Growing seedlings at home is my technology (very COMFORTABLE)
Contents ✓
CROPPROACH BETWEEN WINDOW, TABLE AND GARDEN
“As you name the yacht, so it will sail,” captain Vrungel taught the notorious character. What is it for? And besides, what container for seedlings you pick up, then you will get a crop.
We can only welcome the appearance in the magazine of the seasonal “ninth wave” of letters about seedlings, because this is the most multifaceted topic. Here are just almost all the authors tell how and what they do, but they almost never share what their seedlings grow with. And it would be worth talking about it separately.
Typically, gardeners use any dishes that come to hand. And this is right, because most gardeners are pensioners, and they do not intend to incur extra expenses. But very many at the same time in their letters complain about the dirt, inconvenience, lack of space on the windows. In short, our natural desires (including growing seedlings as much as possible) are limited by the parameters of the apartment. I also ran into these problems, tried many options. At leisure, I analyzed everything and came to the most convenient technology, which I want to talk about.
Seedling in ... plafonakh
So, first of all it is necessary to optimize the whole process of growing seedlings. After all, it is completely irrational to arrange cups with sprouts directly across the entire sill area: inconvenience is guaranteed for you. In addition, as is well known, the laws of physics have not been canceled, and no matter how you insulate windows, cold will still emanate from the glasses, which does not promote plant growth. Therefore, it is more expedient to place the container with plants on some pallets with high sides so that dirt accumulates only in them, and the “legs” of the seedlings would be outside the drafts.
But where to take so many of them, and without any damage to the wallet? Personally, I have been using plastic boxes from under fruit of various sizes for a long time. So they are full of holes, you say. And I put plastic substrates on the bottom with sides of 2-3 cm, cut from any transparent packaging boxes. And when they are missing, I use a thick plastic wrap, bending its edges on 5-7 cm on each side. But it is more convenient to place such a practical tare in every sense on the tables near the windows, and not on the window sills.
For placement of seedlings I use large and small shades from old daylight fixtures (photo 1). They are convenient in that they are narrow and also have high sides that protect plants on the one hand from a cold window, and on the other from excessive heat from the battery. They can be conveniently placed on a window in the form of shelves on any collapsible hanging structure.
And what if the window sill is very narrow? Then I put a laminate sheet on it, inserting it all the way into the window box, so that it would go under the frame, which does not allow it to tip over along with the seed container.
See also: Growing seedlings - when and how to plant, seed and seeds from A to Z - part of 1
Seedling in amphitheatre
Now about the already mentioned tables installed near the windows. Convenient, they are comfortable, but their surfaces, as a rule, are always below the level of the window sills, and less light reaches the seedlings. Many people use boards, boxes or special supports for seedlings, but I do it easier. Plants placed in large fruit boxes, and set them exactly on the same set on the table. What does this give?
First of all, the seedlings are simultaneously set to the desired height and provided from below with heat from the battery, passing through the mesh bottom boxes.
But this is only at the initial stage. As plants grow, heat coming from below is reduced by using battery insulation with a soft laminate backing. Sometimes under the distant (from the window sills) walls of the lower boxes, I enclose bars 40-50 mm thick, thereby tilting the seedlings towards the window and increasing the illumination of the distant rows of plants. It should be remembered that the water in the container during watering will also flow down the slope and, in order not to impair the nutrition of the plants, boxes with them in the boxes must be set with the long side to the window (photo 2).
As it grows, the seedlings also lean towards the light, and the first row grows faster than the second, obscuring the next. This deficiency can be easily corrected by periodically (once a week) opening boxes and ceiling lamps on 180 °. If it is too cold on the window sill due to the cold, I use a foam pad under the laminate, which I put in either the ceiling or on the bottom of the drawers.
With a lack of light, as you know, seedlings are drawn. What to do if there is no backlight or it is insufficient? I try to replace it by adjusting watering and temperature: first I reduce the water procedures, and if this does not help, I take out the seedlings on the glazed balcony - first for a short time, then I make such “walks” longer and longer. Tomatoes withstand this regimen especially well.
SPRING IN PLASTIC CONTAINERS
Go ahead. Judging by the letters, many gardeners consider half-liter and liter glasses, cans or packages the best dishes for seedlings. They are good only one thing: in them plants freely. I do not argue. Are they comfortable for the gardener himself? No, because the total amount of seedlings that will be needed in the spring will be taken out to the dacha, it turns out just gigantic. It is not surprising, therefore, in the spring of long strings of cars packed under the curb with boxes of seedlings! And what about the buses and trains? Do you think plants are injured in such a crush?
I went the other way, based on the fact that I need seedlings not with huge tops, but with a strong root system and minimally developed foliage. After all, such plants, when transplanted, quickly start to grow and are ahead in development of those that were grown in “elite” conditions.
I sow all the seedlings in plastic containers of minced meat with a depth of 40 mm (they are on the left in photo 3) or in milk bags with cut out side walls (they are on the right in photo 3). I dive - into the same packages, only they have already cut off the end walls (in photo 3 there is such a package in the front row). If the capacity of such bags is 800-900 ml, then three plants are placed in one row in them, if 1000 ml - four.
This will especially appeal to those who grow many plants of different varieties - they are so easier to place and label. In addition, the soil is saved, and indeed the "seats". By the way, in a standard fruit box, boxes are ideally placed in two rows. In this case, the extreme plants in such packages need to be planted closer to the ends, then by the time of planting in the soil the roots do not have time to intertwine and therefore are not injured. And if a bit is damaged, then this is even for the best, because it is no coincidence that many gardeners recommend slightly pruning the roots when transplanting the same tomatoes.
Yes, one more thing. Look at the photo of 4 and compare, in which case their area is most optimally used in fruit boxes and where more plants are placed: in bags cut according to my method, or in popular sour cream cups? 12 plants fit in the right box, 28 will live in the left box.
In addition, in the left packages are located tightly to each other, and when they are filled with earth between them and the gap will not remain, so even with careless watering the water will not spill between the boxes. The cups have a conical shape and there is a rather large gap between them. Accordingly, no matter how carefully you water, the water will be at the bottom of the box. Especially high probability of missing when plants grow to 20-30 cm and decorate with foliage.
And a couple of words about the very watering seedlings.
To do this, gardeners, judging by their letters, use pipettes, teaspoons and tablespoons, teapots, children's watering cans and plastic bottles at various stages of seedlings. Most of all I like the usual medical pear (photo 5). With the help of its thin nose it is very convenient to get to the thinnest plant and to its roots.
FINGER AND SCREWDRIVER
And now a little about growing the most "fashionable" seedlings - tomatoes. I pour the thawed prepared soil into plastic cups, which has been exposed to frost all winter, I make three parallel grooves there at the end of a short line, there are three parallel grooves with a depth of about 2 cm, I spread the seeds according to grades, cover them with soil and lightly water them. Each grade (groove) is labeled with a tag made from a beer can.
And I wrap each plate in a plastic bag and put it on the kitchen shelf above the stove. As soon as about half of the shoots appear, I transfer the plates to the window sill and place them in the ceiling of old lamps (under which I pre-lay the substrate for the laminate). I am waiting for the leaf to appear on the plants on the 3-4, and begin the transplant. Milk bags are approximately half filled with primer, in which I make indentations with my finger almost to the very bottom.
The plants, together with small lumps of earth (abundantly spilling them half an hour before), are extracted from the plates with the help of an old flat screwdriver with a slightly rounded blade about 8 mm wide, dipped into holes in the earth almost to the bottom and fall asleep to seven-leaf leaves.
Then I water the sprouted seedlings only when the soil begins to dry out. As the plants develop, I sprinkle earth under them - and so on, until the bags are full. By this time, the seedlings begin to grow near the seedlings, but since I do not need it yet, I restrain the process by reducing watering and lowering the temperature. The year before last, due to spring being too late, my tomatoes lived in this regime for almost a month. Of course, they were sorry, but it was impossible to transfer them to a warm apartment and give them the opportunity to grow uncontrollably.
Feeding seedlings in the period of growth in the apartment almost do not spend. I tried to process the Bessarab solution, but refused because of the unattractive smell that was in the room (the household immediately began to grumble). The result, of course, from the use of this drug was excellent, but you can't argue with your relatives. Now everyone is trying to find a way out to separate people and plants. As an option: I think in the spring, before planting, warming the frozen soil after the winter, pour it on with microbes and close it tightly for several days in the heat.
GLASSES FOR BREEDING “REVERSE”
One and a half to three weeks before transplanting seedlings to a permanent place I make a covered greenhouse in the country and plant beds in it. During this time, the land will settle there, warm up, weeds will sprout on it, which can be safely removed. But after the planting of the seedlings of the preparation of Bessarab there nothing and no one will prevent me from applying. And I advise him to all! You can even shed them planting holes and then immediately multiply them.
Our dear fellow readers often complain that when transplanting some delicate cultures (for example, peppers, cucumbers and zucchini), damage to the root systems of plants cannot be avoided, which makes them very sick and does not develop. Some summer residents therefore come up with special designs, others do not spare water for wetting the soil in the dishes, while others do not recommend seedlings to be watered ... In general, the range of opinions and ideas is very large. And each of the authors is right in his own way.
I also had no stability in this matter before. But once when working with strawberries, I had to cut a glass in a cunning way in order to preserve the "obstinate" bush. Since then, at the time of transplanting any seedlings, I use a sharp knife to cut the bag with it at once by three ribs, bending the bottom of the fourth edge vertically, and I actually get a rectangular cup “the opposite”, without a bottom (photo 6).
After that, I cut the bag along the remaining edge with a knife, drop the bag with the plant into the hole and fill it with earth on all sides, lightly tamping it down. It remains only to gently, holding the plant with one hand, with the other to remove the cut package from the ground, slightly compact the soil and water the plant.
And the roots are preserved regardless of which primer is used, and whether it is watered or not before transplanting. I hope this method will help someone in the work. At least I am satisfied with it, because all the same, packages have to be thrown out every spring.
See also: How to grow seedlings - when and how to plant, sow and seeds (Part 2)
CULTIVATION OF TOMATO SEEDS IN HOUSEHOLD CONDITIONS: VIDEO
© Author: Boris PUSTOVALOV. Moscow
TOOLS FOR MASTERS AND MASTERS, AND HOME GOODS ARE VERY CHEAP. FREE SHIPPING. THERE ARE REVIEWS.
Below other entries on the topic "How to make your own hands - a householder!"
- An interesting way to prepare carrot seeds for planting
- Do-it-yourself folk stimulants for rooting
- Supports and methods of garter indeterminant tomato - gardeners advise
- How to make a cage for rabbits with your own hands - drawings, tips, recommendations
- Live hedges of roses by their own hands: varieties and planting
- How to make and use mulch using a garden shredder
- DIY garden renovation - how to do it right and when on time
- Transportation of plants to the cottage - how to pack and deliver
- Group (bouquet) planting of trees and shrubs - what is it and how to do it right?
- Shady area - what to plant on it and how to equip it. Selection of plants for shade
Subscribe to updates in our groups and share.
Let's be friends!
#
Capacities with seedlings are usually placed on the windowsill. And if the window sill is too narrow? Then make a simple removable device for growing seedlings with your own hands.
From strip steel, make 2 brackets. Fasten them with one end on half of the frame without a bolt, and with the other end with a thrust, place it in the window sill. Place the box on the brackets by tilting it at an angle to the light. You can even place 2 of these drawers - one above the other - by securing both ends of the bracket with screws.
#
I want to write, as I swoop down my seedlings. I work alone in the country: children are busy with their business, they have no time, and they don’t want to work on the land. So you have to invent how to ease the work: the age does not allow you to do everything as before.
Sow seedlings in boxes in the apartment (everyone knows this, I will not repeat it). When two real leaves appear near the seedlings, I take her to the garden. And there I have two big holey barrels - once served as containers for water, now I gave them a second life. At the bottom I lay small twigs from tree pruning, hay, straw, any debris smaller, waste from the kitchen and any “waste”, some fertilizer and purchased land. I have no manure. I mix everything well, and the composition is ready.
Yes, I forgot to write that the earth on top of those branches that lie at the very bottom, I shift the cardboard, so that the roots are warmer when frosts occur.
I wrap the barrel with old blankets, tie it up so that the wind does not blow away, and dive in seedlings.
Diving standing, which is very important, do not bend down. Conveniently!
#
No wonder they say that ideas are in the air. Recently I read on the Internet about growing seedlings in the so-called "snails". I have been using this method for several years now, although I have called the capacity for seedlings simply “rolls.”
After laying the laminate, I had a substrate with a thickness of 2 mm. She went to the manufacture of roll "la * biirint" that help in the cultivation of seedlings to save space. I cut this material into strips of length 1,5 m and width 10 cm.
Then he acted like this. He unfolded the strip on the table, carefully poured soil with a layer of 2 cm about 20 cm in length, laid seeds on it with an interval of 2 cm, departing from the top edge 2, and from the side edge 5 cm. After that, he gently began to roll the strip into a roll, trying so that the soil does not wake up. Then he sowed on the next
blowing 20, see, folded again, and so on until the very end. The outer edge is secured with three strips of narrow tape.
The resulting rolls are inserted into plastic containers. The three-liter paint buckets fit perfectly, which I naturally laundered well. So that there are gaps between the roll and the edges of the vessel (they are needed for irrigation, while moistening occurs at the bottom), 3 sticks are inserted. In some cases, it was necessary to pour the soil between the turns of the strips of substrate.
Capacity until germination must be tightened with plastic wrap.
However, the same is done with the usual method of growing seedlings. And in the future there are no differences. When picking and planting seedlings to a permanent place, it is enough to unfold the roll and remove the plants without damage.