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The raising of most seeds is easy if the correct methods are followed. A few, however, can sometimes be more of a challenge and additional advice on some of these, together with notes on the main seed groups, are given below.

Carrots and Parsnips - Don't be in too much of a hurry to sow these if the soil is cold and wet and never use old parsnip seed from a previous year. Germination tends to be slow and a few fast-germinating radish seeds may be added to mark the rows. Avoid sowing on ground that has been recently manured and on heavy, shallow or stony soils grow one of the short-rooted varieties.

Cineraria (indoor varieties) - These are sown in spring or summer for use as winter-flowering pot plants. For flowering around Christmas they need to be sown in April or May. Good germination is usually easily achieved by following the same methods as for half-hardy annuals but successfully growing the plants on through the hot summer months requires a little more care. The trick is to keep them as cool as possible and, in warm weather, a shaded and well-ventilated cold frame is usually the best place for them. Aim to keep them moist at all times but never waterlogged. Pot them on as they grow but don't rush this as overpotting can result in plants that are excessively leafy.

Cucumbers - Seeds should be sown on edge and require a temperature of 21-27°C (70-80°F) to germinate well. Expensive seeds may be pre-germinated or 'chitted' before sowing. This usually involves placing them on moist blotting paper in a plastic sandwich box and then planting them individually in small pots as soon as the first signs of germination are seen.

Helleborus - These seeds require a period of cold to germinate successfully and should usually be sown in the autumn following the method described under seeds which require cold. Rather than placing the pots or trays outside immediately, however, we have found that best results are often obtained if they are first kept indoors for about 4 weeks at a temperature of around 21° (70°). Whether stood outside directly or given an initial warm treatment of this kind, germination should start in late winter. As soon as the first signs of this are observed, bring them inside to a position where a temperature of about 10° (50°) can be maintained and prick out the seedlings into individual small pots or cells as they become large enough.

Indoor plants - A number of more or less tender annual and perennial plants, particularly some flowers which are commonly grown as house or greenhouse ornamentals, are also raised from seed. Some of these require a little extra care with potting on and watering if fully satisfactory results are to be achieved but the technique of raising seedlings is essentially the same as for half-hardy annuals. In the frost-free indoor environment, the time of sowing of some types can be varied according to when plants are required to flower. A few can be put in at more or less anytime but, as a general rule, most are best sown sometime in the spring so that the developing plants have the benefit of the higher light levels at that time and through the summer.

The seeds of many annuals, including some wildflowers, can be successfully sown by scattering them over the soil surface and then raking them in. The main drawback to doing this is that the resulting seedlings can be difficult to distinguish particularly where, as in the case of ornamental grasses, they resemble common weeds.

Leafy Brassicas - All the leafy brassicas (Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale) are normally sown in a seedbed and the resulting seedlings later transplanted to their final positions. Both the seedbed and the planting area should be limed if the soil is acid, as brassicas do not grow well under acid conditions. They also need firm ground so only very light surface cultivation should be carried out before sowing or transplanting. For an early start, seedlings of some varieties may also be raised under glass where the germination temperature should be about 15° (60°).

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