Post date: May 15, 2020 9:18:48 PM
Uma Shashikant
Seed starting is a life skill for a gardener. Posted several notes for this season at the blog.
I am pasting and revising one of them that summarizes all steps. Each one is critical. Master each one until you get them all right.
Begin small seeds in a seedling tray. Large ones can be sown directly. Fill seedling tray with seed starter mix (see blog) poke to ensure it has filled the cell completely. Put 2-3 seeds per cell. Press with finger tip, cover and water throroughly.
1. Keep seeds protected, moist and in the dark until hook forms. Without even moisture, and right temperature, seeds won’t germinate. Check temps your seed needs. Ensure that temp range is constantly available.
2. Once hook forms, get them light. All day. In a safe shaded place, under the sky. Don’t keep in sun. A place at the patio where there is shade but open to skies all day is ideal. Poor light creates lanky seedlings.
3. Spritz water. Don’t overwater young seedlings they will rot. They don’t have strong roots to take water. Keep moist.
4. Ensure enough air circulation. Heat and moisture means fungus. Fight it with good air circulation. Pass your hands over the top of the seedlings twice a day. Ensure soil is filled to the top and your seedling is not inside a pit.
5. Transfer seedlings to bigger pots when three true leaves have formed. Choose strong seedlings and discard weak ones. Don’t put young seedlings into the ground. Worms and bugs will devour them.
6. Nourish the seedlings at this stage. Add compost tea, fish fertilizer or such liquid feeds. Make them bigger and stronger plants.
7. Expose seedlings to normal weather and acclimatize them to life on ground. Expose them to morning sun for a few hours every day. Dont forget to water - they will die quickly if left out to dry.
8. Choose a cloudy evening to put them in the ground. Don’t water the seedlings that day. They will come off as a plug.
9. Add compost in the place you intend moving them. Transplant. Firm up the soil. Water immediately.
10. Protect seedlings from harsh sun and bugs. Cover with a cut milk jug. Or throw a thin cloth over them during a harsh day.
Sowing is very easy. But babying the seedlings and their varied needs for germinating (dark, moist), popping up (light, moisture), growing (light, moisture, air), surviving (light, moisture, air, nutrition), acclamatisation (light and shade) is a patient process of science and art. Keep at it, sow every day until you get it right.