can't thank you enough for the crowd planting tip! I can't belive I've spent all these years sewing in rows and spacing stuff out like it says in the textbook. You've completely changed how much produce I can grow! If your ever near Derbyshire uk, I owe you a pint. Cheers mate. Rob
Dr M: I’m in the UK and I’ve always sown in punnets 1st, but I’m trying more direct sowing now - it’s easier on the arthritic hands too!! Bless you for you excellent (and funny) videos!! And yes, I’m subscribed!! 👍
Hi Lili good on you and thanks for subscribing! Cheers :)
Nice like your comment from Pakistan
Here in East Tennessee I only start tomatoes indoors early in February and have had great success with it. It gives us a head start in early spring as the weather can be so tempermental here. Throughout the spring and into summer I harvest tomato seedlings that germinate up from our chicken manure compost bins and use them to extend the tomato growing season into fall. We grow tons of em. Bigguns. Every other crop we direct sow. I love your videos Mark. A Big Thumbs up to you Mate.
I'm fairly new to vegie gardening so been watching a fair few videos to learn. One I watched showed how to grow seedlings in toilet rolls, then when the seedling is ready to transfer into the ground, the whole thing is planted as the toilet roll will rot away quickly enough for the plant's roots to be able to spread. I haven't tried it myself. Thx for your videos.
I believed that toilet roll stuff once - I set up a seedling tray out of many toilet rolls & cared for it all meticulously that summer. Every single thing I planted died before I even got it in the ground, imho the tubes sucked the water away from the plants. I accidentally dropped one of the tubes on the ground on the way to the bin & thought I'd just leave it in the garden bed to check to see when exactly they do break down - 12 months later, even with being exposed to the elements it was still fully intact.
@@joannecarroll5504 oh really? that's good to know. They did have the toilet rolls sitting in a tray to keep them upright, so maybe a bit of water in with it would help?
I love your videos. It's finally warm enough here in zone 7a for me in the US to transplant my seedlings and direct sow. I really look forward to your videos, especially now when tensions are high and there's food insecurity.
You've inspired me to setup my own self sufficient garden! Inspiring!
Welcome to the future
The On-Time shipping of expensive, dead and poisoned foods is coming to an end for the awakened.
You'll make mistakes...we all do.
Don't discourage, learn and move on.
Good Luck with your gardening
Cheers,
I am so glad I found your channel!! You're knowledgeable and funny! I love it. My family is easing our way into the more sustainable lifestyle and I'm looking forward to learning how to feed my family with your help. I love your humor. It's really refreshing!!
when just starting direct sow to get the fastest start. then plan transplants for when seasons change. some things grow so well that there really is no need to protectively raise in trays. but you can gain weeks of production through those same seeds and trays. tomatoes and many other plants benefit from having their stems buried at transplant. they grow more extensive root systems
Good point! Thanks for sharing :)
You are so well spoken. I really appreciate how you explain things. I’ve just recently struggled with transplants of cantaloupe and watermelon and after seeing my cucumber seeds sprout 🌱 so perfectly, I have no idea why I thought I needed to buy plants....
Mark: *throws scarce mix on ground* "I shouldn't have waste that!"
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I like the idea of a video a day, give us moorrrreeeeeee! 😁
I laughed when I saw little Australian Stuart Little
I only direct sow, I tried growing to a seedling in a hot house then hardening off then planting. Not only it took up time and space, I had less germination and the ones that did survive were not as strong and healthy as only directly sown. I however start my garden with a plan, then just end up seed scattering. I find it more fun and I don’t need to mulch. Love your channel. We moved to SE QLD 6months ago from cold Victoria, so learning to grow in a different environment. Keep up the great work.
For an English perspective, which says that nearly everything should be started in module trays to maximise the growing season and avoid pests, see Charles Dowding’s point of view
You do have to love Charles. He is God of the Greenthumbs!
And if you do love Charles, you will be in absolute awe of Liziqi.
Seriously, her videos are perfect viewing for quarantine escapism.
@@lysabromaroff5039 I try to watch Charles & I am subscribed, but I find it very difficult to understand what he's saying; he mumbles a lot so the subtitles don't work. It's frustrating because I really want to watch.
I come from Thailand but I like your farmers very much.
I'm in a cold climate and am just arriving at the same realisation. My seedlings grown under lights / heat mat just never seem to thrive, yet the volunteers growing out of the compost consistently do well. It's actually demoralizing!
This spring I'm going to try direct sowing and using cloches made from 15L water cooler bottles. I'm hoping the large bottles will both heat the soil, and protect young seedlings from the army of slugs/snails.
Same here
It seems the more you control them the less 'healthy' they develop.
Mother nature is much smarter than the naked ape.
I buy local seeds that are designed for the local climate that can thrive under our condition.
Its like you are reading my mind as I'm gardening. I needed this video . Answered some questions i had . Thanks!
Oh my, it is so nature, i like the fresh food from the garden.
Warm greeting from indonesia.
I've only started being self sufficient since August last year. From my Dad showing me your videos. So I've always bought seedling and transferred them into my garden bed. But now I will most likely start sowing as it is cheaper one and two has more benefits as you have mentioned.
I always direct so where possible because of the reasons you've given less shock on the plants, but little seeded plants I like to buy like strawberries I planned a whole packet of strawberry seeds directly not one came up I don't know whether it was too deep or what so little seeds I like to buy in punnets🤙
I've found the same problem James. Smaller seeds just seem way more temperamental than larger ones. I think it may be Thyme or some other herb that just never comes up.
@@soapsoilandsunshine3241 I meant to mention carrots there are tiny seed but I've never had any problem with carrots I direct so them as well I think they're pretty Hardy seed actually and I love growing them to😉
Last year I planted half my seed packet of alpine strawberries; not one came up. This year I set the rest of the seeds on a wet paper towel (in the kitchen) and about a third of them sprouted! I covered the dish and set it out in the garden. Will attempt to set the towel directly in the soil in a day or two, and cover with a jar to give them a little protection until they’re a bit larger.
@@elaineclguerrero5592 Maybe I should try that then I think..🤙
Hey Mark, love the channel, the material is fantastic keep up the good work. I’m here in the USA and I just sewed my garden for this year’s summer. Like you, I direct sow into the ground and have never used a small pot or any other growing medium for that. I’ve always placed my seeds directly into the ground and I’ve had success every year. like you, the only times, I haven’t had success was due to rodents or disease that plague my garden. Typically, I grow directly into the ground. But this year after watching your channel I’ve decided to try three raised garden beds. Fingers crossed, I hope the new beds work. Happy gardening!!
Direct sow is best because of the wind, sound daft ?
Well if you can't sow direct outside then use a fan to provide wind as it stops the seedlings becoming 'leggy'.
50mph winds for 4 out of 5 days last week just killed my plants... it's not quite too late to try again, but I dont know if I'm going to have tomatoes this year :(
@@mareamiller6957
Bad luck, maybe you should use a fan to try again indoors until they are big enough to try outside.
Frankly you need to build wind blinds of some sort as winds are only going to get stronger.
Good luck.
@@stephenbird5641 yeah- I live with over a mile of field facing northwest. I should have waited for the corn to go out and get taller. Live and learn I guess. I just direct seeded again and am gonna cross my fingers
I live in New Hampshire, USA. I have raised bed gardens, 2 foot tall. I have pvc pipe for hoop houses, lots of healthy mulch incorporated into the soil. The hoop house raises us 1 zone, so I am essentially able to direct sow a month earlier than is typically suggested. I feel your videos are so on point, very well done, and full of information that I can use, even up here. Cheers and be well!
Stuart Little: "kale, yuk!. That's for new age hippies. Give me good old cabbage any day."
You, my friend, are a complete joy to watch. Thank you for what you do.
Except for tiny seed, I germinate the seeds first prior to planting in place to get it going within 24-48hrs
i am stuck at home with only a balcony, cant go outside and wishing that one day i will have a house with a garden but thats not realistic
so yeah your one of the few keeping me happy
Direct sowing is OK but is far easier to start in pots. You can control the soil much better, you can control the moisture/temperature/sun exposure much better and the biggest advantage of sowing in pots is that you can do it months before the last frost date. And by doing so you can prolong the growing season :)
I love watching your videos. You have inspired me to start gardening in raised beds. I haven’t grown vegetables before but after watching your videos we have created one raised bed to experiment with. We have learned so much from watching your videos.
I direct sow as much as possible . That said, I do like to start seeds in trays also so that when one crop is harvested the next batch is ready to go in. Which is whole story in discipline unto itself. But some plants like carrots, parsnips, lettuce, and such do so much better by seed. Thanks as always, great tips.
I absolutely adore you and your videos. I'm new to gardening so I'm doing a little of everything with everything to see what works best for our growing situation and climate. I've had luck so far with both sowing directly and starting in pots. I prefer direct sowing, but like you point out, spacing issues can arise. I'll be going through these comments for thoughts and ideas. Love your videos! - from Southern California.
I always try to get a head start indoors. Living in central Illinois is a little difficult. We could have a snow storm in April.
I said something similar, neighbor! I'm from Wisconsin :)
I live in the north of England and I find with the shock plants go through after transplanting, the losses incurred and the time it takes for them to get re-established you don't make many more gains than you would if you just waited til after the first frost to plant out. You're absolutely right, if I did this professionally, I'd direct seed everything using cat tunnels.
This year, i"ve direct sown a handful of radishes, lettuces, carrots, onions, beetroots in a small patch of my greenhouse : super strong and healthy growth. I'm thining them simply by picking early lettuces and radishes, same with carrots and onions soon. Best salads ever! Many Thanks from south France!
Anyone else in the US with insomnia 😂
yup
👍🥴6AM in North Carolina and wide awake! I've always been a insomniac, but this is getting ridiculous!!! 😳🤪 Feel like I'm in a time warp!
310am, Canada. Yup
gardening vids at 4 am nice
Working a night shift and on break in North Idaho!
Hi.....I watch your channel all the time...
I live where we have -20* in the winters.....
In my experience, annual vegs WILL NOT grow in the winter unless one has several layers of row cover and maybe not then, so, i resorted to heated greenhouses..
Voila ! Greens year round..
I only transplant, peppers, tomatoes ,onions,herbs and annual flowers....all other veggies i direct plant into the outdoor garden.
This system has worked all my life and i'm in my 60's....
****If its not broke,
dont fix it !*****
while I prefer to direct sow, we just can't do it here in Tas with many things. if I waited until it was warm enough here to direct sow many summer crops such as tomatoes, corn, cucumbers pumpkins etc I'd never get anything. we just don't have the time. as for mini greenhouses and that, they only work if they're not portable. in order for the ground to be warm enough to sow summer crops here, your little greenhouse would have to stay in one place to help warm the soil enough for things to germinate well before you wanted to sow the seeds. Cold climate gardening in a place like Tas just isn't conducive to direct sowing for many things. On the other hand direct sowing cool weather crops like the peas beets, carrots, brassicas onions, garlic etc all of which do best here in autumn and winter, works a treat. I'm just about to put in the garlic but won't do the onion seed for another month or so. the other reason I sometimes don't direct sow even if the conditions are right for it is space. I've very limited to space and if I want follow on crops I don't have the space to succession plant straight into the ground. I need to raise them in seed trays so that by the time they're ready for the ground, there's space to put them in. My leeks are a good example of this. I would normally direct so them but I've germinated them in seeds trays and they've just popped up just this week. the reason I couldn't direct so them is we've had such a crappy season and everything has been so late maturing, what would normally be out of the ground well and truly by now is still in there and I'm only just starting to harvest so there just hasn't been the space available to direct sow the leeks. at the same time I couldn't leave them to sow until there was space as it would be too late to get them going so I started them off in seed trays to ensure they would be ready when there was space and will be planting them out next week. while I agree direct sowing is best a lot of factors have to be considered when deciding whether I direct sow, such as time of year, what I want to sow and space.
Thanks Megan, I appreciate you sharing your knowledge about growing in cooler climates like Tassy and regarding space etc. Cheers :)
Excellent arguments and explanation, thank you!
In my summer crops corn, cotton, pumpkin, ladyfingers sunflower
@@Selfsufficientme I'm in north eastern Tas I too have found direct sowing works fine for cooler growing plants this year being the exception as we were still getting frosts where I am until October. I will for the most part use seed trays for warm weather crops or to head start cool weather crops. I have more than enogh room for what I grow but I'm fussy about having a uniform garden so mostly when I use seed trays the weather or temp is not to me as much of a concern (although always a consideration) I like nice straight rows and I plant with high of the plants in mind. We have a very short warm season here and if we have to wait for ground temps to rise enough there are time when you can miss your window for starting seed off. Having said that with such things as pumpkin,beans, peas,(corn(wich failed this year due to colder than normal weather) silverbeet and spinich I don't know why but I have had greater success with direct sowing.
Maby a could frame may work for you to speed up crops so you can save on groth times and remove after harvest and plant agane
I feel much more confident to start growing food because of your videos! I appreciate it!
Direct seed in my garden in Maryland.
Barbara Fritchie doing the same here in TN
I do a mixture of both here in North Charleston, SC, USA. Eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers take a long time to get started, so I start them early when we still have a danger of a random frost. Everything else is directly sown. Thanks for the great content. I really enjoy your videos!
I have a very short growing season and unfortunately I do have to start my seeds inside. If I want to have fruit from my plants like tomatoes then I must start them inside. Luckily tomatoes are so forgiving. But there are some crops that I just can't grow. I have a very difficult time with melons. They don't seem to transfer that very well and I get lots of vines but the fruit doesn't have time to mature before the frost comes then the whole thing is a waste of time and effort. Plants like kale and spinach I am able to start underneath Garden fabric. But growing in the cold does have some benefits. I'm able to grow probably three cups of kale and spinach and lettuce and I can overwinter many things right in the ground and pull them all winter long as I need them. For instance I plant my fall carrots and every time I want a carrot I just go grab one and I don't have to worry about storing them. The same is true for rutabagas turnips and beets. It sucks when you have to start plants inside because you can never mimic the Sun. You end up with leggy plants even with grow lights. And I don't know about anybody else but my seedlings are a Target of my pets. I can't tell you how many times I've grown a flat of seeds to come home from work to find my cat's got into them and ruined the entire tray and weeks of growth. Then when you bring the seeds outside to get them accustomed to their new outside conditions I have to struggle with birds and squirrels that pluck them out and want to eat the tasty fresh greens, or the rabbits. Growing is a challenge for everybody. But I will take my cold growth area any day over dealing with the python I saw in your garden in one of your videos! That would have scared me right out of the yard and I would have never gardened again
Hi. I sure agree with you...especially about the python! Yikes, no way. I'd be petrified!😳😟😵
Look up "Winter Sowing" there are many RUclips videos as well. You will be very happy once you try it and will never go back to starting seeds indoors.
Hallo. Thank you for your knowledge. I learn a lot from you. I am in South Africa and I started building a backyard veg garden. I experimented with sowing directly too vs growing seed indoors. It is fun watching how they grow indoors but as you said. They need to get use to the outdoors and sometimes they do not make it. Maybe I plant them out to quickly (2 weeks/1 inch). Sowing directly also provide some exciting viewing as they grow. I even tried planting butternut seeds (winter squash) in its bottom part in compost outside and it worked. But now I have to plant them out. :D
Happy gardening.
Does anyone else seriously say goodday along with him every time? 🤣🤷🏼♂️
It's not goodday, it's g'day
If you're going to say it, you'll have to learn how to say it properly, otherwise you'll sound like a politician pretending to be a man of the people. Now repeat after me, "G'day" (sounds like Gidday). 😁
Thank you for the correct spelling. 🤣 bless your heart
Hi Mark! Zone 9 here. I've commented before and have consulted with you at times via email.
I direct sew mostly everything.
I've used the biodegradable egg packages to use as seedling starters,too.. I've had success with these as well.
I do this as I'm so gung ho on successive plantings that I use the egg packs to keep the momentum where I don't yet have garden bed space etc
I find that direct see seems to help the root system establish more healthily from the beginning.
Thanks again for another great video!
I'm only starting out again, have tried to grow veg in the past and epic fail. I have brought myself vegtrug felt raised garden bed, they are $39 ea and got two in purple and brought a table so i don't have to bend (arthritis in back)
With failure brings knowledge
I've made truck loads of mistakes...reason I'm so damn smart today
Personal opinion...lol
Don't EVER give up
Cheers,
Good idea! And a lot less expensive than most tall planters 😊
Thank you for the vid. I live in Sweden so many of your tips and crops don't work here, but I find your videos very interesting anyway and learn a lot about your climate. I have to pregrow many things, mainly because of the short warm season but also because of the bad slug problem we have. On the other hand we don't have as much bugs and pests that you have, or the same wildlife on the whole. I love that you show animal life as well.
I see you use straight rows for planting. Have you ever used the square foot method of planting?
I haven't used the square foot method as such but I think it's a good method of planting. Cheers :)
I’ve used that method for years. If is easy to do and the plants don’t mind crowding just remember to thin them out. The wider row means less weeding. It works well for most of the smaller plants tomatoes and cucumbers need more space so do squash
Here in Colorado, US we have such a short growing season for plants with 120 day fruiting term you must start indoors. Last frost outdoor planting starts May 1st. The temps usually dive to frost around 4th week of September to 2nd week of October. Great videos Mate. Keep em flowing.