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Seed Planting
Organic methods of planting seed
Planting seedHardy and quick-growing annual flowers and vegetables are usually started in beds or cold frames in the garden. More tender plants, slow-growing plants, those which take a long time to germinate, and those with seeds so fine that weeks are required to develop the seedlings into manageable plants, are usually candidates for starting seeds indoors.Seed containers
Sterile containers, planting material and soilSterile containers, planting material and soil are advisable to protect germinating seeds and young seedlings from disease such as the fungus disease, damping-off. However, it should be remembered that some growers have found that the bacteria and actinomycetes in unsterile composting attack damping-off fungi. These organisms also encourage seedling growth.Sphagnum mossSphagnum moss may also have antibiotic capacities. A good mixture for planting consists of equal parts of milled sphagnum moss, perlite and vermiculite—all natural materials with the capacity to hold water.
Pasteurizing or sterilizing the soil:
Soil will be free of certain pathogens if it is heated in a 130°F. (54.44°C.) oven for 30 minutes. At 120°F. (48.89°C.) nematodes are killed; at 130°F. (54.44°C.) botrytis is controlled; at 140°F. (60°C.) most plant pathogenic bacteria as well as worms, slugs and centipedes are killed.It takes 150°F. (65.56°C.) to kill soil insects; 155°F. (68.33°C.) to kill viruses and up to 160 to 180°F. (71.11 to 82.22°C.) to be surely rid of weed seeds and disease microorganisms. Since many microorganisms are beneficial to plant growth, completely sterile soil should be used only at the earliest stages of growth, before transplanting seedlings.
Sterilize tools and containersYou can sterilize tools and containers by boiling them for ten or 12 minutes, cleaning them with rubbing alcohol or soaking them in a 10 percent solution of laundry bleach. Plastic flowerpots or flats can be dipped into water heated to 158°F. (70°C.) for three minutes.Peat potsThe small, compacted peat pots available at most garden centers are generally already sterile, but if they have been sitting around in open bins at the store, it may be wise to use hot water when adding water to make them swell up into little pots. They should be watered and squeezed out at least half an hour before using, but preferably six or eight hours before.Electric sterilizersIt is possible to buy very small electric sterilizers that will treat a bushel of soil, but heating soil to high temperatures has toxic effects. It concentrates salts and destroys organic matter. Therefore, the safest method of treating soil is pasteurization.Perennial flowersPerennial flowers may be started indoors in midwinter and may be expected to bloom the first year from seed. They may also be sown in spring, in a special outdoor nursery bed and then transplanted in fall to their permanent garden positions.BiennialsBiennials may be planted in midsummer, at about the time seed normally ripens on the plants. Planted outdoors in spring, they grow much larger and produce more seed the following year. In unreliable climates it is best to overwinter biennial plants in a cold frame.Early vegetables sown indoorsFor early vegetables, seed may be sown indoors and the plants hardened in a cold frame or in a sheltered place outside before they are set in the garden. Such vegetables as cucumbers and squash, normally planted directly in the garden, may also be sown inside in pots or paper containers. At the normal time for planting in the garden, if all danger of frost has passed in your moon phase planting zone, these early plants may be set out without disturbing their roots.Seeds planted outsideSeeds planted outside are usually planted in the soil in which they will grow during the entire season. The soil preparation must be properly done in advance, by adding manure, compost, bone meal, or whatever that particular vegetable or flower needs to grow but, not so much of it that the seedlings will grow too fast and be leggy. If the seed is to be planted in rows, a drill or trench may be made by using the edge of a board to keep the row straight. |
Depth of plantingDepth of planting depends upon the size of the seed, the consistency of the soil and the season of the year. The usual rule is to plant a seed at a depth that is three or four times the size of its diameter. This rule is modified by soil. Heavy clay soil is damper so seeds need not be planted as deeply. Sandy soil will dry out faster at the top, so the seed may need to be planted deeper in it.Seed should never be over watered during germination, nor should it be kept too cold. If the soil is heavy and wet, it will be cold beneath the surface early in spring. Seed will germinate more rapidly if it is sown on the surface. When the soil is warmer, seed can be planted further down. Since seeds need air as well as certain water requirements during germination, keep the tilth of the soil granular so that air may penetrate to the depth of the seeds and they can breathe.
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