Vegetable Planting Guide: Getting Ready To Plant
If you have been following along with the series about starting your own garden, we now come the the step of actually planting your garden crops. Up to this point it has been all about getting your space ready, getting your soil amended and ready to support the growing season, and deciding on what you want to plant. If you have done your homework, know what you want to plant and the space requirements for those plants. As you have read when planting a garden different vegetables require different amount of room to grow. To avoid any confusion, the best thing you can do is to follow the recommendations found of the back of seed packets or on the tags that come with any starter plants you buy.
STARTING SEEDS
What will end up as a good harvest will start with the seeds. Those seeds can begin in a couple of places; indoors, right in the garden, or a greenhouse (then transplanting the starter plants).
Seeds that are started indoors demand little work from us as gardeners. Seeds as a general rule should be no deeper than 2-3 times the maximum diameter of the seed. There are many seed-starting containers including trays, pots, or soil blocks. It really does not matter as long as your container has drainage holes in the bottom. The seeds will need a loose planting mixture, good drainage, appropriate amount of light, and the right germination temperature. I have started several things from indoor seeds and I have been successful germinating those seedlings and then transplanting them into my garden. Space for growing seeds indoors has been my limitation however, I am building a greenhouse which will solve that problem moving forward.
Seeds are also sown directly into the garden. The primary limitation for seeds straight into the garden is soil temperature. Soil temperatures must be a warm enough for germination. Soil thermometers are available for monitoring garden soil temperatures. For each kind of seed there is a just right temperature for germination. For the best germination the soil temperatures must start out right and also stay that way. One year I planted pumpkins when the temperature was just right and after the seedlings were up a cool snap came through and the the growing process slowed and I actually lost some tender plants. A long slow germination will cause stress to the plant one of these is fluctuations in temperature. If you want to give seeds a warm soil earlier than occurring naturally, there are methods using plastic mulch, clear plastic or builder’s plastic, and other colors of plastic covering. I personally just wait for the soil the warm naturally.
PUTTING THE SEEDS IN THEIR PLACE
Inground seeds
Seeds have within in it a small amount of energy which will allow the germinating plant to push through the dirt towards the sunlight. So if the seed is planted too deep it will not have enough energy to push through the soil and it will just never make it. Also if the soil is too compact or crusted the seed will have a difficult time pushing through. The general rule is the smaller the seed the closer to the surface they should be planted. Once sown they should be covered with soil which is loose, compost enriched to keep the seed moist, and dark which most seeds need to germinate. The seed bed needs to be kept moist which germination is progressing.
Transplanting plants
Transplanting seeds started indoors will be ready when the soil temperatures reach the preferred temperature on a consistent basis. It usually takes 6-8 weeks for plants started from seed indoors to be ready for outdoor planting. When you start seeds indoors, there is better control over the environment and the timing of transplanting to the outdoor garden ensuring the plants will not be subjected to freezing temperatures or frost which would kill tender seedlings.
When transplanting the plants, you have to dig individual holes for each plant and they holes need to be wide enough and deep enough. The top of the soil will be just below the level of the garden soil. As you remove the plant from the container, you can gently use your fingers to spread the root structures out. This will help the roots spread throughout the soil quicker.
Another important tip to consider is if you are planting starter plants that were initially grown indoors, they should be acclimatized before being planted in your garden. They can be set outside during the daylight hours where they can get some sun and shade. They can be brought inside during the night. You will hear this also to called “hardening off”. It is like a bootcamp. The plants learn to adjust to sun, wind, and a range of temperatures. Transplants need their roots to be kept moist and limit the plants exposure to windy conditions. In West Texas wind is frequent. I utilize old planting containers to put over the tender plants on windy days. Mulching immediately after transplanting will help retain moisture in the root area and will help suppress nutrient and water sucking weeds.
“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt. ” -Margaret Atwood
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