2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
If you want to get high-quality seedlings, follow the rules. Don't make mistakes that lead to failure. I'll tell you about the 10 most common mistakes and their impact on the result
Mistake 1. Failure to meet deadlines
It is not for nothing that the approximate sowing time is indicated on the seed bags. The manufacturer informs you about the favorable time to start sowing. This is based on the characteristics of the given plant.
Each culture has certain segments of its life cycles. The correct calculation, based on meeting the deadlines, contributes to the cultivation of high-quality seedlings. It will not outgrow or bloom until it is planted in the ground. Flowering and fruiting are better.
Experienced gardeners and flower growers comply with the deadlines for each species, so their sowing season lasts from January to April.
Mistake 2. Expired, low-quality seeds
When purchasing seeds, give preference to trusted producers. If the seeds are old, they will not germinate. Read the expiration date printed on the packaging. Not using all the seeds in the package - do not leave them for the next year if they expire this season.
Low-quality seeds can be bought from street vendors, at the ruins of unknown producers, in dubious packaging, taken from friends.
Mistake 3. You don't always need to soak
Seeds coated with a nutritious glaze, as well as when indicated on the label “pickled, processed”, do not need additional manipulations. They do not need to be soaked, kept in potassium permanganate, stimulants, etc. This will only worsen the quality of the seed.
Mistake 4. Lack of preparation
More often seeds are sold without preliminary preparation. Do not sow them dry in the ground. Conduct self-processing. Preparation for sowing will help prevent the development of diseases and improve germination. This is especially true for crops with a hard shell at the seed, after soaking, they will sprout faster and will not rot in the soil.
Mistake 5. Untreated soil
Purchased soil mixed with soil from the garden contains soil infections, microbes that are detrimental to seedlings. Pour boiling water over a container with earth or steam for 20-30 minutes in the oven at +90.
Mistake 6. Watering
Excess moisture provokes the development of fungi, mold, and leads to decay. When watering, observe the measure, let the earth dry out.
You can not water seedlings on foliage - do it only at the root. The jet should be thin, for this purchase a special watering can or make a thin nozzle from a plastic tube on the tip of the watering can. Gentle watering will prevent soil erosion and root exposure.
Use settled water at room temperature. Cold provokes root decay, leads to growth arrest and seedling death. It is desirable to have water + 22 … + 25.
Mistake 7. Fertilizers
Never use fertilizers "by eye" and at random. You need to feed the seedlings correctly. Buy balanced seedling mixes.
Dilute, adhering to the proportions indicated in the annotation. Never sprinkle them on the ground - feed only diluted. Mono fertilizers are dangerous for young shoots, so use complexes with trace elements.
Mistake 8. Deepening
When sowing seeds, do not plant them too deeply. Observe the 1: 2 rule, this is when the depth corresponds to two diameters of the seed. Small seeds, such as petunias, are not sprinkled at all - they are laid out on the surface and germinate in the light.
The incorrectly chosen depth does not allow the baby to reach the surface, he appears on the surface weakened or often dies.
Mistake 9. Thickening
Competition for light, food and water weakens the sprouts if they are densely planted. Seedlings that grow in a dense carpet are difficult to dive: their roots are injured, and they painfully tolerate transplanting. When sowing, keep the distance between seeds 1-1.5 cm.
Mistake 10. Germination time
Seeds need a warm, dark, moist environment to germinate. After the emergence of the sprout, you must immediately place it in the light, in a ventilated room with a temperature of +20.. + 22. If you miss the time of emergence and leave the container in the dark, then the shoots will stretch out, rot will begin and you will lose seedlings.
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