Growing Seedlings For A New Harvest

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

The seedling method is used when it is necessary to grow heat-loving plants that are afraid of frost with a long growing season, so that they give out the main harvest before the onset of severe autumn cold weather. For example, peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, as well as some types of pumpkin crops of late varieties - Spaghetti, Nut, etc.

Some cold-resistant plants should also be grown through seedlings if they have a too long growing season, longer than our summer, for example, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, leeks, root celery, parsley.

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The seedling method is also used when, after a long, vitamin-free winter period, you need to get a crop early. For example, in 1-2 terms, green crops are sown for seedlings - lettuce, dill, basil, leafy parsley and celery, collard greens, as well as cauliflower, broccoli, early white cabbage, from root crops - rutabagas, beets.

To extend the period of consumption, many of the above crops are sown directly into the ground. Crops such as squash, kruknek, squash, cucumber, early pumpkin varieties are grown through seedlings in order to extend the growing season and thereby increase the yield of these crops. Some early ripening varieties of Peking and Chinese cabbage are grown in seedlings in order to prevent their stemming.

It is necessary to prepare in advance for sowing seeds for seedlings. The first thing to do is to plan the crops, that is, consider the seeds prepared for this, select those of them that will need to be sown for seedlings, write down which plants, how many and when they need to be sown. Then estimate how many and what sizes of sowing "utensils" should be prepared - bowls, boxes, pots. The dishes must be thoroughly rinsed and disinfected - with a solution of potassium permanganate or alcohol.

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Soil preparation for seedlings

You need to start preparing the soil in advance. Experienced gardeners usually bring nutrient soils from their gardens in the fall especially for seedlings. If the soil in your garden is not nutritious, then it can be ennobled by adding purchased soils in a ratio of about 1: 1. There are many different peat soils for vegetables and flowers on the market now. However, it is better not to use them in their pure form.

Firstly, it is expensive, and secondly, there are cases of death of young seedlings due to soil poisoning. These soil poisoning, according to experts, occurs due to the fact that in some peat soils there are a lot of undecomposed plant fibers, which, in the process of decay, release substances that inhibit plant growth. There are cases of uneven mixing of peat with mineral fertilizers and deoxidizers.

My experience has shown that it is better to buy different soils and mix them, using even coconut briquettes in the mixes. Then the chances of killing the seedlings will decrease. Experts recommend adding 30-50% to soils containing peat, garden sandy loam or sand - this is often written on the packaging. At home, it is not possible to conduct an agrochemical analysis of the soil, however, it has been experimentally established that it is useful to add 2-3 tablespoons of chalk or dolomite flour to a bucket - for deoxidation - and superphosphate - for better root growth. Mixtures for seedlings should be prepared two months before sowing. During this time, the mixture will "mature": everything that has not rotted will decompose, all harmful substances will disappear, the deoxidation process will give the desired effect.

You can take a chance and try a progressive method of sowing seedlings - the so-called cassette method, which has long been successfully used abroad. This method is just beginning to be introduced to our gardeners. Now a set for growing seedlings is on sale. It is a plastic stamped cassette for several tens of landing cells. In each of the cells, a cylinder of special paper decomposing in natural soil is inserted, filled with nutrient soil. The cassette stands on a pallet, which excludes damage to windowsills by irrigation water.

For more information about this method, which allows you to save time and effort and get strong, healthy plants, read on our website in the article "Growing seedlings in cassettes" →

To get to know this kit better, you need to walk around the brand shops for gardeners and see on the spot what it is and whether it suits you. The cassette method has many conveniences: ready-made soil, that is, you do not need to prepare all these mixtures, ease of maintenance - you can water all the seedlings at once through the pallet, and not one piece at a time, spilling water on the windowsill, as well as ease of transplanting seedlings into the ground. In addition, everything looks beautiful and neat.