How to sow vegetables in pots: simple instructions

Not sure if you really know how to plant vegetables? But don’t say that you lack vitamins, that you can’t find fragrant vegetables in stores, that you don’t have beds, that you don’t know how to grow. All you need is a terrace, a balcony or at least a windowsill and you can grow vegetables! Watch my video tutorial where you will see how to sow greenery and you will have ideas for more interesting choices:

Herbs grow best in pots. Therefore, I will tell you step by step how to sow vegetables in pots so that they germinate and then grow successfully.

Which vegetables to sow?

Which vegetables you will sow depends only on your taste, habit and preference. And I sow these:

For the aromatic leaves:

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• Fragrant basil
• Basil ‘Dark opal’ (purple leaves)

A traditional outdoor choice, but also available in pots (seeds germinate longer):

• Leaf parsley for planting
• Curly sowing parsley

Perennials, like thread soil, but do not tolerate root waterlogging:

• Common oregano
• Thyme ‘English Winter’
• Rosemary scented

Green annuals that are specific and not everyone likes:

• Fragrant marjoram
• Coriander bug

For perfume and tea:

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• Pharmacy Melissa ‘Litrina’
• Chamomile pharmacy – also for flowers

Choose a pot

You can sow in simple plastic planters – you can buy special ones, but you can simply reuse plastic containers left over from food.

Another way is to sow immediately in beautiful pots. If you’re planting for the first time, I highly recommend doing so: after all, when the view is aesthetic, it’s more fun to watch the herbs grow, and more motivation!

And I really want to motivate you, I’ll be honest. Anyone can grow herbs, it’s very simple and the fragrant result cannot disappoint. IKEA invites you to take on the sustainability challenge with me: they encourage everyone to grow good things right at home, so you don’t have to go anywhere to buy them and can simply harvest them whenever you feel like it.

Well, check it out: White MUSKOT pots with my newly sprouted herbs don’t look funny:

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These pots are made of ceramic, are available in various sizes, are elegant and have a very versatile shape: enough space for both roots and drainage. Drainage will definitely be needed when I harvest vegetables later, or when I try to grow flowers in pots with them.

And now all that remains is to do only one preparatory work: drill holes in the bottom of the pots so that excess water can escape. In the center of the bottom of these vases there is a thinning of the ceramic, so it is very simple to make holes: just drill them with a drill.

How to sow vegetables, step by step:

1. Preparation of the soil.

I choose a universal peat substrate for planting and seedlings. If you purchased a bag of soil and are opening it for the first time, let it air out. If the bag has remained open for a long time, moisten it before use and only then proceed with the subsequent processing.

If you have it, add perlite and mix everything very well. Perlite helps retain moisture, provides more air to the roots and improves soil structure.

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For subsequent processing, prepare a sprayer with water at room temperature and a simple spoon.

2. Planting process:

• Load the soil, leaving about a couple of centimeters at the top of the pot;
• Add the seeds, trying to keep the distances equal;
• Spray with water;
• Cover with a thin layer of soil: the finer the seeds, the thinner the layer;
• and spray again with water.

Names of herbs

Think about labels immediately when planting. If you sow vegetables for the first time, after three pots you won’t remember where you planted them, and when they sprout you won’t know whether that fragrant spice is oregano or marjoram. Therefore it is necessary to write down the names immediately.

To make everything nice and clear, I make labels: I simply cut thicker paper into strips. I apply these labels to the vases with a simple elastic band, they are perfect for this thanks to the horizontal grooves. Did the designers of these vases think about this or am I being paranoid?

Final agreements

Since it is still pretty chilly outside, I bring the pots inside and place them on the windowsill. I cover them with plastic wrap to create a greenhouse feel. If we do not cover them, the soil can dry out fast, making it harder for the shoots to break through the crust that forms.

To make the growing and caring process more enjoyable, put the pot «where you can see it,» like in the kitchen or on the work table: over time, you will notice if it needs some water or not.

Do not give too much water: if unsure, just lift the pot and you will know by the weight if it feels light or heavy (the change will be clear).

You will see the first results quite soon: after exactly 7 days, all the vegetables I talked about had already sprouted: some more, some less. You can see what they looked like in the video report, which is above.

And those who subscribe to the newsletter will also get more details on how and when it is time for the plants to move to other pots and settle on the terrace.