Gardening Pleasures

Posts Tagged ‘containers’

Seeds

Starting annuals and vegetables from seed can be rewarding or disastrous depending upon the outcome.

Many people start seeds too early and then try to hold the seedlings  back until it is warm enough to plant them outdoors.  Starting them too early can  result in either yellow seedlings that are short and hard and grow very slowly or spindly ones that grow too tall and topple over.  Neither will do well when planted outdoors.

 

Conditions: Seeds require certain conditions to germinate and grow properly.  These include temperature, light and humidity.  Also, good sanitary practices must be followed so as to reduce problems with diseases.

 

Germination media:  Soil mixtures such as a 3-2-1 or 2-1-1 or even a 1-1-1 (soil, peat and sand) can be used to start seeds.  However the mix must be treated to reduce disease problems.  Treatment can be with heat or the chemical methyl bromide.  On a smaller scale, heating a 2-3 inch layer of mix in a preheated oven at 180ºF (82ºC) for one hour will pasteurize it.  To avoid using chemicals or heat, purchase an appropriate ready mixed compost designed specially for seeds.

 

Containers:  Anything that will hold about 2″ (5cm) of the media, with drainage holes in the bottom can be used to start seeds.  Fill the containers with the moistened mix, firm down lightly and label.

Seeds:  Use only the best seeds.  Old seeds or those that have not be stored properly may not germinate.  If extra seeds are to be stored from one year to the next, keep them at 40-50ºF (5-10ºC) in an air tight container such as a coffee jar. The humidity should also be kept below 50%, an average home fridge will do the job.

Many people tend to sow seeds too thickly.  Home gardeners should sow seeds about ¼ inch (0.6cm) apart and in rows.  Cover large seeds lightly with  the soil mix, washed sand or vermiculite.  Leave small seeds uncovered.  If seeds are sown too thickly, tall spindly seedlings may result.

 

Water and humidity:  After sowing and covering, water the seeds well.  Do this with a fine mist or sub-irrigation so that the seeds will not be washed away. After watering try to keep the humidity at 80% or higher.  This will reduce water loss from the germinating media.

Some growers cover the seed flats with wet burlap, clear plastic, or newspapers.  Home gardeners may slip the seed flats into large clear plastic bags.  Place in light but not direct sunlight.  Do not let the temperature in the plastic bag go above 85ºF (29ºC).  Check the flats daily to make sure the  surface of the soil is moist. As soon as seedlings emerge, remove the plastic bag.

 

Temperature:  This is one of the most critical factors in starting seeds.  Temperature that is too low or too high will reduce or stop germination.  Bottom heat from electric cables, hot pipes or radiators may assist in maintaining proper temperature.  The temperature required is of the growing media not the air.

 

Light:  Some annual and vegetable seeds require light to germinate.  Place seed flats where some light is available.  After seedlings emerge, provide full sunlight or, if not possible, use fluorescent lights and supply about 27 lamp watts per square foot.  Containers with the seedlings should be placed 8 inches  (20cm) below the lamps.  A 14 hour day should be provided, usually 8am to10pm. Transplant seedlings when the true leaves appear.

 

Hardening-off:  About 7-10 days before plants are to be planted outside, the plants may be hardened-off.  This is done by lowering the temperature by moving them outside during the day and back in again at night or withholding water.  During this period the plants should be in full sunlight. Do not harden off cucumbers, melons or squash.

 

Ensuring you get the best from the plants you buy

Plants for containers and bedding as well as vegetables and fruits are readily available during the spring and summer.  Many can be obtained in your local garden centres or by mail order and over the Internet.  They come in various stages of growth and sizes and the cost will depend on how much time and effort the grower has put into the plant prior to you buying it.

Take a bit of time once you get your new plants home to re-pot or plant them out.  With care and attention to watering, feeding and pest control, newly purchased plants will give you pleasure for this season, and depending on the plant, perhaps many more to come.

 

Potting
Particularly for summer hanging baskets or window boxes, use good quality compost for potting up newly purchased plants. Soil-less composts, while light and easy to handle, will dry out quickly and plants that are fast-growing, like fuchsias, will quickly be short of the nutrients they require.

Another important factor is the stability of the plant. For reliable results choose a compost (such as John Innes No.1) that is at least partially soil-based.  This will also reduce the consequences of over-watering.  To ensure the plant remains upright, use a small (3.5 inch /9cm) pot, and  lightly firm the compost. For the first time, water the plant thoroughly to settle the compost. Place the plant in a light, cool place to help it recover quickly from being transplanted and new growth should begin quite soon.

 

Growing On
As your plants develop a good root ball, they can be moved to their final positions, whether that is a container, basket or open ground. To check on root growth, carefully remove the plant from the pot, the white roots should fill the pot evenly. Using a similar compost such as John Innes No.2, and plant it out or plant in a pot.

 

Watering
During the growing season, watering is your most important task. Two basic rules apply – never allow the plant to stand in waterlogged conditions and never allow the plants to dry out completely. Water standing in a tray or plant saucer for a  short period will not create any problems, however significant over-watering can often result in leaves and flowers dropping. The best time to water is in the evening, be sure to moisten the soil evenly. An overhead spray can be beneficial to plants in very hot weather.

 

Pests & Diseases
Many plants such as Fuchsias actually suffer relatively infrequently from diseases although the most likely pests are aphids – greenfly and whitefly.  However with regular inspection, and spraying if necessary, these insects can easily be kept at bay.  Insect sprays for aphids are readily available from garden centres. Avoid treating plants during the middle of the day or in bright sunlight. Always read the label and use garden chemicals accordingly.

With fuchsias, the two main diseases to look out for are botrytis or grey mould and rust. Be careful about watering, feeding and growing conditions and inspect your plants regularly for any of the telltale signs of disease. If you see indications and treatment is required, use one of proprietary products that are widely available.

Organic gardening isn’t only for farmers or people who have backyards. This is because it can be do using containers.Organic vegetable gardening containers have advantages. You can use it decor every time you decide to let it get some sunlight when you place it by the balcony or patio. If the weather gets too cold outside, you can bring it indoors. But best of all, you don’t have to deal with certain threats that can only happen outdoors like weeds, insects or soil borne diseases.

 

Organic vegetable gardening containers do not use soil. You need to use potting mix that is much lighter and provides excellent drainage. You need to use organic fertilizer though to help it grow. An example of this is mulch that can be made from chipped bark, garden compost, leaf moulds and manure which helps prevent it from drying out.

 

Another thing the plants inside these containers need is a lot of water. Ideally, you should put these in small amounts at least 30 minutes after an initial watering because putting in too much could drown your plant.

 

The containers can be hung aside from just putting these on the ground. If the container that you purchased does not have any holes, make a few.

 

By now you may be asking, “What are the ideal vegetables to be planted in these containers?” To give you can idea, these are bush beans, capsicum, carrots, eggplant, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes, spinach and tomatoes.

 

You know that organically grown vegetables need sunlight. If you have a lot of these containers and it is getting pretty windy outside, you can protect them from falling by grouping these together with the taller ones with these as your walls.

 

The best organic vegetable gardening containers are those made from clay, plastic or wood. The length of the roots and its width is the deciding factor when choosing what size you will buy from the store. For instance, if your vegetable happens to have 6 inches of roots and grows to about 10 inches wide, it is best to get a container that measures 8 inches deep and 10 to 12 inches wide. You must always give room for allowance as this may grow bigger.

 

We mentioned earlier that one of the advantages of the organic container is that you don’t have to deal with insects. But sometimes, bugs like the hookworm manage to get to your plant. If this happens, just bring the container to the sink and wash the leaves. Should there be slugs, get rid of them by sprinkling diatomaceous earth on the soil.

 

If there are aphids on your vegetables, fight fire with fire by getting other insects to do the dirty work. A pack of ladybugs will do the trick without causing any collateral damage.

 

The use of organic vegetables containers makes it people without a backyard the chance to plant their own crops at home. This is ideal for residents living in condos and apartments so they can save money to pay for rent or buy other things when the sustenance they need is just sitting by the balcony or window.

 

If you want to try it, go ahead and ask someone at the gardening store for some help to get you started.