How to Prepare Vegetable Seed Beds

While outside seed sowing takes place during the growing season, normally in the spring or early fall, the degree of success achieved is determined by the preparation work done well in advance, in the autumn. Start by deeply and roughly turning over the soil, digging to the depth of the spade, and breaking up with a fork any hard pan underneath, as this is often the cause of unshapely root crops, particularly carrots and parsnips. With the roughly dug clods exposed to the weather, the process of seed-bed preparation on unaided throughout the winter.

With the arrival of spring, wait, if possible, for a day when the soil is dry. On heavy soil you may need to stand on a plank, for compaction of soil is fatal if you want a first-class seed-bed. However, if the March winds have dried out the top, even the heaviest clay, thanks to the frost, will break down the first time you go through it with the three- pronged cultivator. If the weather stays fine, spread the job over a period of three days, twice through with the cultivator to continue the breakdown and drying process, and finally with a garden rake, leveling the area and creating a fine dry top soil.

All is now ready for sowing with confidence, but do remember the wise gardener's maxim: 'Sow dry, plant wet'. To ensure that every seed drill is straight and well separated from the next, use a garden line (home-made with a length of cord and two short canes or buy a ready-made one). For small seed-beds, however, a thin piece of straight wood is easier to handle. Then draw out a drill along the whole length of the line or wood, using the corner of a rake.

Make sure that the drill is very shallow when sowing small seeds such as carrots or lettuce; they should only just be covered with fine soil when sowing is complete. Sowing seeds too deeply is a common cause of failure and complaints about germination. In fact, seed sown beyond its natural depth does not germinate, but simply stays put and rots. Another important point, especially with carrots and onions, is to sow the seed thinly along the drill. This saves much difficult thinning out after germination and avoids eventual pest problems.

Having sown the seed carefully, take the rake to one end of the drill and draw it lightly along, following the garden line to the other end. Never rake across a seed-bed, which may shift the seed sideways. Before moving the line on for the next row, go along the drill with the head of the rake down, lightly settling the dry soil; but on no account do this if the top soil is moist. And finally, don't forget to label the row