Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Smoothie Garden Solution
What should you do if your seeds haven't sprouted? Don't panic.
Some seeds, such as brassicas and lettuce, germinate
quickly-sometimes in as few as four days. Others, such as onions,
can take up to twenty-one days to germinate. Check to see how
long the seed is supposed to take before you start worrying. If
your seeds should have sprouted by now, seeds may be old and
may not be viable anymore. Try planting again using fresher
seeds.
Young seedlings are tender and tasty, making them more suscept-
ible to some pests. One common concern for outdoor seedlings is
slugs. If the leaves of your young lettuce or spinach plants are being
eaten, you may have slugs. If the same thing is happening to your
indoor seedlings, you may have a mouse problem. Part of caring for
your seedlings is taking the time to observe them. If you find
something wrong, investigate to find out what is happening to your
plants.
Transplanting Your Indoor Seedlings
If you have decided to purchase your transplants, make sure you
place them into the ground within a day or so of bringing them home
from the nursery. If you started some of your own transplants, they
will be ready to go into the garden after four to twelve weeks
depending on the variety. The seedlings should have at least four
true leaves before you set them out, and the outdoor soil temperat-
ure needs to be warm enough to support your vegetable plants.
It is important to transition some seedlings like tomatoes or pep-
pers from being inside to being outside. They need to be set outside
during the day and brought back in at night; gradually extend the
time they are outside over several days. This is called
hardening off
.
