Bring forward spring harvests by starting your first sowings under protection which will make you gain a few weeks. Even in a smaller garden, it is worth the trouble!
The protection
Seeds in the ground can be protected in different manners, in order of increased efficiency: under a cloche, a protecting fleece, a removable tunnel or again under a frame. A simple fleece allows you to already gain 4 to 5 °C, but it has to be removed as soon as the seedlings start to come up. The weight of the fabric could damage them. Cloches are useful for smaller seedlings (on very small areas) especially those on pots.
The right vegetables
It is mostly carrots, radishes and spring salads which are sown very early on, under protection. Aromatic plants which are long to come up such as Parsley are also sown early. Vegetables which are planted early such as onion and garlic have no need for protection.
The method
There is no need to water before the seeds germinate, as rain is going through the net without disturbing the seeds.