THINNING SEEDLINGS

Seeds are often sown slightly thicker than required to allow for losses. At some stage, these seedlings will need to be thinned out.
Remove sections of unwanted seedlings with a hoe to leave small, manageable groups. Then thin out the groups of seedlings by hand, carefully removing the unwanted seedlings and leaving the strongest one at each position, or "station."
SOWING SEEDS OUTDOORS (DRILL)
Drill sowing is a good technique for growing various annuals and perennials, as well as most vegetables, allowing you to see immediately when seeds have germinated and to remove weed seedlings from between the drills easily.
1 Rake the .soil to form a finely tilled seed bed, break up large lumps of earth, and remove any (urge stones. Mark out the rows with a garden line (keeping it taut).
2 Using a draw hoe or cane, make a groove in the soil to form the seed drill.
3 Sow the seeds thinly into the drill by hand, aiming for a set distance between the seeds. Never sow them directly from the packet.
4 Using a rake, draw the soil bach into the drill, covering the seeds. Gently pat the soil firm over the seeds using the bach of the rake.

WHAT YOU NEED FOR SOWING OUTDOORS

WHAT YOU NEED FOR SOWING OUTDOORS
■ fine-quality soil without pebbles or stones
■ sunny site without the shade of trees or large shrubs
■ plentiful water supply close at hand
■ supply of labels or markers
make sure that a finely tilled soil is created by raking it over to remove any lumps or pebbles. Such lumps prevent the seeds from reaching the light, thereby cutting clown on the number that successfully germinate.
How deep to sow
Most seeds need to be covered with twice their own depth of soil, so the finer the seeds, the closer to the surface they are sown.
Broadcast or drills?
Annuals are not too fussy about the nutrient content of the soil and will thrive in poor ground, but all seeds need a free-draining soil that is fine in quality, with any stones or pebbles removed. If you sow the seeds broadcast (literally, spread about, rather than in any order), the danger is that you will then not be able to distinguish between the seedlings and young weeds. If you sow in neat rows, or drills, it is easier to see what to remove and what to preserve. Remember to label your rows carefully, otherwise a month later you will have no idea what you sow:ed where.
Sowing seeds outdoors is to some degree a hit-or-miss operation, because changing weather conditions can easily destroy an entire crop of seedlings—for
example, if it rains very heavily-after sowing. For this reason, it is a good idea to plan any such planting for random infilling, so that your overall design is not spoiled if the plants fail to flourish in some areas.