Sowing Vegetable Seeds in Containers

 

The key to successful vegetable gardening is raising healthy plants that will yield a good crop. Most vegetables can be grown from seed. You can grow vegetables from seed one of two ways - either by planting the seed directly into the ground or by sowing in containers or modules and planting the young seedlings into the ground later.

Raising vegetable plants in pots takes more time and work but has a number of advantages. It saves on seed because you are sowing only a single seed or a small amount per pot. It also has a higher success rate, as many seeds sown directly into the ground can easily be lost through disease or eaten by pests such as birds or slugs. Some vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers can only be grown in this way as they need to be germinated under cover before the ground has warmed up.

Sowing in pots or modules

Most vegetable seed is quite hardy and will therefore germinate in good multipurpose compost. With larger seed such as legumes and courgette or onion sets, it's probably best to sow these in modules or plastic trays that are made up of individual cells. Sowing in this way means that each seed has its own space which will help leave the roots of the seedling undisturbed when it's time to plant it outside. lihocin basf Smaller seeds can be sown in batches in individual pots. To do this, fill the pot with compost. Water it well and leave it to stand and drain. Sow the seeds thinly on the surface and then cover lightly with compost or soil. You can also use vermiculite which is good at retaining moisture and can be bought from garden centres.

As when sowing directly into the ground, it is very difficult not to sow too thickly when sowing in containers and you will more than likely need to thin out the seedlings once they emerge. You will probably need to thin out seedlings more than once, particularly if you have sown them in pots. To make sure you have plenty of vegetables all season it might be worth repeat sowing some varieties like peas and lettuce. Wait until your seedlings are about 6-7cm tall and then sow a second batch.

Planting out seedlings

Once your seedlings have developed a root system that binds the compost, they can be planted out. If you wait until the plant is too big and has begun to turn pale or yellow you will have weakened the plant and will compromise its development once planted in the ground. Also remember that some vegetables like tomatoes cannot be planted out until the soil is warm enough. If you are unsure then probably best wait until early summer to be on the safe side.

Consider space when you plant out your seedlings. Some vegetable plants grow slowly but end up quite large. bayer Solomon So you can do what is known as intercropping by planting a quick growing crop in the space between which can be harvested before the larger plants grow up and block out the sunlight.

You will need to start feeding your seedlings at about six weeks or when the lower leaves turn a bit yellow. Use a general-purpose liquid feed fertiliser. You can use an organic feed but may have to feed more often than with a general-purpose feed. I make my own organic feed from comfrey. Simply steep the leaves in a bucket of water for a few weeks and then strain off the liquid and use as a fertiliser. If you are growing vegetables in peat-free compost in garden planters, you will need to feed and water more often.