Sowing Seeds For Your Garden

Direct seeding

The aim of direct seeding is placing the vegetable seeds directly into the ground where they need to grow, rather than transplanting. Because seeds are formed in various shapes and sizes, this is not an easy task.

Although many gardeners directly seed most of their crops I recommend seeding only vegetables that are not practical or economical for growing transplants. Vegetables that should be directly seeded are root vegetables (carrot, beet), plants with low yield per area (corn, pumpkins), easily sown seeds (beans, peas), and plant that grow rapidly (radish, spinach). One of the main reasons for preferring direct seeding is to simplify the system of growing transplants to fewer varieties.

Now, direct seeding allows us to place a single seed in an exact place. Always take into account the germination percentage, seeds are sold in packets usually have the germination percentage printed on the back, germination is tested under laboratory conditions and should hold a lower germination percentage when seeds germinate in your garden, so for example if you want to grow a plant every 20 cm it would be wise to plant seeds in 10 cm intervals to count for dead seed. Sprouting plants can be dilute to perfection. Additional dilution would be made easy because the seeds are spread evenly in a straight line, not on a tight line or bloc.

Marking rows-

Mark rows using a stretched cord. Keep the first line straight, all other lines will be directed in accordance to the first line.

Direct Seeding Table

How To Grow Transplants

Sowing seeds for the vegetable garden and preparing transplants allows us complete control over the required quantities of our crop cycle during the growing season. Growing seeds in one place and then transferring them to another place. Large quantities of young plants can be grown under controlled conditions before they are laid out in the field. Even if seeds sprout indoors under lights or outdoor in a wind tunnel or greenhouse, the place should be always clean and well maintained.

Seed sown in the field are a gamble, but a healthy transplants three to four weeks that were planted in the field, provides for a almost guaranteed crop. Transplant production is the surest way to achieve a uniform crop with an estimated harvest date. It is also the most reliable way because there is better control of the production environment. Germination can be expected to be lower in the field and more safer in a greenhouse. Strong seedlings are planted in the field at an ideal time and in a proper density have a high chances of survival. Once the plant is passed the stage of adaptation to the field, a expect harvest is guaranteed.

Growing transplants was done traditionally by farmers mostly for roots vegetables, celery, lettuce, onions and tomatoes. These vegetables have a strong root system and do not particularly suffer from the planting process, although it is clear that plants grow better when there is less disturbance to the roots. Growing transplants is very much suitable for cucumbers, melons, herbs like parsley plant roots suffer from  less interference when planted. In general, when growing cool season crops or warm season crop or culinary herbs, inflicting a minimal disturbance to the plant root system and create an optimal environment for plant acclimatization.

“Deceiving the Weeds“

When sowing seeds directly in the ground plant dilution is needed and continual weeding is needed to keep the rows clean enhancing a healthy growth. Growing transplants gives us a head start over germinating weeds. Terning and mulching the soil prairie planting, moreover, fast-growing vegetable plants are out growing sprouting weeds, competing over light and those saving us valuable weeding time. Early harvest is another advantage to create transplants. Plants grown in the greenhouse prairie to the beginning of the season or grown under lights are planted in the right time when the weather allows it, have an huge advantage and will mature earlier than seeds that are sown directly in the ground.

Sowing Methods

In the old days, vegetable growers would use wooden surfaces (without cells) for growing seedlings, this method was harmful to the roots when planting because planting was done manually poling seedlings apart. There was no reference to the importance of small roots in supplying water to the plant. Individual pots, of any kind, take a long time to operate and are not viable in large quantities. However, plug trays contain individual cells for each individual plant, this solves the problem, but they share the problem of all trays, round roots, the roots of the growing plant hit the cell walls and then follow the walls round and round. transplants that their roots have surrounded the cell wall will grow slower than expected. Plant when roots are holding the soil yet not smothering the plant.

Proper Irrigation When Growing Transplants

When sprouting it is important to keep the soil moist, watering in small pots requires great attention. Proper irrigation insures a healthy growth of the seedling. Plants grown in the greenhouse are grown under artificial conditions and therefore require supervision. Over watering will cause the root to development fungus and have an unhealthy growth that will affect plant maturity, as well as causing for a lack of oxygen to the roots. Proper watering will cause a normal development of the root system. Roots grow in new directions in search of new water sources which strengthens the base of the plant. Watering is recommended twice a day, moderate watering in the morning and before sunset.General

ORGANIC Potting Soil Recipe 

• 3 Buckets organic peat
• 2 Buckets perlite or vermiculite
• 2 Buckets Organic compost
• 3 cups organic based fertilizer

Transplant List