Seed starting notes

Post date: Apr 8, 2020 12:22:36 PM

6The seeds you must sow now, if you haven’t already done are the transplants:

Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, herbs.

It is still not late. It is now easy peasy to grow them in trays, as you can keep the trays plonk outdoors, on the patio and sow. They will germinate quickly.

Time will soon run out to grow these transplants. They need 6 weeks of babying before being ready to go into the ground.

May 31 is onset of summer. Transplanting after that means your seedlings won’t survive the shock in the heat and fail.

So don’t fuss about putting those large seeds like gourds and beans, melons and avarai, okra and corn. They can all be sown all the way until end July.

But tiny seedlings, sow them now. This year is turning out to be the year of the seeds as most can’t step out to buy plants. Sow away :)

1. Keep seeds protected, moist and in the dark until hook forms.

2. Once hook forms, get them light. All day. In a safe shaded place, under the sky.

3. Spritz water. Don’t overeager young seedlings they will rot.

4. Ensure enough air circulation. Heat and moisture means fungus. Fight it with good air circulation.

5. Transfer seedlings to bigger pots when three true leaves have formed. Don’t put young seedlings into the ground. Worms and bugs will devour them.

5. Nourish the seedlings at this stage. Add compost tea, fish fertilizer or such liquid feeds.

6. Expose seedlings to normal weather and acclimatize them to life on ground. Dont forget to water - they will die quickly if left out to dry.

7. Choose a cloudy evening to pu them in the ground. Don’t water the seedlings that day. They will

Come off as a plug.

8. Add compost in the place you intend moving them. Transplant. Water immediately.

9. 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. Growing from seeds is life skill for a gardener.