Many gardeners love starting their plants from scratch, nurturing tiny seeds until they become lush blooms or tasty vegetables. But if your seedlings are struggling to grow, there might be a simple—but major—mistake hiding in your soil setup.
If you’re someone who enjoys sowing seeds in trays or pots on a sunny windowsill, waiting patiently to see the first signs of green, you’re likely familiar with the thrill of transferring young plants outdoors. However, there’s one thing that could be holding your garden back before it even gets started.
🌱 Don’t Shortchange Your Soil
Gardening expert Toby Buckland has shared an important tip that could change how your seedlings grow. In a helpful video, Toby explains why many well-meaning gardeners end up with spindly, weak seedlings—and it all comes down to how much compost you use in your pots.
Too often, people try to save compost by only filling pots halfway. But this frugal habit can hurt your plants. The rim of the pot casts shade over the soil, causing the seedlings to stretch toward the light like sprouts of cress. According to Toby, once seedlings grow leggy like that, there’s no turning back. They won’t bounce back into strong, healthy plants.
🌿 Fill to the Brim for Healthier Growth
Toby’s advice? Always fill your seedling pots right up to the top. This gives the seedlings full access to light and keeps them growing upright and strong.
“Don’t skimp on compost,” he says. “Top it right up so the surface is level with the pot’s edge.”
🌧️ Water Like You Mean It
But the tip doesn’t stop there. Once your pots are filled, Toby suggests soaking them completely. You want the compost to be fully saturated. When you lift the pot and it feels heavy, that’s a good sign—it means there’s enough moisture deep in the soil to keep seedlings hydrated while they sprout.
“If you make sure it’s completely saturated all the way through,” Toby adds, “you won’t need to water again until your seedlings are up.”
So before you tuck in your seeds and place them by the window, double-check that your pots are filled to the top and well-watered. It’s a small step that can make a big difference.
Let your seedlings rise and shine—without the shadow of a pot rim holding them back.
