This weekend is your last chance to start seeds for a fall round of cucumbers, beans, squash and corn. (See "Best Ever Fall Vegetable Garden" for bed prep, best varieties, and maximizing your harvest.) These vegetable seeds will germinate easily right now as long as you provide the right conditions.

During unusually hot weather like we're experiencing now, you may need to water the seedbed by hand several times a day to keep the soil evenly moist. Letting soil dry out is the most common mistake gardeners make when starting plants by seed.

Here is how to get more reliable germination:

1. Use fresh seeds from reputable companies. For my plant trials, I use seeds purchased within the last 12–18 months to help ensure consistent results. Older seeds can still germinate well, but their viability depends on the type of seed and how it has been stored. Look for a recent “packed for” date on the packet, and avoid buying seeds from stores that keep their seed displays outdoors. (Yikes!)
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2. Before sowing seeds, take time to make the seed bed as smooth and even as possible. Clay soil can be difficult to smooth, so I will sometimes spread a thin layer of compost over the area to help level things out.
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3. Always plant seeds to the correct depth listed on the seed packet. Sowing seeds too deeply or too shallowly can inhibit germination.
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4. Water gently and thoroughly after sowing, then as often as needed to keep the soil moist at seed depth. I am handwatering my seedbeds twice daily right now.
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5. Once seeds germinate, thin seedlings to the recommended spacing on the seed packet. Proper spacing is critical. Overcrowding leads to weak, stressed, and less productive plants.

Reminder: The recording of the Cottage Cut Flowers class is now available inside the student library. If you’ve dreamed of growing poppies, snapdragons, foxglove, strawflower or sweet peas in North Texas, this class will teach you my proven methods.