Grow from seed
A love letter to the slowest & simplest way to garden
Welcome to Splendid to be.
Love letters that celebrate the many little measures of slow, simple and seasonal living, from my heart, home and garden to you.
We’ve sown the last of our summer crops this week - a milestone worth celebrating as we approach Beltane, the mid point between the spring equinox and summer solstice, here on the Mornington Peninsula. Wherever we could free up space, we’ve scattered seeds abundantly. Out came the fennel, the last of the sugar snaps and snow peas, and a copious amount of weeds. In went all of this:
Spring is delivering on all fronts. Days of alternating rain and sun have turned everything in the garden technicolour green. Everywhere I look, vibrancy radiates. Don’t even get me started on the the flowers…
On Saturday our giant poppies unfurled their first mega bloom and our foxgloves, which I planted at this exact time last year, have stolen my heart. Into the house I am bringing armfuls of California tree poppies, Geraldton wax flowers and the last of my darling dearest lilacs.
Our Golden Delicious apple tree however, is putting on a showstopper. Thousands of pink buds and snow white blossoms populate the north east pocket of our orchard. There has to be double the amount produced in previous years and the pollinators are having a party. Considering we harvested zero apples last season (thanks to an unexpected early raid by the resident rainbow lorikeets), if we can adequately protect this crop, we are set for an apple extravaganza.
The orchard is racing headlong towards summer and fruit is budding everywhere. Masses of tiny green plums, apricots, peaches, quinces, nashi pears and cherries are out on display. Net, I chant to myself daily. Don’t forget to net.
On the berry front, mulberries are imminent and the raspberry canes are alive with the sound of bees. Elsewhere around the garden pockets of alyssum, calendula, nasturtium, borage, seaside daisies, geraniums and salvias are flourishing.
As mesmerised as I am by the daily floral spectacle, it’s the seeds in the ground that are yet to stir that I am tending to most lovingly. We grow all our food from seed, most of which we sow direct. This is not to say I won’t resort to buying seedlings as a Hail Mary. Last spring, after three failed attempts at getting zucchini up and running (Why snails? Why?) if I hadn’t subbed in seedlings on the homestretch we wouldn’t have had any. And a summer without homegrown zucchini simply isn’t a summer I want to experience.
We all live in differing climates, with different elemental and pest related challenges. As you can probably tell from what you’ve read so far, I have 99 problems and pest control is all of them.
But growing from seed isn’t complicated. It may seem daunting if you are new to it, but it is the simplest, slowest, and most rewarding way to garden. I implore you to avoid the shortcut when it comes to growing your food and instead witness the full, closed-loop cycle of a speck, becoming a shoot, becoming a stalk, becoming your supper and then back to seed to be shared, stored or scattered anew.
Why I love growing from seed:
Variety
We are absolutely spoiled for choice with our Diggers Club membership. Not only is the historic Heronswood homestead and gardens a treasure we love visiting year round, they have an enormous seed collection, made up of predominately heirloom and organic varietals. As an example they have 30+ varieties of lettuce alone. You’d be lucky to find 10 in seedling form and 5 ready to eat at the shops.
Cost
A packet of 120 heirloom mixed lettuce seeds costs approximately $5. A punnet of 8 heirloom mixed lettuce seedlings costs approximately $5. A single use plastic bag of gourmet mixed lettuce leaves costs approximately $5. The seeds can be saved and planted over the course of 2-5 years. The seedlings have a window of 1-2 weeks. That sad bag of pre-packaged leaves has a shelf life of days. The math speaks for itself.
Storage
As above, seeds are keepers! They are pocket-powerhouses that take up next to no room and as long as you keep them in a cool, dark, dry place they can be relied upon to feed you, your family and your community indefinitely.
Ritual
When you sow a seed you are participating in an ancient practice. Our ancestors once revered and stockpiled seeds, valuing them on par with, if not more than, money. Having seeds in my keeping feels akin to having shares in the stockmarket. But unlike bonds or EFTs they are an investment with unlimited potential. Sure, some seeds tank, but they are always in abundance if you take the time to gather and steward them. To tend the plant a seed produces, harvest its leaves, shoots or fruits and allow it to reproduce is to connect deeply with the earth, our forbearers and our descendants.
Growing from seed tips:
Grow only what you love to eat
This is the best and simplest advice I can give you. Especially if you are new to this seed raising game. Don’t go to all the effort to grow something you have no idea what to do with once it’s ripe and ready. If you don’t eat kale normally, don’t buy kale seeds.
Shop local
Where possible, seek out sustainably sourced seeds grown in the same area and climatic conditions as your home to give them the best chance at thriving. You will not only have more success with your crops but you are keeping your local seed bank alive. I advocate for localisation, in all aspects of life, but food in particular. Whilst seeds are hardy and have always travelled far and wide, local seed is the best seed.
Choose heirloom, organic varieties
I won’t go into the nitty gritty here, as this is a subject that goes deep into the history and future of agriculture, but the modernisation of mass food production has dwindled our global seed bank to a fraction of what it once was and if we continue hybridising seeds and focusing on monoculture crops, seed biodiversity will continue to shrink and this is not good for the planet or our palates. Backyard growers have free-reign to raise and shepherd the ancient varietals that have made it this far. Let’s keep them going. All this is to say is that if you like eating tomatoes, don’t choose the packet of seeds labelled only ‘tomato’. You want the Tommy Toes, the Mortgage Lifters, the Rose de Bernes, the Lemon Drops. These are the flavour bombs. These are the ones you want your grandkids to one day taste, freshly plucked from the vine, still warm from the summer sun.
Sow directly
This is my personal philosophy and at times goes against the recommended advice for some crops. But in my books, simplicity is key. That and I’m a rebel. My theory is, if a plant is destined for a garden bed (not a pot), then I plant it directly where I want it to grow. We have a green house and I still only raise a tiny portion of our seeds in there. I believe the less intervention, the less handling, the better chances of surviving and thriving. Allowing the roots to form where they will settle is a no brainer for me.
Scatter freely
When you grow from seed, you can go wild. Cast seeds with reckless abandon, as I do. I get that some people like neat straight lines and evenly spaced plants but in my experience, this leads to gaps. Seeds fail, germination rates differ and I guarantee a slug, snail or bird will help themselves to one or more of your babies. When you over sow (aka. take the spacing recommendation on the back of your seed packet as a very, very loose guide) you give yourself a fighting chance that at least half your darlings will make it. My method is to sow abundantly, protect, water and thin out seedlings as they establish, creating the space you then desire amongst the ones that thrive. A fun side note: kids love this method too and you can stress a little less when they drop an entire handful of spring onions within a 20cm radius. If the seeds are small, scatter on top of your soil and run your hands lightly over the topsoil to gently work them in. Larger seeds can be scattered and then pushed under ground (remember to only plant each seed twice as deep as the seed is long, if you ever want to see it emerge).
Protect
Whilst some seeds will thrive on neglect and abandon, most need a little help getting off to a good start in life. Where we live, snails, slugs, birds, possums, our own chooks and free-range children have wrecked havoc on my best laid crops over the years. Which is why I now net our raised beds. Traditionally nets are used toward the pinnacle of the growing cycle, protecting burgeoning fruit or keeping caterpillars off the leaves of your brassicas. But nets are amazing at keeping snails, birds and kids off your precious sprouts until they are big enough to tough it out themselves. It’s green-housing in situ, providing sun and frost protection when young plants are at their most vulnerable. I particularly swear by this method for carrots. Up until we used this method I could never grow a crop, no matter what method I tried. Exclusion netting (fine weave to keep insects out) is worth its weight in gold.
Save seeds
After you’ve harvested the last of your roquette leaves, or you are down to your final juicy pod of broad beans, letting your plants go a bit feral means you get to close the loop and build your own resilient stock to grow on from next season. Even better, let the seed fall freely where it already calls home and let mother nature start the cycle anew. I love to do this with parsley in particular, because there will never be enough parsley in my garden for me to declare we have enough parsley. This is the simplest way to garden and the least labour intensive. Not all crops are as hardy as parsley, but some may surprise you.
Collect seeds
If a crop does really well in your patch, you are onto a winner and it’s worth holding onto those champions. Everyone saves seeds in different forms. We have a designated seed box (thank you Diggers Club) which lives at the top of our wardrobe which is always cool, dry and dark. Our little seeds stay tucked in paper pouches or sometimes in airtight glass jars if we have a glut.
Share seeds
Having your own personal stash hidden away for the next growing season is amazing, but so is passing some on to a neighbour, friend or family member who may want to give growing a go. Many libraries now have a seed section where you can donate and swap seeds within your local community. Imagine the feeling of handing someone a small envelope and 6 months later they gift you back a giant pumpkin. Seed reciprocity goes both a little and long way.
Stocktake seeds
I do this annually at the tail end of winter. It’s the first task I do before I even think about what I want to grow over the upcoming spring and summer. Before you go mad bringing new seeds into your home, be sure to use up what you already have. Seeds are more likely to germinate the younger they are, the longer you store them the less reliable they can be. Many seed packets will list a sow by date on them and you want to make sure you are prioritising the ones which may be coming towards the end of their life cycle. I like to spread out all my seeds, write a master list (including sow by dates if I have them) and then highlight the urgent ones that need to be grown this year.
Book Recommendation
I can’t go past a book recommendation, both for young and old…
Here are two I love if you are wanting to sharing the love of seeds with your littles or dive deeper into seed saving:
Homemade Muesli Recipe
Seeds - I don’t just grow them, I eat them daily!
Slow mornings are savoured around our home, especially in this season of life where sleep is precious. A bowl of homemade muesli and a pot of freshly ground coffee sipped slowly are two rituals which anchor my day. It's a simple pleasure that I gift myself daily.
Muesli is so easy to make and tastes exorbitantly more delicious than store bought. I change mine up regularly depending on what's in the pantry but as a general rule of thumb you can't go wrong with:
Oats
2 x small seeds (chia, hemp)
2 x big seeds (pumpkin, sunflower)
2 x chopped dried fruits (apricots, sultanas)
2 x chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts)
Coconut (flakes)
Combine all ingredients in a bowl in ratios of your preference and store in an airtight jar or container.
Serve with milk and yoghurt, and top with seasonal fruit.
I would love to hear all about your own seed growing experiences! What have been your fails and triumphs? What’s growing abundantly where you are right now, whether cultivated or wild? What are you harvesting or saving seed of?
Thank you for reading my musings on the many little measures that add up to a slower, simpler more seasonally attuned life.
I hope my words help gently guide and encourage you on your own journey.
My writing is free to read, and always will be, so don’t be shy about subscribing and connecting.
The Diggers Club! Yay! I’m in that club too! Love their work.
Your garden is phenomenal! 🌷