Many seed producers package their seeds in airtight, waterproof packets. However, not all the seeds need to be sown at the same time. Packets of lettuce, for example, may be resealed and sown in bardies every two weeks throughout the growing season. Storage periods for packaged seeds vary from plant to plant, with viability rates [...]
There are clear advantages to sowing seeds in a greenhouse: you (and the seeds) are not at the mercy of the elements, temperatures can be controlled and the compost kept uniformly moist by watering, and weeding is kept to a minimum as bagged compost is weed free. Compost for sowing seeds is available as peat-based [...]
Hardy annuals can be sown during spring outside in the open ground in the positions in which they are to flower. However, having gardened from East Anglia northwards and regularly encountered the vagaries of our climate north of the home counties I would suggest that for most gardens a late spring sowing is more prudent, [...]