Sowing vegetables straight into the groundis the easiest way to grow vegetables from seed. Unlike growing vegetables from seedlings, we don't need to sow seeds into boxes or pots, we don't need greenhouses, tunnels or frames. The seeds are sown immediately at their destination in the flower bed. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this way of growing vegetables? What vegetables can be sown directly into the ground? And when can you start sowing vegetables into the ground? Read the article and download the table withcalendar of sowing vegetables into the ground !
Sowing vegetables into the ground
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Which vegetables to sow directly into the ground?
Sowing vegetable seedsdirectly into the ground can be started in March, when the first seeds of common onion, dill, carrot, parsley or radish are sown. Usually, however, sowing does not start earlier than in the second half of March, depending on the weather. All these vegetables can also be sown in April.
In the first half of April, peas and broad beans are sown (you can soak and sprout), onions, parsnips, and root parsley.
Throughout April, we sow dill, leaf parsley, carrots (early and mid-early varieties) , radish and radish, vegetable spinach. The second half of April is a great time tosowred beet and scorzonera.In May, we can sow carrots and parsley for the fall harvest, as well as another batch of red beets. It is also an excellent term to plant green and dwarf beans.In the second half of May, we sow cucumbers, pumpkins and courgettes.
Who has not prepared a seedling of lettuce or sowed radishes and dill into the ground in April, canplant these vegetables directly into the groundin May. We also sow lettuce, arugula and carda.
When selecting vegetables for individual beds, it is worth using the coordinate cultivation method and, for example, alternately sow onions and carrots in the rows. The smell of the onion will scare away the most dangerous carrot pests, such as: carrot leaf and aphids, and the airborne essential oils from carrot leaves will certainly discourage you from pouring cream, onion and thrips on the onion.
Download the print version: Calendar of sowing vegetables into the ground (PDF)
Preparation of beds for sowing
While onlysowing vegetables into the groundit is not worth rushing too much, because at the end of March, even if it was already warmer days, the weather can surprise us with frost and rain snow, the soil for sowing should be prepared well in advance.Choosing a place for vegetablesFor growing vegetables, choose a sunny place, where the soil heats up quickly. Under no circumstances should they be in the shade of trees or next to fruit shrubs, as the plants will then compete for light, water and soil nutrients. And this is not good for the vegetables you sow.
Digging and fertilizing the soil
We start the work from preparing the positions undersowing vegetables into the groundWe had to think about it before winter - the main date of fertilization and soil digging in the vegetable garden is autumn. Then the soil had to be dug with manure or compost and left in the so-called sharp furrow. During the winter, the fertilizer components are favorably transformed, the ballast elements are washed away and the fertilizer is well distributed in the soil.Therefore, if we did this work in the fall, now in the spring it is enough to loosen the soil with a hoe and then level it with a rake.
If there is a need to dig the soil in spring, immediately after digging, level the soil with a rake to reduce moisture loss. Let us also treat spring crops as an opportunity to select emerging weeds. If we did not use fertilizers in autumn, then in spring it is worth using mainly well-decomposed compost, which contains the most nutrients easily absorbed by plants. If, however, we do not have our own compost, it is worth using one of the compost-based natural fertilizers for vegetables available in gardening stores. A good example of such a fertilizer is the Target organic fertilizer for vegetables.
Alternatively, manure can be used, but in small amounts. It must also be very well distributed (composted). Manure misuse within this period may result in more losses than good. More on this topic can be found in the article fertilizing plants in spring.
The soil leveled with rakes should be left for a few days for it to settle. It is also a good idea to cover it with polyethylene foil to warm it up a bit. Before we performsowing vegetables into the ground , the soil should warm up to about 7 ° C.
The temperature of the ground can be easily checked with an electronic soil meter. This handy device also shows soil moisture and measures soil pH. Therefore, it helps inpreparing the soil for sowingand assessing its acidity.
Marking flower beds
We also cannot forget aboutdetermining the area of the beds , leaving paths between them, on which we will move. To ensure freedom of movement, the paths between flower beds should be at least 40 cm wide. However, the beds themselves - not more than 120 cm wide (so that you can reach the middle of the bed while weeding).
I strongly encourage you to measure everything beforehand and draw it on a piece of paper.So that in the springyou should already arrange the beds according to the prepared planand avoid making corrections. In order for the edges of the beds to be even, it is worth preparing a jute string tied with its ends to wooden pegs. Drive the pegs into the ground, tighten the string, and mark a straight line of the flowerbed along it. This string with pegs will also be useful in a moment for marking sowing rows.
Finally, I would like to pay attention not to make the beds too high, because then the soil on their edges will dry out quickly. Therefore, although it is aesthetic and makes the area of the flower beds clearly visible, the raising of higher beds will not have a positive effect on the vegetables you grow.
Preparation of seeds for sowing
Soaking and sprouting
For even and even emergenceseeds of some vegetables should be soaked or sprouted before sowing These treatments are used, inter alia, before sowing beans and peas. Soaking means keeping them in water at 25 to 30 ° C for about 12 to 24 hours. After soaking, the swollen seeds should be lightly dried, spread on blotting paper and sown immediately.
After soaking, the seeds can also be spread over a few days on moist lignin at room temperature (20 to 22 ° C). Then they will sprout quickly.Sprouted seeds are sown very carefully(not to damage the sprouts) to moist soil (the sprouts cannot dry out). We should also remember that the sprouts cannot be too large, because then they will be easily damaged and the whole procedure will not bring the expected effect. So you have to watch the sprouting seeds in order not to miss the right moment for sowing.Seed treatment
A frequently used procedure was alsodressing seeds or buying already treated seedsHowever, due to the high harmfulness to the environment, most of the seed dressings used so far have already been withdrawn from sale.If you have treated seeds for sowing, remember that direct contact with the seed dressing may not be beneficial for you and such seeds must always be sown with protective gloves. Treated seeds must not be soaked or sprouted.If you decide to treat the seeds yourself, you can soak the seeds for 2 minutes. in preparations of plant origin, e.g. Biosept Active. Even more independent gardeners can soak in chamomile infusion for 30 minutes. (15 g of dried chamomile is poured with boiling water and left, covered, to cool down, dilute the infusion with 1 liter of water).
My favorite, however, is bas alt flour, which is great for dry seed dressing. Before sowing, the seeds are coated in flour (you can mix them e.g. in a jar) or simply pour the flour into the holes for sowing seeds. You can also rake the flour with soil, just like fertilizers.
Natural bas alt flour protects seeds against pathogensand stimulates seedling germination and growth. The high content of silica in bas alt flour generally strengthens plants and makes them resistant to diseases, while phosphorus stimulates the development of the root system.
Methods of sowing vegetable seeds
Fine seedsare sown into the groundby broadcast sowing or row sowing.
Broadcast sowingis based on a fairly uniform spreading the seeds over the entire sown area. The scattered seeds should be covered with a thin layer of peat and lightly patted. While it is the easiest to make, it is used very rarely (sometimes for dill or radish). This sowing technique causes a significant loss of seed material and the plants grow unevenly, which makes it difficult to care for them.
It is much better to sow small seedsrow sowingIt consists in sowing the seeds in a designated row (in case of too dense emergence the seedlings will have to be interrupted). To mark the row, we will use the aforementioned cord with pegs. Mark a row along the stretched string by dragging a small hoe, slightly pressing the handle of the rake into the ground or moving a board slightly sunk into the ground.You will surely find other, your own ideas on how to draw rows. The method of determining the row must be properly selected depending on the depth to which we will plant the seeds.
Before sowing, the smallest seeds(e.g. carrots, parsley) should be mixed with dry sand in a 1: 1 ratio. This will make it easier to sow them and they will be more evenly distributed in the row. For seeds with a longer germination period (e.g. carrot seeds, parsley, onion), it is advisable to add a small amount (5-10%) of faster-sprouting vegetable seeds (e.g. lettuce, radishes, watercress). Faster sprouting seeds will mark the rows before the slower sprouting seeds germinate, which will allow the inter-rows to hatch earlier. Another way to mark the rows is to sprinkle them with sand immediately after sowing. However, this method only makes sense in places sheltered from the wind (otherwise the sand will be quickly blown away).
Larger seeds can be sown in spots.Spot sowinginvolves placing the seeds in a row one at a time, straight from your hand. For example, in the case of radishes, the seeds are placed every 3 to 5 cm. Broad beans, beans and peas can also be sownnestedThis involves placing 2 to 3 seeds in a well. Then we cover the holes. When the seedlings appear, remove the weaker ones so that one of the strongest remains in each 'nest'.
Sowing depth
Most seeds aftersowing into the groundmust be covered with soil. The recommended sowing depth should be indicated on the seed packages. As a rule, it should be 2 to 3 times the seed diameter. For example, small seeds are placed at a depth of 1 to 3 cm. And larger seeds - at a depth of 3 to 6 cm.
However, the size of the seeds is not the only factor determining the depth of sowing. It should also be remembered that on heavy, very compact soils, the seeds are sown shallow (because in these soils it will be more difficult for germinating seeds to break through the soil layer).On light, highly permeable soils, a bit deeper, because the top layer of these soils dries up too quickly.
Caring for vegetables after sowing
Seeds need moisture for germinationHowever, they cannot be watered immediately after sowing with a strong stream of water, as they may then be rinsed out. It is best to plant them in a sufficiently moist soil or, after sowing, watered with a very delicate, highly dispersed stream of water (e.g. from a watering can with a fine strainer).
To speed up emergence and protect germinating seedsfrom night frosts, the beds can be covered with fleece or perforated foil. The tightly folded fleece will also act as a barrier against pests such as fleas and cabbage cream.
