In today's article, we will focus on the cultivation of the “right” seedlings, namely, strong and healthy, with a developed root system that can withstand adverse external factors and is ready for further development, that is, fruiting.
To get a good harvest in the northern and central strip of Russia , weather surprises must be taken into account, so many crops are best grown in seedlings. It is this approach that gives future vegetables a chance to grow and get on our table.
Since many modern cultivated crops come from warm regions, they still have an increased sensitivity to frost, so any temperature drops can destroy them.
Seeds of heat-loving crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, etc.) need to be developed at stable temperature levels - not lower than 20 degrees. We cannot maintain such a temperature in open ground, since we live in the field of risk farming, therefore we are forced to create these conditions artificially - on our own windowsill or in the greenhouse.
And immediately the following questions arise: buy ready-made seedlings or engage in its cultivation yourself?
To on your own, you will need to accurately calculate the time of sowing, properly prepare the soil, substrate for future plants, choose the appropriate containers for Senti, carefully take care of seedlings.
It is much simpler to buy ready-made seedlings, but there are questions: what quality seedlings should be, is there a risk of bringing any diseases with it to your summer cottage, how not to make a mistake with the varieties that you decided to grow? Sooner or later, everything face these problems. Let's try to consider these issues in more detail.
Many gardeners prefer to grow seedlings on their own. And that is pretty commendable. Its seedlings take root better, unlike purchased seedlings, have higher yields, and you do not run the risk of bringing any disease with house seedlings to the soil in your garden.
In addition, from a financial point of view, it is profitable to grow seedlings with your own hands, since the seeds are cheap, and the soil can be prepared completely free of charge, in advance, from the fall, taking the necessary amount of land at your summer cottage.
By purchasing ready-made seedlings from your hands, you will not be able to determine which variety is 100% offered to you. And you yourself can grow any varieties that you like, fortunately, now in stores for this an impressive selection is provided.
In addition, the independent cultivation of seedlings is an interesting, and sometimes gambling, despite all the troubles. Agree, you always want to get the crop "better than that of the neighbors."
How to buy good seedlings?
If you nevertheless, for some reason decided to abandon the cultivation of seedlings, then you just need to know how not to make a mistake with its choice when buying.
First of all, pay attention to what the root system of seedlings looks like - its appearance should not cause you any suspicion.
The slightest hints of rot, keel or the presence of insect pest larvae, any external defects should deter you from acquiring such seedlings. Inspect the leaves carefully, the fact is that on the underside of the leaves aphid eggs, spider mites or other pests can hide.
If the leaves look deformed or wrinkled, they are most likely affected by viruses.
Check on the leaves for the presence of a heart - the future growth point. If the leaves are unusually bright and tend to roll down, it is possible that the seedlings were grown using high doses of fertilizers and plentiful irrigation, which affected its attractive appearance, but subsequently negatively affect yield.
In containers with seedlings there should be no damage and cracks, otherwise the root system of seedlings will seriously suffer during transplantation.
Self-growing seedlings
How to grow seedlings with your own hands - we will talk about this later. First, you need a good nutrient substrate or soil - it depends on what our seedlings will be and what crop they will bring later.
You can buy soil in a store, but for many gardeners it is expensive and not always reliable. It is better to stock up on soil in advance, preparing it at your summer cottage, and then saving it on the balcony until the very landings. So, the soil for growing seedlings needs loose, porous, with minimal acidity.
If you have a well-kept area, you regularly apply fertilizers and loosening materials (sand, mulch, green manure) to the soil, then this is the type of soil on your beds.
As for top dressing, it is undesirable to get carried away with fertilizers. If you overdo it with minerals, seedlings will develop more slowly and can catch infections. It is better to feed seedlings as they grow, using water-soluble fertilizers.
Before sowing seeds, the soil must be decontaminated, regardless of whether it is purchased or prepared independently. To disinfect, you can use a solution of potassium permanganate (on a bucket of water 3g), you can treat the soil with an antifungal agent, or at least freeze the soil properly, which will help get rid of the overwhelming number of pests and pathogens.
We plant seedlings
So, the soil is prepared. Now we need to choose containers for future seedlings.
In the store you can buy special peat pots and tablets, microparnichi, boxes of plastic. In purchased containers, growing seedlings will look very aesthetically pleasing.
But if this is unnecessary expenses for you, then you can always choose the right containers at home. Plastic cups, cake covers, and even plastic bags - everything will go into business. Now you are ready to grow seedlings on your own.
Enjoy the hassle and have a good harvest!