In dry soil or during the summer months germination by direct seeding can be erratic. One way to overcome this is to use a technique called fluid seeding. Pre-germinate the seed on sheets of damp kitchen paper. When the roots are just showing, before the leaves open, mix the seeds with medium strength, non-fungicide wallpaper paste or a special planting gel. Put the mixture in a plastic bag and make a small hole by cutting one corner. Twist the top of the bag to prevent the batter from spilling out, then squeeze the mixture into the prepared planter as if you were icing a cake.
This is the technique for sowing seeds and planting bulbs. Parsnip, carrot, onion and parsley seeds are sometimes sprouted and then mixed with wallpaper paste, placed in a bag and squeezed into the soil. This is called fluid oscillation. Carrots must be seeded thinly. Mix the seed with a bit of silver sand, which makes it easy to sow both finely and evenly. Large seeds, such as peas, can be grown singly, properly spaced in a wide planter. Make sure the trench is the correct depth. The shallots are spaced about six inches apart. Push the bulbs into the drill so the tips stick out. Pull up the dirt around them with a hoe or rake.
These methods show you how to sow seeds in holes. Most vegetables that are grown in rows, such as carrots, are planted in drills. Use a garden line to make sure the holes and therefore the rows are straight. Open a shallow hole with the corner of a how to or a rake. Check the seed packet for recommended depth. Flood holes with water before blowing if the weather is dry. Do this before sowing rather than after so the seeds don’t get washed away or clump together. Sprinkle the seeds evenly throughout the hole. Do this carefully now and you will save time later when you have to thin out the seedlings. Cover the seed row with a compost soil mix if your soil is rocky. Use a rake to return the excavated soil to the drills. Rake in the direction of the row, not across it, otherwise you may spread the seeds and produce an uneven row.
Crops planted in a hotbed can be protected from bad weather with hoods. They move into their final position in late spring.
