Broadcast sowing a cutting patch is totally plausible but it can be hit and miss….it can be more hit and less miss if you follow some simple guidelines.
*Not wanting to sound like your Dad…BUT….it’s all about preparation. Your beds need to be totally free of weeds, and be raked down to a fine tilth.
*It is possible to use a ‘no dig’ method for your bed prep. Cover your ground with a couple of layers of cardboard and then add a 10cm layer of compost…and use that as your seed bed.
*Even in a well dug bed of topsoil, compost is your friend. A layer of compost will help keep weeds at bay and also prevent the soil from developing a ‘pan’…AKA a hard crusty top which can happen to some soils after the rain slowly compacts it. Your seedlings loath a pan.
*Sowing too early is a rookie mistake. A glorious sunny day in early March might get you itching to sow some seeds but the ground will still be too cold, and probably too wet, for your seeds to want to start engaging themselves into the heady world of germinating….and they will sit there being bird food. Sowing directly into the soil is best left until at least mid April when the soil is warm and the days are longer. Leaving it until the end of April will make your life even easier. Great Uncle Alfie Higgledy said you shouldn’t sow seed into soil that you wouldn’t be prepared to sit on with your bare bum.
*Sow your seeds at roughly 3 grams per square meter.
*Gently rake the seeds into the ground and give them a gentle watering…don’t drown them….if the ground is clearly damp already I wouldn’t bother watering…in April it’s very unlikely the soil will be dry.
*We have a 60g ‘Bee Mix’ cutting patch in the Higgledy Shop. It will cover 20 square meters. It’s a great mix for newbies.
*Hardy annuals generally fair better than half hardy annuals with broadcast sowings.
I hope this is of some help. :)
It will be no surprise to you clever people that all of these delights can be found in the Higgledy seed shop of dreams.
If you have any questions, please come and find me on FB, Twitter or Instagram.
Kindest regards
Benjamin Higgledy.
PS. If you are looking for more growing tips then chip over to here: Higgledy seed sowing guide.