Planting your vegetable seeds at home is an enjoyable and relatively simple activity. With the right tools and some basic techniques, you can have beautiful young plants ready to transplant into the garden once the risk of frost is well behind. However, it's important to follow a few guidelines to succeed with your seedlings. Some mistakes are often made with different seedlings. Here are a few:
Sowing carrots indoors = mistake!
Carrots should be sown directly in the garden. There's no point in starting your seedlings indoors: they don't transplant well. Plant carrots in the ground around the 3rd week of May.
Pro tip: Till the soil well to loosen it and remove all weeds. Carrot seedlings don't tolerate competition well. They can take up to three weeks to germinate, so keep an eye on the competition.
Sowing tomatoes too early = mistake!
Sow tomatoes 8 to 10 weeks before the last frosts if you want strong plants ready to transplant into the garden when the time comes. Don't sow tomatoes too early, only around the 3rd week of March. A good trick to remember: plant tomatoes at the spring equinox!
Pro tip: When you transplant your seedlings into the garden, dig a long hole and plant your tomatoes horizontally: remove the lower leaves and leave the top above ground; the plant will straighten itself out. New roots will develop where the leaves have been removed, making your tomato plants stronger.
Thinking you'll have beautiful strong young plants = mistake!
Broccoli seedlings always look a bit frail, and we mistakenly think they're on the brink of death. Like many other crucifers, broccoli seedlings tend to lie down. Don't worry, once transplanted outside, they will solidify and produce beautiful flowers... yes, it's the broccoli flower we eat.
Pro tip: It's not necessary to repot broccoli, just like other cabbages. They can be transplanted directly into the garden. So, don't sow them too densely to give them room to develop.
Planting in a large container to avoid repotting = mistake!
If you think you can skip the repotting stage by sowing your eggplants in a larger container: think again. Eggplants, like tomatoes, must absolutely be repotted around the 3rd week of April to develop properly. Take this opportunity to keep only the strongest plants.
Pro tip: When your eggplants are flowering, keep only a few, 8 or 9, on each plant. If you keep them all, you'll have smaller and less flavorful fruits.
No matter what type of seedlings you're doing, always make sure to choose a soil specially designed for this purpose. Its particular composition provides ideal conditions for seeds to germinate and form strong, healthy plants.
Planting too early won't give your plants more time to develop properly; on the contrary, they may become elongated and not survive the shock of transplantation. Respect the rhythm and needs of each variety you plant. The information you find on seed packets can help, as well as the various planting calendars available online.
With these basic tips, you'll be successful with your seedlings. Be attentive and act quickly if something unusual occurs. Ensure you provide your growing plants with the right light and water necessary for their development. For more pro tips, visit your Passion Jardins retailer.
Carrots
Sowing carrots indoors = mistake!
Carrots should be sown directly in the garden. There's no point in starting your seedlings indoors: they don't transplant well. Plant carrots in the ground around the 3rd week of May.
Pro tip: Till the soil well to loosen it and remove all weeds. Carrot seedlings don't tolerate competition well. They can take up to three weeks to germinate, so keep an eye on the competition.
Tomatoes
Sowing tomatoes too early = mistake!
Sow tomatoes 8 to 10 weeks before the last frosts if you want strong plants ready to transplant into the garden when the time comes. Don't sow tomatoes too early, only around the 3rd week of March. A good trick to remember: plant tomatoes at the spring equinox!
Pro tip: When you transplant your seedlings into the garden, dig a long hole and plant your tomatoes horizontally: remove the lower leaves and leave the top above ground; the plant will straighten itself out. New roots will develop where the leaves have been removed, making your tomato plants stronger.
Broccoli
Thinking you'll have beautiful strong young plants = mistake!
Broccoli seedlings always look a bit frail, and we mistakenly think they're on the brink of death. Like many other crucifers, broccoli seedlings tend to lie down. Don't worry, once transplanted outside, they will solidify and produce beautiful flowers... yes, it's the broccoli flower we eat.
Pro tip: It's not necessary to repot broccoli, just like other cabbages. They can be transplanted directly into the garden. So, don't sow them too densely to give them room to develop.
Eggplant
Planting in a large container to avoid repotting = mistake!
If you think you can skip the repotting stage by sowing your eggplants in a larger container: think again. Eggplants, like tomatoes, must absolutely be repotted around the 3rd week of April to develop properly. Take this opportunity to keep only the strongest plants.
Pro tip: When your eggplants are flowering, keep only a few, 8 or 9, on each plant. If you keep them all, you'll have smaller and less flavorful fruits.
Pro tips applicable to all seedlings
Choose the right soil
No matter what type of seedlings you're doing, always make sure to choose a soil specially designed for this purpose. Its particular composition provides ideal conditions for seeds to germinate and form strong, healthy plants.
Respect the calendar
Planting too early won't give your plants more time to develop properly; on the contrary, they may become elongated and not survive the shock of transplantation. Respect the rhythm and needs of each variety you plant. The information you find on seed packets can help, as well as the various planting calendars available online.
With these basic tips, you'll be successful with your seedlings. Be attentive and act quickly if something unusual occurs. Ensure you provide your growing plants with the right light and water necessary for their development. For more pro tips, visit your Passion Jardins retailer.
Tips and advice
