Spring Gardening Tips

3) Seedlings and Transplanting

Most of plants are grown from seeds or transplants. Seeds can be sown directly into the soil. In order to speed up the sprouting process and start the planting season early, you can sow seeds indoor 4 to 6 weeks before the end of the frost period. A few things to keep in mind, to help the seeds to germinate quickly, soak the seeds in water over night before sowing. Mark out straight rows to make the garden attractive and to make cultivation, insect control and harvesting easier. For small seeds, create shallow furrows. Space seeds accordingly to the seed package instruction. Make sure the seeds placed at the proper depth. A general rule to follow is to place the seed at a depth about four times the diameter of the seed. Cover seeds with a thin ½ inches of soil. Seeds need moisture to germinate so water often enough to prevent drying the seed. After sprouts emerge, water less often but longer time so the water can penetrate deep enough for the roots to absorb. If sprouts come up too close to each other, space the plants out to the desired space as soon as possible.

For transplanting plants, do this task when the sun is out. Carefully remove the plants from the containers with minimal disturbing to the roots. Dig the hole deeper than the container. Cover the roots with soil and firm the soil around the plant. Use a starter solution to get plants off to a faster start. Starter fertilizer is a soluble fertilizer high in phosphorous mixture to promote root growth and new shoots. Protect plants for a few days from sun, wind or cold if necessary.