Almost all gardeners grow seedlings in the spring. This is understandable - if you plant seedlings in the ground instead of seeds, you get earlier harvests. In addition, seedlings are more resistant to diseases, pests and changes in weather conditions than young shoots. But how to grow healthy seedlings?
Instructions
Step 1
The sowing time of seedlings is determined by calculation based on the statistical date of the last frost in your area. For example, tomato seedlings are planted 6-8 weeks before the last frost, cucumber seedlings - 2-4 weeks.
Step 2
First you need to prepare the ground. It can be bought ready-made in the garden center - this is a faster, but also more expensive way. Alternatively, you can prepare the planting mixture yourself. To do this, take approximately the same amount of humus, sand and earth, mix thoroughly and ignite for steam or in a microwave. Calcination is a necessary procedure for soil disinfection. It must be carried out in advance so that the microflora is restored by the time of planting the seeds.
Step 3
Seeds are planted either in special boxes or in pots. If planted in boxes, further transplantation (picking) of seedlings will be required in the future. If you plant seedlings in special pots made of paper or peat, transplanting is not required, because seedlings are planted in the ground together with a pot. Many people consider this method to be the most preferable, because seedlings are not injured during transplantation.
Step 4
For seedlings to grow strong and healthy, they need good lighting. With a lack of light, the seedlings turn out to be pale and weak. Good lighting is considered to be about 15 hours of bright light per day. Most often, daylight hours in our latitudes are shorter, so it is necessary to use illumination lamps, regularly turning the seedling pots so that it is evenly illuminated.
Step 5
Seedlings need to be watered regularly, keeping the soil moist, but not overflowing so that there is no stagnation of water. The golden rule is to water the seedlings little by little and often.
Step 6
When the second set of leaves appears on young shoots, it is time to feed the seedlings. You can use a simpler method - add universal fertilizer in granules to the soil. It is designed to last a long time, so you only need to add it once. Alternatively, you can use liquid fertilizer, which is applied once a week.
