How to Grow your Own Kitchen Garden Herb & Veggie Seedlings
How to Grow your Own Kitchen Garden Herb & Veggie Seedlings
These days when there are explicit instructions on the seed packets on the planting, watering, re-sowing (depth/germination time etc), and how to look after the seedlings. It's normally all you need. Allow about 4 -5 weeks lead time to have most seedlings ready for planting in your small kitchen garden following the seed packet instructions and you'll have a great kitchen garden.
Keep in your gardener mind that seeds do not need sunlight to germinate - just warmth and moisture BUT once germinated they must have sunlight or its equivalent. Using a small green house or an improvised one does help, but they can be germinated in a warm place indoors like your kitchen.
Generally a good soaking of the mixture before you sow and a light watering after is enough BUT don't let the mixture dry out... Keep it slightly moist until the seeds start germinating.
Keep the young garden seedlings well watered but not overwatered. If the mixture is poorly drained then be extra cautious. In cooler weather, water in the mornings before the sun gets too hot. Evening watering in the cooler months may cause damping off disease. In summer, watering in the evening instead is probably better. Use a fine nozzle head on a watering can or a rose sprinkler to avoid flooding the seeds and young seedlings. I like to sprinkle fine sand on top of the newly sown seed to protect them and the very young seedlings from water drop impact.
NOTE: Do not let the seedlings get too old or too large before transplanting.
If you use a good quality planting mixture there should be enough nutrients in the mixture. If not then liquid fertilize the seedlings every 1 -2 weeks with a good quality soluble fertilizer. Using strength is better & safer on young tender seedlings.
If you have sown too thickly, thin out as soon as the seedling appears (when the first true leaf has appeared). They can be just pulled out, cut off and discarded OR can be carefully pricked out and planted into vacant seed trays or seeding containers to be used later.
About a week before transplanting they need to be hardened off. This is best done by moving them to a really sunny position and ease off on the watering. This way they will be toughened up and they should not suffer any set back when transplanting into your small space garden area.