With the heat of summer starting to wane and the onset of cooler weather it is time to think of giving some time to the garden. September is the start date for seed sowing of annuals which are the mainstay of colour for autumn and winter. The nurseries have a wide range of annuals to choose from but growing one's own is relatively easy and very satisfying when the flowers appear and the garden is a riot of colour.

Choice is personal but many types of annuals are available in small seed packets with enough seed per pack for the home gardener to try and experiment with the more unusual annuals; always check to ensure the seed is fresh, check for a date stamp. With today's market for 'user friendly gadgets' you can often purchase seed trays which a plastic transparent tops to help quicken the germination process. If you can't find this type of tray then go back to the old fashioned method of using seed trays (with holes in base for drainage) and keep in a covered area to protect from rain and inclement weather.

To get started you will need the seed trays, soilless seedling mix – purchase at nursery – seed, a small flat piece of wood to firm the compost a watering can with a fine rose and small two to three inch pots for pricking out the seedlings when they germinate. If all else fails read the instructions is a wonderful piece of advice, and should be a yardstick for the novice gardener or if one is unsure of a task; instructions are always found on a packet and are there to explain and inform, not for decoration.

Fill the seed trays to within a quarter inch or so of the top after firming, lightly moisten compost if on the dry side. Seed sowing takes time to understand and master, invariably over-seeding or seeding in 'clumps' is the norm. The finer the seed the more care and attention needed, if the seed is very fine and spreading with fingers is not viable use a small flat wooden garden label or similar. With a careful hand place the seed on the label and gentle waft the label evenly and gently over the seed try – within an inch of the top of the tray – and allow the seed to drizzle off evenly as you move the label across the tray. Try and gauge the seeding so it is uniform over the total surface as this will help when germination takes place, if the seed distribution is over-crowded the possibility of damping off disease increases. Larger seed can be spread via the hand and usually in a more even distribution.

Once germination starts it is important to prick off the seedlings to small pots in similar compost. Fill the pots with compost and firm compost prior to planting the seedling. If left in trays seedlings become leggy and can topple over or produce poor plants in the garden. Lift the seedlings from the seed tray with the help of a small garden label or similar placed under the compost and lift the seedling up taking hold of it by the 'seed leaf' the first set of leaves; never lift a seedling by its stem as there is a strong chance of bruising and thereafter a fungal problem can develop and spread throughout the batch. With a dibble or thin 'stick' make a hole in the compost deep enough to accommodate the root and gently place the seedling in hole to same height as in seed tray, gently firm and leave upright.

I prefer to grow on seedlings in a two to three inch pot as they can either be self branching or if not the growing point can be nipped out to encourage a branching system. Water seedlings so they stay moist not overly wet as this can also cause fungal problems, as can drips from over-head rafters etc. Weak solutions of liquid fertilizer can be applied to supplement nutrient needs and encourage growth. Once established they will fill pots quickly and should be planted out – during good weather – when they are about to flower. this means flowering will take off immediately and plants should fill in quickly – look at packet for on centre planting distance – and reduce weed growth by their very coverage.

After each planting I would then start the next sowing with the same procedures and when these are ready i.e. starting to show flower, replace the previous batch as they should be completing their flowering capacity; by replanting on an ongoing basis as each new batch shows colour the flowering regime is continued uninterrupted throughout the fall season. I have never been keen on using the cell packs for growing seedlings as the time from planting to flowering is considerable considering the life cycle of the plant; this method also means more weeding until the young seedlings to fill in it can also be more of a problem with cutworms as the seedlings are younger and more prone to attack.

A selection of annuals for growing at this time includes: Alyssum, Gypsophila, Centaurea, Phlox,

Begonia, Molucella, Gaillardia, Celosia, Cosmos, Cynoglossum, Lobelia, Tagetes, Calendula, Nemesia.

Annuals like all plants are found in various heights and growth habit, they can be used collectively in an annual bed or mixed within a mixed bed of shrubs and ground covers, where-ever they are used they will bring life and colour to the area even when the weather may not be at its best.

griffm@northrock.bm