Got gardening questions you want Grow & Tell to answer? Email me at dylan.kulik@interlochen.org.
Welcome back to Grow & Tell, IPR's biweekly guide to gardening with the seasons. Today we’re getting our hands in the dirt. It’s time to direct seed.
Sowing seeds directly in the garden
It’s late May, the sun is out, and the soil is finally warm — perfect conditions to sow seeds directly into the garden, also known as direct seeding.
I’ve picked a spot nestled near our other summer crops: the tomatoes and bee balm we planted a few weeks ago are already thriving on the other side of the garden. Today, I’m planting seeds that will not only grow up alongside these plants but also complement them.
Carrots first 🥕
Today, I’m planting carrots using pelletized carrot seeds. These seeds have a special coating that makes them easier to handle — kind of like magic gardening dust. This coating helps boost germination rates and makes spacing much easier.
I’m dropping one seed every two inches into a shallow trough I dug with my shovel. Some gardeners sow many plants together and thin them later, but thinning is one of my least favorite garden chores — right up there with de-stemming thyme.
So instead, I’m sowing at the final spacing right from the start and hoping for a 100% germination rate. Once the seeds are in, I gently cover them with the loose soil from the trough and give them a good watering. I'll come back and water them every day until I start to see them poking up out of the ground.
Basil next 🌿
Basil walks the line between companion plant and kitchen staple.
Not only can you harvest the fragrant leaves for pesto and salads, but basil also brings garden superpowers we talked about earlier — its strong aroma deters pests and attracts beneficial insects. That's a win-win.
We’re planting basil right next to our tomato plants. Tomatoes and basil? That’s a match made in heaven in the kitchen, and we're going to make it in our garden too.
Pro tip: Sow basil seeds in a slightly shadier spot. Try planting it on the north side of your tomato plants or somewhere that gets less sun. Basil stays nice and tender for longer if it's in the shade. If it's in the sun, it can get woody; it can bolt; the flavor changes and becomes more bitter.
Instead of a trough this time, I’m making small holes about an inch deep. I’ll sprinkle three to five basil seeds in each hole, tuck them in gently and give them a nice watering like I did with the carrots.
Keep it going (aka successive plantings)
Want a continuous harvest? Sow more seeds every other week. That way, your garden keeps producing throughout the whole season.
So if your carrots take 75 days to mature, stagger your plantings. In a few months, hopefully, you’ll have a steady stream of carrots, basil and tomatoes — and even some bee balm to fill your bouquets.
Until next time, happy gardening!
