Experimenting in the Garden. Make Do Seed Snail Trial. I Love This Idea! (Part 1)

 If you're eager, ready and waiting to get your seeds in the soil but don't have the space for the amount of seeds you intend over sowing (who doesn't sow too many?!) then this is the article for you. 

Seed Snails!

I have only recently discovered this crazy method of sowing seeds. No idea why it has taken me this long to discover it but if like me it's new to you, read on. This method is amazing. I give full credit to the lady who posted it on her Instagram at the end of this article. 

So what's a seed snail?

Quickly and simply, it's a roll of something with compost in it that you sow your seeds in. As per the picture at the top of this article. I say 'something' because from all the other sources I've found since, you can use any thing that will keep moisture and soil in and to a degree, insulate. 

How is it made? 

Look, it's simpler and easier if I show you. Here are some images I took while making my first one with what and how I did it.

Materials

* Materials can be anything as I mentioned before to keep in moisture, compost a and warmth.  You could also use corrugated cardboard, polyurethane packing foam, bubble wrap, even fabric (if you wrap the outside with something to keep moisture in) .

As you can see, I used plastic sheeting (offcuts from the old plastic covering of a bed mattress we bought years ago. The rest was used for tunnel cloches). I used strips about 25cm deep/high and about 1m wide/long.  This can be shorter if only small seedling plants. Tomatoes and the like may need it this deep. On top of that I lay newspaper. Two sheets folded in half and then about 3 to 4cm folded over on the fold to make a bottom where the compost doesn't fall out of the bottom. I used two of those to cover the length of the strip.

Fill it up.

I wish I had sprayed the compost before the next step. It will  make sense when you try it. If you spray it damp, you won't have to water the rolled 'snail' after and risk settling the compost and seeds.

Roll it Up Baby!

Also remember to spray it with some water before rolling it up. Hindsight is NOT a wonderful thing.

Ready the Beedi-Byes

Put the Seeds to Bed

What next?

Now you keep it moist, warm and sheltered until the seeds grow. Once a few centimetres tall, prick out any that are the weakest to leave enough room for the strongest to keep going. When about 4cm tall, unroll the coil and gently place another 1cm-ish of soil over the roots (and whole depth) then roll it up again.

That's the beauty of the seed snail. You don't pot anything on until they are too big or ready to go into the permanent growing space, ground or final pot.

Benefits of using a seed snail.

• Seed snails can hold way more seedlings in a smaller space so you can have less pots taking up space. You'll get more plants in your potting shed, greenhouse or pollytunnel.
• You use less compost for  more plants.
• You can reuse the plastic and the paper or card you use can go straight into the ground.
• You will have less plastic pots cluttering up your storage space when not in use. 
• You can be the cool kid on the gardening block with this trending technique (don't tell anyone it's been around for a while).

Transparency and things to think about.

This is the first time I have tried this technique. I have made a video and it's available on YouTube (or just below)

This is part one as I continue to experiment and report back to viewers and readers. I  have seen many videos and posts now of people using seed snails and it looks amazing as the seeds grow. I'm confident that this will help you get your seeds off to a great start and cost you less time as you won't be potting on all the time and running out of space. 

As always, I love to give credit where it's due. I'm placing a link here to the lady who first inspired me. I do have her permission to share her Instagram link.

Have you tried this before?

I'd love to hear if you have ever tried this and if so, what success have you had? 

Have you made any mistakes? (please share. I'm still a rookie) 

What were your favourite successes?  

I'll report back to you in part two and share many  more projects and experiment with you soon. Are there any specific topics you would love me to cover and share my own experiences of? 

Oh yes! I am running local workshops now, helping people interested in turning their suburban gardens into their own self-sufficiency suburban homesteads but don't know where to start.  You can find out when I create more workshops on Eventbrite.

I have also put the small 24pg guide to Introduction to Self-Sufficiency in UK Suburbs in my Shopify store.

I'll catch you up on the details as and when.

Next time... 

Getting the potting shed ready for more seed snails and more. Spring is around the corner!