There is something so magical, so powerful, so incredible about little baby seeds! They hold so much potential in their little shells. What's even more incredible is with only water and sunlight (other very simple, normal, taken-for-granted things) they spring to life, grow like crazy and produce sustenance for all living things! One of the questions I get asked about the most is... how do you know whether to start something as a seed or plant a seedling? The biggest consideration here is time. Seeds take longer to produce a harvest than a seedling. You do not have to start everything you grow from seed. My recommendation is to let a trusted source give you a head start on growing the plants that take longest like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussels. When possible, I always direct seed. Especially my root and bulb vegetables, annual herbs, spinach, lettuce and arugula. I find the plants are healthier that way. What does direct seed mean? It means planting the seed where it will grow to maturity, ie: not starting ahead of time to transplant later. Here are three different ways to consider planting some of the most popular spring and fall crops by seed - Sow to Thin - this practice is when you over-seed, usually using twice as much seed as you really need for a given area. I like to think of this practice as an "insurance policy" in other words, you're usually guaranteed to have enough plants emerge or germinate. The tricky thing here is that you will need to go back in a week or so after germination to pull smaller plants to achieve the ideal plant spacing. Seeding Arugula, Spinach and Leaf Lettuce: I like to broadcast these seeds to cover a full area of a raised bed or container - making the most of every inch! To broadcast, take a hearty pinch of seeds, hold your hand 10 - 12 inches above the soil and sprinkle seeds evenly across an entire swath of soil. Borrow a handful or two of soil from another part of your bed (or fresh from the bag) and sprinkle to cover. Do not pat soil. Seeds need sunlight and air to germinate! Water in lightly. Return in a week or two to "thin" seedlings to one plant every 2-4 inches. The more space between plants, the bigger they will grow.
Pro Tip: Broadcasting your seed (v. planting in rows) can truly help maximize the growing space you have! Dedicate a square of your raised bed or a pot to one crop.
--
Deliberately Sow: This practice is seeding one seed at the correct spacing for optimal growth. This requires attention to detail when you sow your seeds, being intentional to only sow what you need and in the right spot. This practice is easy when you're seeding things with large, easy to handle seeds, like radish. It gets a little more tricky if you try this with lettuce or celery, which have much smaller seeds! Seeding Kale, Collard Greens and Swiss Chard: Sow one seed every 12 - 18 inches in fresh potting soil or veteran soil that has been amended with a high-quality compost or other nitrogen source. Leafy greens gobble up nitrogen, so be sure to get them plenty! Plant seeds 1/4 inch in the soil and cover light. Water lightly.
Pro Tip: Anytime you direct seed something be sure to water lightly, daily, until established
--
Sow in Bunches - this is excellent for things like green onion, parsley and cilantro! Take a pinch of seed and sow them all together every 6 inches to grow a "bunch" to harvest. Seeding Parsley, Cilantro and Green Onion: I prefer to seed these in "bunches". Use your index finger to "dig" a 1/2 - 1 inch "hole". Take a pinch of seed. Drop them in the hole. Cover lightly. Water gently. Wait. These seeds can take 10-14 days to germinate, cilantro will be first!
Pro Tip: When you buy seeds in the store, look for the "days to maturity" listed on the packet. This will tell you how long (on average) those seeds take to produce a harvest. This is an essential piece of planning info for you!
コメント