Seed Sowing Takes Care

It says on the seed packet: "Sow in drills," or "sow in hills." This is garden talk, and may deceive the beginner.

A "drill" to the gardener is not a military maneuver, but a shallow trench. A "hill" is not an elevation, except in a few sections of the country where the rainfall is extremely heavy. In most places it is a hollow, in which seed are sown, to produce a plant that stands alone with space around to spread out, instead of standing upright in a row as do plants sown in drills.

It says, "sow half an inch deep." Do you get down on your knees and measure every seed? Of course not. Seed sowing is not a precision job, and need not be. Nature sows seeds in a very careless manner.

But the gardener must take more care, to avoid the terrific waste in which nature indulges, but he cannot afford. The main point in sowing seed is to take care not to bury them so deep they will fail to emerge from the soil. This can be accomplished by the three methods of making drills which are illustrated herewith.

For tiny seeds, press the edge of a straight stick into the soil. For medium sized seeds, make the drill by using the end of the hoe handle. For larger seeds use the edge of the hoe blade, pressed lightly if you want an inch-deep drill, more heavily for deeper sowing.

The depth to use depends somewhat on the nature of the soil. In sandy loam they may go a little deeper than in heavy clay; and in hot weather they should be at least twice as deep as in the moist spring weather.

Above all, except on a heavy slope, in making a drill, keep it straight. Some gardeners use a narrow plank as a ruler. A garden line is easier to handle, heavy cords on reels are handy, but any stout cord stretched between two stakes will serve. But use the line as a guide, and never press the hoe against it, for it will bend, and your garden row may turn out to be serpentine. If this happens, fill up the drill and try it over again. You will soon acquire the knack.