|
|
|
  Sowing Set-ups
Materials:
Reuse last year's small nursery pots if you have them. Alternatively, ask friends and family. Most gardeners have them lying around. If neither of these options work out, any container two to three inches deep will do, including disposable cups, yogurt containers and milk cartons. You can also buy kits at your local plant nursery. My favorites are compressed peat discs and re-useable plastic plug trays. Make sure your containers are clean by washing with hot water. Ensure that each pot has good drainage, i.e. a hole or two in the bottom. Place containers in a water-catching tray lined with pebbles. This ensures that the drained water stays out of the pot preventing root rot. Seeds and seedlings are extremely sensitive to disease and nutrient levels. Seedlings will appreciate it if you buy a seed starting mix from your local nursery. Fill each container with soil up to 1/4 inch from the top of the container. Ready, set…. SOW!
Sowing the seeds: Moisten the soil in the containers before sowing the
seeds. Put two seeds in each container to ensure something emerging.
Generally, gardeners cover the seeds to a depth about 3 times the thickness
of the seeds. Be sure to read seed packets for seed specific instructions.
Pat the soil lightly and water with a fine mist.
| |
|
|
|
Containers: Gardeners have the choice of separate pots for each plant or
flats holding many plants. The choice depends on various factors including
your space limitations and the fragility of your desired plants. I use the
separate pots or plug trays for most of my plants because there is less of a
chance of damaging roots when transplanting. However, trays may be the more
practical choice for lettuce, spinach, kale and other small seed crops.