No matter how satisfying it feels to watch flowers bloom and fresh produce burst out of the soil, the best part of gardening is often the hard work required to reach that glorious end result.
It has to be said, however, that some tasks are more frustrating than fulfilling. Take sowing seeds outdoors: if you're planting anything from carrots to cosmos, you'll be familiar with the battle that comes with trying to deposit such tiny seeds in the ground without spilling them.
The solution, it turns out, is a surprising one – and it requires a quick trip to the kitchen. All you need is a squeeze bottle which you can fill up with seeds. (You'll find a pack of 6 plastic condiment bottles on Amazon for just $16.99.) The bottle will help you to sow seeds both precisely and efficiently, saving time and reducing mess.
Using a Squeeze Bottle to Sow Seeds
It might sound like an unusual approach, but a simple trick like this one really can make all the difference.
Done by hand, sowing seeds can be haphazard and messy; scattering small seeds usually results in an untidy garden filled with seedlings that were essentially planted by accident.
With a squeeze bottle, however, precision becomes far more attainable. Thanks to their pointed nozzles, these types of bottles allow you to sow seeds quickly but carefully, so you'll never need to worry about accuracy – or ending up with an untidy yard.
The first step is, of course, preparing the soil; a garden weeder, such as this one from Amazon and a heavy-duty rake, also from Amazon are essential pieces of kit.
Once the ground is level and free from debris, you can make indents for the seeds. This can be done by hand, or using a garden hoe (like this one, also from Amazon). The side of the blade can help you to create a trench, while the flat part is perfect for covering the seeds with soil.
Then, the most important part: simply fill your squeeze bottle with seeds and deposit them carefully into each hole.
Depending on the size of the nozzle, you might find that multiple seeds escape at once, but this is no bad thing; it's recommended to plant a few in each drill hole, in case one doesn't germinate.
(Just make sure that the nozzle isn't too big, as this will risk overfilling the holes and sacrificing that all-important neat look.)
More Seed-Sowing Hacks to Try
If you don't have a squeeze bottle to hand, there are plenty of other hacks you can try. In fact, some gardeners swear by another kitchen staple: a salt shaker.
Although it doesn't offer quite as much precision as a squeeze bottle, a salt shaker will still save time compared to sowing seeds by hand. (Again, however, it requires some trial and error, as the holes of your salt shaker may be too small to deposit seeds effectively.)
You can also use a handy tool like a syringe seeder, which is specifically designed for both indoor and outdoor gardening tasks.
You'll find one like this mini seed dispenser at Walmart for just $6, but any kind of large syringe should work – including these industrial syringes from Amazon.
Once you've employed your preferred method to get your seeds into the ground, all that's left to do is remember when to water them and how to protect them from pests and harsh weather.
You may have to thin the seedlings once they germinate, but with a precise method like the squeeze bottle or syringe, you'll have far less to worry about.
Shop More Seed Sowing Essentials
This simple tool can help you create the perfect drill holes for seeds, bulbs and small plants. It features a stainless steel point and an ash wood handle.
This seed-sowing kit contains two syringes, two disc seeders, and a pair of seedling transplanters, which you can use to make drill holes.
An apron might not seem like an essential piece of kit, but it's a lifesaver when it comes to keeping both tools and seed packets handy while you work.
Want to get your garden ready for spring? Brush up on expert advice about how to germinate seeds, or check out our guide to sowing seeds indoors.
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