The Best Way to Plant Seeds

Spring is upon us and that means it’s time to get those seeds started and ready for planting in your backyard farm or garden.

Planting seeds is the first step in any garden, farm, or aquaponics system.

As you may well know, there are several different ways to plant seeds, although some are better than others.

We believe that the best way to plant seeds, (best defined here as the highest probability of getting the healthiest seedlings possible that are easily and efficiently transplanted) is planting seeds using plug trays.

In today’s post, we’ll be discussing:

1. Two different ways to start your seeds and what we think is the BEST way to plant seeds. 2. An easy step-by-step walk through on how to plant them.

Seed Planting Methods #1: Direct Seeding

Direct seeding with pelleted seeds.

Direct seeding is planting seeds directly into the garden bed or a vertical tower.

Advantages

Easy: Planting the seed is the only task.

Inexpensive: All direct seeding requires is the seed and space to grow.

Fast: Once you’ve planted the seed you’re finished!

Disadvantages

Wasted space: Space is wasted in the garden bed or tower while the seedling grows and germinates.

Inaccurate: Unless you diligently plant, seeds could disperse in the garden bed or tower. Seeds that don’t germinate also waste space in your bed.

Not suitable for all plants: Some plants are long season plants that you cannot direct seed, since they can’t be planted before the last frost, and won’t mature before the first frost.

Reliant on certain climates: Similar to the point above- some plants just don’t like the cold spring, or cool fall of certain climates, and need to be transplanted after these periods.

Seed Planting Methods #2: Plug Trays

At Bright Agrotech, we experimented with different methods of seeding and decided that plug trays with pelleted seeds is the best way to plant seeds, and here’s why!

Advantages

Saves time and space: Seeds need time to grow and germinate. By using plug trays, seedlings are allowed to do the initial growing before they move over to a bed or a tower.

Organized: Each cell houses one seed. Plug trays are already divided up, this ensures each seedling has an ample amount of room to grow.

Effective: Only the seeds that germinate and grow well are planted. Seedlings that lack vigor or seeds that fail to germinate can be thrown out.

Disadvantages

Cost money: Yes, plug trays do add another cost to your garden system. However they are well worth it! They simplify the job, making it easier on you. They save time and space, essentially paying for themselves!You can also use them for many years, if you’re careful to clean them out every season.

Can be messy: Using pelleted seeds with plug trays. As seen here, multiple seeds were placed in each cell. This is a real problem with very small seeds like mustard, lettuce, onions or carrots. Although this causes some problems, there is an easy solution: Pellet Seeds. Pelleted seeds are a single seed rolled in clay making them larger and easier to handle. They have several advantages as well such as reducing waste, saving time and energy. They’re more expensive, but they end up saving time and money in the long run.

Transplanting: Once seedlings sprout and being to grow, transplanting the plant into a tower or garden bed adds another step in the growing process. However, in tower systems this is not too difficult. Each seedling can be planted nice and snug. By measuring each part out, every plant has ample room to expand and grow.

Sensitivity of Some Crops: Some plants are also sensitive to transplant- you have to be very careful with transplanting cucumbers, pumpkins, squash and other melons.

Despite these disadvantages, we still believe using plug trays is the best way to plant seeds. It’s the method we’ve had the most success with!

Beginner Seed Tip: Consider using pellet seeds. Although an extra cost we believe they are well worth it!

Here’s an example of pelleted lettuce seeds. We’re big fans!

Step-By-Step: How To Plant Seeds in a Plug Tray

This plug tray had too many seeds in several cells. Using pelleted seeds help eliminate the need for thinning your seedlings inside the plug tray, which is a HUGE pain.

1. Choose the size of tray

There are several different sizes, select the size that best fits your needs.

2. Place a single seed in each cell

If using regular seeds, make sure to plant diligently, planting more than a single seed per cell could potentially cause [major] pains later on when you have to remove excess plants.

3. Select what you want substance you want to grow your seedlings in

Using a regular potting mix will work but it will require adding in supplemental nutrients. Going with a vermi-compost based solution, your plants should be able to grow without additional nutrients.

4. Transplant your seedlings when it necessary

For example, when growing 60 day lettuce, the seeds can be placed in trays for around 35 days. That’s more than half their growing time!

Nate Storey transplants seedlings from a plug into a ZipGrowTM tower.

When transplanting to a ZipGrowTM Tower we have several steps that may be beneficial!

o If your tower is new, put it in the system and allow it to get wet. Exposing it to the good bacteria of your system will help the bacteria get established.

o Each ZipGrowTM Tower comes with our special wicking inserts that help draw moisture to the seedlings roots, ensuring healthier growth. Lay out your wicking material then fold it over.

o Insert the seedlings along the wicking strips inside the Matrix Media. o Zip the media containing the seedlings into the tower. Having a long bench or flat area

helps!

5. Let those seedlings grow up big and strong!

Once you’ve transplanted your seedlings, you can get a jump-start on your next cycle!. For more information, visit http://verticalfoodblog.com/best-way-to-plant-seeds/