Seeds are just babies; they require care, love, and attention to grow properly and develop into healthy plants. In order to get a beautiful garden, one must understand their different needs, water requirements, amount of sun exposure, and more.
There are many options to choose from for the garden when you are planting, from flowers to vegetables. However, picking the right seeds includes understanding how to take care of them.
There are a few basic things to keep in mind while you plant the seeds. Here is the list for you to follow!
- Check the Quality of Seeds
- It’s important to check your seeds thoroughly to ensure their quality. Healthy seeds should not have any pests or diseases as they can cause damage to your garden as well as other plants.
- Also, check the seeds by their size, weight, and color. Besides this, there should be no shriveling, mold, discoloration, damage, or empty seeds to ensure a healthy and beautiful garden.
- Prepare Your Seeds For Soil
- Before transplanting your seed outdoors, it’s crucial to prepare them first.
- Depending on the seed, the first thing to do is scratch or nick the coat. Then, put those in a plastic bag with growing media and let them chill in a freezer.
- This acts as a simulated winter for your seed. Based on the days it’s recommended; you can put the seed in the soil to germinate.
- Patient Is A Key
- Different seeds have their own speed in germination; some might sprout within a few days, while some take more than a week.
- “Having patience is a crucial key when it comes to gardening. It’s all about giving seeds time to germinate without adding more fertilizer or water to quicken the process as it ends up killing the seeds.” – Speaks, Mr. Sid from 800Flower.
- Add Space Between the Seeds
- Maintain a proper spacing between two seeds when you are sowing them in the garden. An adequate distance can help the plants have proper access to water, sunlight, and other nutrients to grow.
- Find the Right Depth to Sow
- Depending on the plants, the depth might differ. Some seeds need light sowing to germinate, while some need to be buried deeper to grow. To be sure, check the packet as they come with recommended depth for the seeds.
- The rule of thumb is to plant the smaller seeds closer to the surface and bigger-sized seeds deeper in the soil.
- Find Balance of Light Exposure
- Having proper light exposure for seeds is extremely important for their growth. If they don’t have enough light, the stems might be unable to handle the growth for a time, leading them to collapse.
- Most seeds only require a little light or sun exposure until they germinate – when seeds start growing. Depending on the type of seeds, most seeds don’t need light exposure in the early stage.
- Know the Water Requirement
- When watering the seeds, make sure the water is in balance. The soil should not be soggy or dry, as both are not ideal conditions for a seed to grow. If the soil starts to dry, you can sprinkle water on it to keep it moist enough.
- Maintain Quantity of Fertilization
- The University of Minnesota Extension says, ” Choose the fertilizer based on soil test result as well as plant needs, it gives a better understanding of nutrients and speed of delivery.”
- Too much fertilization, especially in the seeding stage, can give the soil excess nutrients that will damage your seeds. When fertilizing, start with a small amount and add more as needed.
- Choose Right Tools for Planting Seeds Outside
- Besides nutrient-rich soil and healthy seeds, you also need a few items for your seed sowing. It makes the process much easier, saves a lot of time, and makes it efficient.
- The items include:
- Garden Rake
- Garden Hoe
- Dibber
- Plant Labels
- Watering Can or Hose with gentle sprayer
You can use DIY to make some of the equipment at home, like a pencil as a dibber, or purchase it. However, make sure all of the tools and equipment are clean and sanitized in order not to transfer any kind of germs to your soil or to the seed.
Besides following all these pointers, make sure you enjoy each process and stay patient! Some seeds take more time to germinate than they should. It can be due to soil or environmental impact.
Make sure to remember these while you plant; also, keep on learning from the mistakes and what may work for you, as gardening is a journey to enjoy and let nature do its work.
