From tiny seeds, great things can happen

 

One of the best things you can do to make your outside space a haven for wildlife is to grow lots of the right plants.

Now that might either sound expensive or as if you need to be an experienced gardener. Not so! You don't need pots of cash or to have green fingers to bring a little wild into your world.

Here are my golden rules for growing plants from seed, both outside and in pots, that will massively increase your chances of success. I also suggest my top choices of easy-to-grow plants that both you and your wildlife will love.

For just a few pound, you could be rewarded with hundreds of beautiful flowers covered with bees and butterflies, bringing life galore to your garden, balcony, roof garden, and other outdoor space.

 

Sowing directly into the ground or large pots

A quick and simple way to grow lots of wonderful plants

This video details the steps below to help you sow seeds directly into the ground or large pots

Step by step

This is the simplest way to grow annual flowers from seed (those that will germinate, flower and die in one season), either into a prepared area of ground or into a large pot. It takes an initial bit of effort but then you can pretty much sit back as it transforms into an absolute riot of colour! It is incredibly cheap, too.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. If sowing direct into the soil, select a sunny area, preferably a metre square or more in size. Dig and weed it thoroughly. If sowing into a large container, choose one that is wider than tall, and make sure it has drainage holes. Fill it with peat-free compost.
  2. Make sure the surface is like fine crumbs – a rake will help but in a pot fingers are fine.
  3. Then just scatter the seeds evenly and thinly, at about three grams per metre square.
  4. Lightly cover over, either by raking or with a little more compost.
  5. Water well, and then keep the ground or pot moist but not soggy.
  6. The first seeds should germinate within a week or so. Nature will do the rest.