Having your own garden at home or apartment has become an increasingly important habit in the lives of many people who have seen the benefit of having plants, whether aromatic or for consumption, at home.
If you are thinking of starting to plant your own vegetables or herbs, these tips will help you not to make mistakes so that your plants grow healthy and strong.
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Initial clarification:
Before starting I would like to make a concept clear, and that we do not always use in our language, but that for the purposes of this article is important. This concept is that of seedling.
Seedling, in Botany, is the word used to describe the plant in its early stages of development, from when it germinates until the first true leaves develop. That is, it is the embryo already developed as a result of germination.
With that said, let’s move on.
Lack of light
seedlings need a lot of light to become strong and healthy plants.
No matter what anyone tells you, chances are do not have enough natural light in your home to grow robust seedlings.
However, you can use artificial light to achieve the correct amount of light that the seedlings require. To do this, get grow lights designed explicitly for plants. Or, for a cheaper solution, buy large fluorescent light bulbs equipped with one hot and one cool bulb.
Prop the bulbs up with strings or chains so you can raise the lights higher as the seedlings grow.
Keep the lights as close to the seedlings as possible without touching them (2 to 3 inches). And when the seedlings first appear, keep the lights on for 12 to 16 hours per day.
To reduce usage time, use a timer to turn lights on and off automatically.
Apply too much or too little water
The amount of water you supply can make or break seedling growth.
Irrigation is one of the most challenging aspects of seed starting. Because seedlings are so delicate, there is very little room for error when it comes to watering.
To increase your chances of getting it right, here are a few things you can do:
Create a mini greenhouse to keep the soil moist: cover container with plastic until seeds germinate.
Apply water from the bottom to allow the seedlings to absorb water through the drainage holes in the container. There is less chance of overwatering when you use this approach. Add water slowly over 10 to 30 minutes and use your finger to tap the top of the soil to make sure the moisture has reached the top of the container.
Check soil moisture at least once a day.
Buy a automatic irrigation system.
Start seeds too early
A lot of plants do not tolerate cold temperatures and exposing them to cold air or cold ground will stress them.
Stressed plants are more susceptible to pests and diseases. Most of the plants are ready to go outside from four to six weeks after you start planting.
Plant seeds too deep
Seeds are finicky when it comes to how deep they are planted.
Some seeds need complete darkness to germinate and others require light to germinate, the proper planting depth is usually provided on the seed packet.
If there is no information on the package, the general rule of thumb is to plant seeds two to three times as deep as they are wide.
Determining depth can be a challenge, but if you’re not sure what the ideal distance is, go with it. little deep.
For seeds that need light to germinate, make sure the seeds are in contact with the seed starting medium but not covered. To do this, gently press down on the middle of the soil to create a firm surface.
Laterplace the seed over the medium and gently press down, making sure the seed is still exposed.
Moving seedlings outdoors too soon
There is no benefit to moving them outside when they are young. They will die instantly or become weak and then not thrive.
Even the hardiest of plants, when they are young, need a considerable amount of pampering and attention.
When the seedlings are large enough to be planted outdoors, it is necessary to prepare them for the transition by hardening them off.
Gradually hardening prepares them for outdoor conditions such as wind, rain and sun.
The hardening process is simple, although it can be time consuming; involves exposing your plants to the elements gradually.
On the first day of hardening off, place the seedlings outdoors for an hour, then bring them back indoors.
Gradually increase the amount of time outdoors each day for 6 to 10 days.
You will need to make some decisions based on the outside temperature and the fragility of your seedlings. If it’s a particularly cool or very rainy day, you’ll want to decrease the time for that hardening session.
sowing too many seeds
When sowing seeds, start small if you are a beginner.
If you plant more seeds than you can reasonably keep, it will be a challenge to nurture the seedlings to adulthood.
Depending on the type of plant you want to grow, you may be able to sow seeds directly into outdoor containers or into the ground when outside temperatures warm up.
Keeping seeds too cool
For seeds to germinate, most must be kept warm: around 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 25 degrees Celsius).
A favorite place to keep seeds warm for germination is the top of the refrigerator.
Or you can buy seed warming mats to place under your seed trays.
Once a seedling emerges, they can tolerate fluctuating temperatures (within reason).
Regardless of the type of light you use, natural or artificial, make sure it produces enough heat to keep your plants in the 65 to 75 degree Fahrenheit (18 to 25 degree Celsius) range.
Do not label seeds
In order to be able to identify the seedlings as they grow and know when they will be ready for transplanting, you should label the seed containers as they are planted.
For each type of seed planted, use popsicle sticks or plastic plant markers and permanent ink pens to record the name of the plant and the date planted. Insert the plant labels into the soil near the edge of the container or tray.
give up too soon
Starting seeds can be a difficult process. However, one of the most satisfying benefits of this labor of love is eating a tomato or marveling at the flowers you grew from day one.
Growing plants from seed requires dedication, attention, and time. Recognize that you may make mistakes along the way, but you shouldn’t let it go. The results outweigh the challenges you will see in the process.