Get a head start on gardening, here's what your garden will need for this spring

Although almost all seeds can be naturally grown outdoors, there are some seed types that should be initially grown indoors and then later transplanted to the garden as soon as it becomes sufficiently warm outdoors. A growing form seed is quiet easy and anyone can do it.

What will you need?

This depends on how much seed you want to grow indoors. You will obviously need soil, pots or growing trays, a warm position for the plants to grow and the McKenzie seed varieties.

The majority of gardening traders offer you a selection of products that will be suitable for you to start growing your seed such as a growing medium, domes and growing trays, grow lights and heat mats. Getting an early start in spring requires you to use these garden accessories.

Water proof pens and labels are essential in your gardening and this can be obtained from the local garden suppliers at reasonable prices.

How do I begin?

An early start in spring requires you to begin all work in a warm position like the kitchen table, greenhouse (if you can afford one) or counter. Ensure that you have all your necessary accessories close to you and then you are ready to go.

  1. Add a mixture of sterile soil into the container and water this mixture to make it moist before introducing and seed to it.

  2. Following the instructions on the back of your McKenzie pack sow the seed into the soil. You can also use McKenzie Garden seeder or McKenzie mini-seed master to help you sow the seeds.

  3. Use a plastic dome to cover the seed or anything that will help keep moisture until the seed has germinated. You can also add heat to the tray to encourage germination.

  4. Remove the plastic covering as soon as you see tiny seedlings. Then place the seed tray 10-16cm below a fluorescent light. This heat produced by the light is perfect for growth of the seedlings

  5. Ensure that the soil is kept moist and one method to do this is misting but do not over water. At this point it will be perfectly safe to add fertilizer

  6. Take the tray outside as soon as temperatures become warmer place the tray in a position with shade for some time then place them in sunlight. This makes the young plants become hard.

  7. Prepare the garden soil, digging a single hole for each young plant. Transplant the plants from the tray into the garden soil, making sure that the roots are not damaged during the movement.

Care for the garden

Remove any weeds that might sprout out in the garden and irrigate as soon as the soil is dry 1,25cm below the surface. Irrigate either from the top of the soil, or stand the container in the soil to allow it to soak up water until the top is moist.