What is the best method of planting seeds?
Direct sowing is the best way to end up with lots of healthy plants in your vegetable garden—no transplant shock, no complicated seed starting setup. But a lot of us get direct sowing wrong by planting our seeds too close together or pushing them way too deep into the soil. Only larger seeds with tough exterior coatings should be soaked. Tiny seeds with thin outer shells do not require soaking. Soaking tiny seeds can cause them to clump together, making them almost impossible to sow.Almost all seeds can be pre-soaked, but it is large seeds, seeds with thick coats and wrinkled seeds that will benefit most. Small seeds benefit less and are difficult to handle when wet. Examples of seeds that benefit from soaking include peas, beets, cucumber, corn, squash, pumpkin and beans.Precautions while sowing the seeds: The seeds should be disease-free. Seeds must be planted at correct distances from each other. Seeds should be sown such that all the crops should get an equal amount of light, nutrients, and water. Seeds should be sown at the correct depths.If the seeds are very small, they will clump together and be more difficult to sow unless you let them dry first, which defeats the purpose of soaking them in the first place. Think seeds like carrots or lettuce, or flowers that have super tiny seeds, like sweet alyssum or campanula .
How to plant seeds from a packet?
Some packets are better than others, but the vast majority give you only the most basic information, namely when and how deeply/far apart to sow. Sometimes, it really is that easy – plop the seed into a pot of soil or into the ground, give it a good watering and wait for the magic to begin. Gently scatter the seeds over the designated areas. Aim for even distribution, but don’t worry about perfect spacing—a slightly denser sprinkle can be thinned out later. After sowing, lightly cover the area with soil and water it to help the seeds settle into the soil. Keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate.Another option is to tuck seeds directly into soil outdoors. Planting seeds this way is called direct sowing, and it is an easy process that yields great results.A general rule to follow is to place the seed at a depth about four times the diameter of the seed. Planting depth is very important. If they are too deep the germinated seed may not have the energy to push all of the way out of the soil.Place your seeds in the hole and bury them. Usually, you want to plant two or three seeds per hole because not every seed will germinate. The packet your seeds came in will also let you know approximately how long it will take for them to germinate.
Should I water before planting seeds?
Before planting seeds indoors in a seed tray, water the soil thoroughly so it’s moist, but not wet. Then plant the seeds according to the instructions that came with the seeds. First you will need to soak your seed for 48hrs in water, changing the water everyday. After your seeds have soaked, place them in a moist paper towel inside a plastic bag, just like for the regular baggie method. Place the baggie in the fridge, and wait for the seeds to germinate.Seeds are meant to germinate when they’re moist, and hibernate when they’re dry. That’s why it’s important to dry your seeds after you harvest them. Open-air drying is the best way, and there are several methods for creating just the right conditions for perfect seed drying, using ordinary household items.To get things growing faster, you can actually germinate seeds in paper towels and a sandwich bag—no soil needed! This simple method will help you skip the clutter and complication of seed starting trays, domes, or temperature sensors.As a general rule of thumb, your seeds will sprout even if you don’t soak them. But with soaking, the germination time decreases and the germination rate increases. Seeds that have a continual flow of moisture have much higher chances of success.
How often should I water newly sown seeds?
Once you have sown your seeds it is very important to water with a gentle, fine spray twice a day until the seedlings are 3 cm high. After seedlings are 3 cm high they get full sun and a thorough watering once a day using a regular shower setting. Some species require a more stable moisture content to the soil. Start watering immediately. Daily observation is important. If it appears the new seed is drying out during the day or night, add another watering midway between the two. If only one area is drying out, only add more water to that area.
Can I put seeds straight into soil?
Just like it sounds, direct sowing involves planting seeds directly into your garden soil without the use of pots or seed beds. It’s a cheaper, easier, and more natural approach to gardening, and it actually has a number of benefits when done correctly! Direct sowing is one way to get a head start in the garden. For some seeds, the cold, wet weather of spring can hasten germination, and many early crops might otherwise become bitter in summer heat. Direct sowing alongside a crop that’s already growing (aka succession sowing) also results in more harvests!
Do I have to soak seeds before planting?
Almost all seeds can be pre-soaked, but it is large seeds, seeds with thick coats and wrinkled seeds that will benefit most. Small seeds benefit less and are difficult to handle when wet. Examples of seeds that benefit from soaking include peas, beets, cucumber, corn, squash, pumpkin and beans. Chia seeds turn gelatinous when wet, making them almost impossible to sow evenly after soaking. Chia seeds have a gelatinous coating that activates when they get wet, one of the most widely known seeds you should never soak.