There is no need for winter blues with so much life in the garden this month. With the right plants and products, you can grow food and blooms to your heart’s (and dinner plate’s) content. Let’s dig in and make the cold a little more colourful and crunchy with pre-spring seed sowing, germination hacks, and superstar seedlings!

 

Know your lingo 

Before we get elbow deep in dirt, it is important to know the difference between sowing, germination, and seedlings. Sowing is planting a seed from a seed packet, while germination is the process of that seed developing. A seedling is a baby plant that has already been sown and successfully germinated.

Spring seed sowing 

What you choose to sow now will have germinated into young seedlings for springtime. We recommend that you begin the seed germination process indoors and then transplant the young seedlings into beds or larger containers later once the weather is warmer and frost has passed. Sowing according to your region is another important factor in ensuring the success of your seeds.

Gauteng: Edibles such as peas and potatoes, as well as pansy, viola, and primula flowers.

KwaZulu Natal: Edibles such as radish and turnips, as well as cineraria and Iceland poppy flowers. 

Western Cape: Edibles such as beetroot and tomatoes, as well as alyssum and cleome salvia flowers.

 

Top compost tip: Keep your tea bags, grounded coffee beans, and eggshells to use as DIY compost for all your winter plants. 

 

 

 

A germination station 

There’s nothing worse than sowing a seed that never makes it to meet the sun. Avoid the disappointment and begin an indoor germination station! This is a highly rewarding and educational activity for the whole family to become part of.  We recommended starting off near a sunny window or on the patio or balcony, just remember to bring your babies in at night and move them away from any glass that can get rather icy at sundown.