Direct Sowing: Keep It Simple
While starting seeds indoors works great for heat-loving crops, many vegetables actually perform better when sown directly in the garden. Root vegetables, in particular, dislike being transplanted because it damages their taproots.
Best Crops for Direct Sowing
- Root vegetables: Carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, parsnips — always direct sow, they hate transplanting
- Legumes: Beans, peas — large seeds that germinate quickly and grow fast
- Cucurbits: Squash, cucumbers, melons — can be direct sown after last frost, though indoor starts give a head start
- Leafy greens: Lettuce, spinach, arugula — fast germinators perfect for succession sowing
- Corn: Always direct sow, plant in blocks (not rows) for good pollination
Preparing the Seedbed
Rake the soil surface smooth and remove rocks and debris. For fine seeds like carrots, the surface should be finely worked. Water the bed thoroughly the day before sowing. Mark rows with string or a garden line for straight, evenly-spaced planting.
Sowing Techniques
Create furrows at the depth specified on the seed packet. A general rule: plant seeds at a depth of 2-3 times their diameter. Space seeds according to packet instructions, though you can sow more densely and thin later. Cover with soil, press gently, and water with a fine spray.
Succession Sowing
For a continuous harvest, sow lettuce, radishes, and beans every 2-3 weeks from spring through late summer. This way you always have fresh produce coming ready rather than a single overwhelming glut followed by nothing.
Seedtojar's sowing calendar reminds you when to make your next succession planting so you never have gaps in your harvest.