Seed Propagation

Seed propagation is one of the easiest methods of growing plants. It generally takes longer than vegetative propagation but at the same time is easy and inexpensive, and is used by commercial growers to amateur gardeners alike.

Listed below are a few steps to plant seeds and grow them.

Seed selection:

This is our first step. It is best to buy seeds from reliable sellers. The seed should be as fresh as possible, always check the dates on seed packets, and always purchase from reputable sources.

Making a germinating mix:

Seeds should be sown in a sterile mixture often called a germinating mix or seed starting mix. This mixture usually consists of vermiculite, perlite and peat moss. Ready packaged mixes are available in garden centres and D.I.Y stores always have decent and decently priced stock. Why do we need these mixes? This is necessary to keep out weeds, pests and disease that can exist in normal garden soils. These mixes are often mixed well with water or water retaining gel prior to filling seed trays.

Seed trays:

Seeds should be planted in small containers which have holes at the base to drain off excess water. Plastic cups or seed trays can be used for this purpose. These trays are temporary homes for the seeds as they will be transferred to larger pots when they are strong enough to be moved.

Planting:

Take a clean seed tray and fill it with damp germination mix. Plant a few seeds 3mm deep into the mix (read the instructions on the packet). Don't sow too many seeds in one container as it may crowd the tray. To protect the seeds, cover the seed trays with a plastic sheet with holes for air circulation. You could also use a permanent or miniature green house. Take care that the seeds don't become dry and remember that light is needed after germination. Take care that neither there is too much hot sun directly on the seed trays nor the area is too cold for germination. You should a waterproof name tag to each tray for identification.

Seed tray with the plant name.

Germination:

Seeds should germinate in a period of five to ten days after planting. Show the plants some sunlight as soon as they germinate. The greenhouse will provide a better environment for plants like tomatoes. Water the plants regularly but do not over water, use a fine mist to avoid damage to the young plants.

Thinning out:

When the plant bears a few true leaves, they need to be thinned out and transferred to bigger pots. Thinning out will often seem to be a waste, In order to save a few more plants you could have another prepared seed try available, and when thinning out place the strongest looking plants into a larger pots and select another plant to be placed in the prepared seed try. In my experience you end up with far too many plants, so give them away or make some spare cash and sell them.

Hardening:

The plants need to acclimatize to the surroundings. This process is known as hardening. Slowly start keeping the plants in the sun. In the early stages, support the plants with cane sticks to protect them from the wind. Once the plants are hardy enough, they can be planted in your garden soil or even larger containers.

So go ahead and plant your garden. Its really easy and a lot of fun!