So your seeds have germinated. Now what?
Getting them up is the first hurdle. Then you want to get your seedlings to a healthy size before transplanting them out into your garden. I'm going to talk about the next steps, including some things you want to look out for.
0:59 Fall Crop Starting
Here's some of the first round of succession planting on this table. If you don't have seedlings yet, that's totally fine! This is the perfect time to watch this video and be prepared.
We have a mix of fall crops, like peas, greens, brassicas, and more. Why these varieties?
These are crops that are ideal for this time of year. Something like cauliflower is good to start early to give it a long growing season. Sweet peas and spinach are tricky that I like to keep in cells instead of direct sowing because I can keep an eye on them in case we get a late hot day.
Sometimes gardening can feel more like war than a hobby. If you got your seeds to germinate, you've won the battle! Now it's all about preparing your plants for the real world.
5:08 Tip 1: Fertilizing
Most seed starting mixes are created to just get your seed up, not to sustain a plant. Similarly, the seed itself has enough energy to break through the surface, not develop into a thriving plant. That means we need to deliver nutrients to our plants.
Fertilize when your plants get their first set of true leaves, not the first leaves which are the cotyledon. After that first pair, you'll see the actual leaves of the plant, and this is when you need to get food for your plants, or else they'll get stunted.
We prefer a liquid fish fertilizer because the NPK numbers so my starts won't get burnt. It's also super easy to use and for the plant itself to absorb nutrients. I will do this every time I water my seedlings, but I will dilute the recommended amount.
This fertilizer gives the seedlings a boost of nutrients and keeps them on the right track to becoming big, healthy plants. However, sometimes there's not enough room for that to happen.
10:08 Tip 2: Thinning & Transplanting
Another way to help your plants is to give them some tough love. If you have more than one plant in a cell, you need to thin them out.
This is one of the hardest things to do as a gardener, but you NEED to do it. It can be so exciting to see tons of plants coming up, but it will get way too crowded for any of them to truly do well.
Of course, you don't have to kill the extras. If you're careful, you can spread them out and stick each plant into its own space.
Immediately give your plants water too! A large tray is a great way to bottom water and keep them moist. It's a good idea to do this at the end of the day so they have the night to recover.
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