If you are new to gardening, you can learn which seeds to grow (and how to grow them) by speaking with other gardeners in your area – or simply by taking a good look at their growing areas, as well as by reading books, and articles like this one. But when it comes down to it, it is also fine to experiment and take your own path. 

There are no hard and fast rules about what you should or should not grow in your garden – it is often best to take a 'suck it and see' approach, and try out various different options. You can learn from the mistakes you make, from which plants grow well and which turned out to be utter disasters, and will become a better gardener as a result.

Choosing Seeds

That said, there are certain things to consider when choosing seeds for your garden. These include:

• Whether you will grow seeds indoors, undercover in a greenhouse or polytunnel, or outside in your garden. 
• The climate and conditions were you live, sunlight hours and other environmental factors. (It is vital to choose the right plants for the right places.)
• Who you are growing food or other plants for. (Consider the needs, tastes and preferences of you and your household. There is no point in growing lots of Brussels sprouts, for example, if you and your family do not like them.)
• Why you wish to plant certain seeds. (While many of the seeds you plant are likely to be for food, you should also consider planting seeds for wildlife, to attract beneficial creatures, and to keep pest species at bay. Of course, you may also sow ornamental plants, or plants for other uses.)
• Whether you should choose hybrid or heritage seeds. 

Hybrid seeds can confer certain benefits. Often, they are more resistant to pests or disease. They can also be larger, or more hardy... but there is also a downside to growing hybrids – you cannot collect seeds from these plants, as the seed will not 'come true'. This means, if you plant seeds from a hybrid plant, there is no telling what you are going to get. The result might not even be edible. 

Using heritage seeds, on the other hand, allows gardeners to collect their own seed for use the following year. This can save you money, as well as helping you to create plants that are better suited to the specific conditions in which you are growing them. They will also help you to become more self-reliant and to create a garden that is sustainable and can endure for years to come.

• Whether you would are sowing seeds for annual or perennial plants. (Perennial crops come back year after year, annuals must be sown each year. Perennial gardens take less effort to tend, though you may want to grow some of your favorite annual vegetables too.)

Once you have answered these questions, you should have a better idea of where to begin when sowing seeds at home.

Where to Grow Your Seeds 

As mentioned above, one of the main questions when you are getting started with home growing is where you will sow and grow your seeds.

Sowing Seeds Indoors

Even if you do not have a garden, you can still grow a wealth of food on a sunny windowsill. Even when you do have outside growing areas, you may still wish to start a range of seeds in the warmer and more protected environment of your home.

Sowing Seeds in a Greenhouse or Polytunnel

An undercover growing area in your garden can make it easier for you to find the space to sow seeds early or late in the growing season. Investing in a greenhouse or polytunnel could make it easier for you to sow and grow your own food crops year round.

Sowing Seeds Outdoors

At the right time of year, you can also simply sow seeds outside, directly where they are to grow. When and how you sow seeds outdoors will, of course, depend on the climate and conditions were you live. In temperate climates, direct sowing will almost always wait until after the last frost date in your area. Seeds can be protected from the elements, and the sowing season extended, by the use of cloches or row covers. 

Seed packets will usually give advice on when seeds can be sown, and whether they should be sown indoors or directly into your garden. Be sure to check:

• Suggested sowing dates for the seeds you are considering.
• The last (and first) frost date in your particular area.
• The time seeds take to germinate, success rates and required temperatures for the seeds you are sowing.

Plugs, Pots & Containers

If you are not direct sowing seed, you will obviously have to consider what seeds will be planted in. There are a range of different choices. Which you choose will depend in part on what is available to you, and in part on the needs of your plants. To go greener in your growing efforts you could consider:

• Sowing seeds in soil blocks, or plugs. (Specialist tools can be bought to help you make these.)
• Sowing seeds in newspaper plant pots, egg cartons, or old toilet roll tubes.
• Sowing seeds in plastic food packaging. (Such as yoghurt pots with holes pierced for drainage.)
• Purchasing eco-friendly plant pots. (Ones not made of plastic.)

Choosing a Growing Medium

Once you have decided where to grow seeds, in addition to thinking about the containers, you also need to think about what growing medium you will use. Making your own compost for your seed sowing is a great way to save money and go down a more sustainable path. If you do decide to buy compost, it is more eco-friendly to go for a peat-free option. 

Another thing to note is that growing seeds in compost/soil is not your only option. You could also consider setting up a hydroponics or aquaponics system to grow plants in water. 

When creating a growing medium for your seeds, make sure you consider:

• The drainage/ moisture needs of the plants in question.
• The fertility needs of the seeds you are sowing.
• Whether the seeds you are sowing need acid or alkaline conditions.

Sowing Seeds

Once everything is ready, it is time to start sowing your seeds. But there are certain things that you need to know about the seeds first, in addition to germination information, namely:

• Recommended spacing for the seeds in question. (ie how far apart to sow them in the ground, or how many to place in a container).
• How deep seeds should be sown. (under the growing medium or on the surface?)
• How much water seeds/ seedlings will require.
• What temperature/ how much light seedlings need for optimal growth.

Getting all of the above right and providing the right conditions for your seeds should help you avoid damping off and other problems. While you may not succeed every time, try, try again. When you grow seeds at home you are investing in the future, and taking steps towards a more sustainable way of life.