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TIPS
a. Do not sow growing plants in mid day. Early morning
or late afternoon will give better result.
b. Do not sow in wet diseased soil.
c. Treat seeds before sowing. Add a small quantity of fungicide dust - Horti
Captan or Benlate to the packet sufficient to lightly coat the seed. Shake well
before sowing to protect the seeds from fungus diseases in the soil.
d. Bait with 'Horti Snail and Slugs Killer' to control slugs and snails.
e. Do not sow the seeds too deeply. Follow the directions on the back of the
back of the seed packets for best results.
Seed
Raising Methods :
Hints
on Sowing Seeds
Raising your own plants from seed is really quite easy
and certainly very interesting. You’ll find the results of your efforts in preparing
the ground, sowing the seed, and the after-care, it’s rewarding and good value
for money. But best of all is the deep satisfaction that comes from turning
a packet of tiny seeds into masses of flowers or an abundance of vegetables.
1.
Fill the seed tray with Horti Seed & Potting Mix. It is
best to use Seed & Potting Mix rather than garden soil as the growing medium.
-Firm it down well using the fingers to ensure there are no pockets of air present.
-Obtain a level surface.
-Mark out drills can be made with something straight, like a chopstick.
-An even depth of drill is important, otherwise germination will be erratic.
2.
Sow the seeds and cover lightly with Seed & Potting Mix.
- Firm down gently.
- Water gently until the potting mix is thorough wet.
- Next, cover with a single sheet of newspaper to help conserve the moisture
while the seeds are germinating. Never let the surface of the growing medium
dry out.
- Continue to water sparingly until germination, keeping the medium dark damp.
Regular watering is vital.
3.
As soon as the seeds have germinated, the newspaper should
be removed, so check the tray frequently for the first signs of green showing.
- Soon after germination starts, gradually expose your young seedlings to sun
and warmth. This will ‘harden’ them before transplanting.
Pricking-out
4. When pricking out
seedlings, use a tablespoon, lift the seedling when large enough to handle and
spoon up the seedling. Handle with care to keep the root system intact, as broken
roots will cause the seedling to die.
5.
Ready for potting on singly into a 3-in pot.
- Give a light watering and then protect the seedlings from direct sunlight
for the first 3 or 4 days, while they are recovering from the shock of transplanting.
- When the seedlings are well established, commence weekly feeding.
6.
As they grow, move into full light. When young seedling
have become strong plant........
7.
Ready for potting into a planter box.
Or a bigger container.
1.
For smaller seeds, it’s easier to sow them if you tranfer them from the foil
sachet into a tablespoon. Then gently tap the spoon and spread it as evenly
as possible into the drill in the soil. For large seeds such as beans, sweetcorns,
okras, sow into a dark damp medium.They will absord enough moisture to germinate.
As long as the growing medium is damp, avoid further watering until the seedlings
emerge. Do not pre-soak these seeds.
2. Do not sow growing plants in mid day.
Early morning or late afternoon will give better result.
3. Do not sow in wet diseased soil. Some soil are heavy like clay, is rarely
perfect without help.
4. Sometimes it is advantageous to treat
seeds: Add a small quantity of fungicide dust - Horti Captan or Benlate to the
packet sufficient to lightly coat the seed) and shake well before sowing, to
protect the seed from fungus diseases in the soil.
5. Keep the growing medium moist, but not
excessively wet. Do not allow the medium to dry out.
6. If the seeds were sown too thickly, the seedlings may require thinning out.
Discard the excess seedlings.
7. If the seedlings become weak and spindly,
they require more sunlight.
8. When the seedlings have developed a second
set of leaves, they are ready to be removed or ‘pricked’ out.
9. Remember the biggest single cause of
failure is sowing too deeply, so be sure to follow the directions on the back
of the back of the seed packets for best results.
Seed
Raising Hints:
