Another stupid question I'm afraid ::)
The books I have tell me to plant things in 'drills' but none of them say why.
As I understand it I should mark out a line with a bit of string. Using this as a guide I make the drill, or V shaped trench, with a trowel or corner of a rake. The drill will be a different depth and width depending upon what I'm planting. I then push the seeds into the bottom of the drill to the depth indicated on the packet, making sure that they are spaced according to the spacing on the packet. Finally cover the seed with a bit of soil.
- is that correct (assuming I've done a bit of watering too)?
So, why exactly have I made this long trench rather than just pushing the seed into the flat ground? And why does it have to be the width of the bed when I'm only planting a seed every 30cm or what ever?
Sorry about what is probably an obvious question when you know why :-[, but the books I've picked up do tend to tell me to do stuff without explaining why I'm doing it very well!
we don't do drills, sid, unless we're sowing seed..the ready grown plants get a dibbed hole or a dug hole, depending on how big they are :)
i think you are a little confused; when you have drawn out your drill, you dont need to push the seeds into the bottom of it, you just sprinkle thinly along the length of it. this is mainly for small seeds like carrots, cabbages and radishes etc. so you make the drill to the depth you want the seeds to be. when you have sown the row, you gently pull the soil back over to cover the seeds and then water. if the ground is particularly dry it can sometimes help to water gently along the length of the drill before sowing the seeds. hope this helps. :)
I agree with you, although it helps to have plenty of space to spread out tiny seeds like carrots, i don't see the point of doing it for peas and beans which are quite large. I suppose you can see your spacing better...
When you have done your drill, water it to dampen the soil prior to placing seeds. The soil re-covered loosely allows the seeds to push through when trying to germinate. If it was too hard the seed cant work its way up. The bottom of the drill being damp - causes the seed to begin to root, to start to draw down below in search for water to begin the growth.
I use a broom handle to make my drills. Its 3/4" in diameter, for small seeds like carrots. lettuce, Onion seed, Beetroot etc I press the handle length ways into the soil to half the diameterand for bigger seeds I press the handle all the way, then lightly cover with soil. For Peas & Beans I dib at the ideal depth as per packet direction.
A lot of gardening instructions like this came originally from Victorian gardens, with a head gardener and various ranks of staff beneath him doing the actual work. Everything had to be done with military precision (and probably spelt out in words of one syllable): even the word "drill" gives a clue. All veg was in straight roes, a set distance apart, with the spaces between the rows carefully hoed. A lovely ideal - if you have the staff and the time - but I think we need to read between the lines and adapt to our own ways of growing things.
I think the main reason would be for speed, for example planting 60 peas one be one would take a long time but to make a drill sow the peas and then cover would take a lot less time :)
thanks for the answers, all is made clearer now!
:) the only time I made a drill was at horticultural college, you have to do one and you are marked on the way you do it!! RHS and all that ::) / shades x
So you can put the black and decker away!
;D