Sowing Seeds

 

Now that we have the props and the right conditions we need for Outdoor Farming, let us start farming.

 

Have a look at the seasonal crop suggestions that I mentioned under Outdoor Farming - Requirements to grow the right vegetables at the right time.

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If your urban farming space is limited and if you want the concept of Farm to Table to work well, choose fast-maturing crops (harvest time around 45 - 100 days) like Lettuce, Radish, Coriander, Spinach and leafy greens like Bok Choi. 

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You can also read the instructions on the back of the seed packets for instructions on WHEN to plant the seeds.

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After figuring out which seeds to plant, fill a bucket with Potting Mix, add water and mix it up with your hands protected by gloves so the soil does not go underneath your nails. Always use a fresh potting mix for new planting as the sterile potting mix ensures disease-free seedlings.

 

You can use seedling trays, smaller pots or even egg cartons (remember to add holes at the bottom for drainage of water) for planting seeds. Seedling trays are great starters when your containers in your urban garden are full-house with crops that are not fully harvested yet. Seedling trays take up limited space and they can be moved around to keep the sowed seeds out of non-beneficial weather conditions like heat, rains & winds and get walked to shaded areas during the germinating process.

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Sometimes, I just plant the seeds in the planters directly, skipping the seedling tray process. I do that for vegetables like Carrots since their branched roots can get destroyed during transplanting. Or when the crops grow really fast like beans and squash. Or when the instructions on the seed packets say “Direct Sow”.

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Fill the seedling trays or small pots with Potting Mix.
 
Place 2-3 seeds in each seedling cell. Based on the probabilities of germination, it is best to plant 2-3 seeds in each cell, since some seeds might not germinate. But if more than one germinates per cell, you will end up having to snip off the weakest one (Sorry!) but it means you end up with the best, strongest seedlings.

 

If you are planting directly in the one container, ensure the seeds are evenly sowed and with enough space for a grown, matured plant and for better air circulation. Also, leave about 1 inch of space between the pot’s rim and the soil mix.

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Remember to use containers with at least 12 inches deep for growing vegetables with long roots like carrots.

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Seed should be buried in the depth of its dimension. Make a hole with a chopstick or a stick or with any tool, in the soil and bury the seed. Using this dimension concept, it means that tiny seeds like those of Basil, Broccoli, and Eggplant, do not really need to be buried. Just scatter them on the surface and gently pat and pack them down in the soil with your hand or the back of a  hand trowel. 

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Moisture the newly planted seeds with a mister or a watering can where the water lands gently on the soil, so the seeds will not be moved around. I also mentioned in the Requirements section that soaking the seeds before planting will speed up the germination process. I then place a recyclable plastic bag or a dome cover (see my microgreens section for a pic of the dome cover) over the containers/seedling trays so the environment is kept moist, conducive to successful germination. Keep them in partial sunlight so move them to a different area if the sun is scorching hot. Once they sprout, around 2-4 days, you can remove the dome/plastic cover.

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Around 7 days, move your seedlings from the partial sun area to expose them to full sunlight for around 6-8 hours a day. 

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Make sure the soil is moist at all times but not soggy.

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If you sowed the seeds in seedling trays, transplant them around 18-21 days later into bigger pots or planters or when the roots are established and the weather condition will not destroy the transplanted seedlings like in heavy rains. Add a compost layer (fertilizer) to the soil at the time of the transplant. If the seeds are already in the containers, add a layer of compost to the potting mix around this time.

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If you are using long rectangular planter boxes, plant different things in one box like Tomatoes and Basil (how convenient for a Caprese salad?) for more variety and also to minimize pest infestation.

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Prune your vegetables regularly so they grow lusher plus, most importantly, it gives you a longer harvest period with numerous harvests.

 

It gives me so much satisfaction when my crops end up on our dining table and watching my family eating healthy produce.