Soil, Seeds, Transplants, and Purchased Plants
By Sandy Smith, natural gardening expert
This article was first published in the March 2009 issue of Fusion.
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We are another month into the new year—the sun seems brighter and stays out longer, and I can’t wait to walk barefoot through the grass! Last month, we explored planning a garden; this month we will look at soil, seeds, transplants and purchased plants.
A garden is only as good as the soil in which it grows. In loose fertile soil, plants can send roots deep into
the ground to capture air, water and nutrients. The first thing for new gardeners to do is to conduct a soil test to
determine nutrients and PH balance (acidity or alkalinity) of the soil (seasoned gardeners should test every 3 years).
PH is measured on a scale of 1(pure acid) to 14 ( pure alkaline); “7” is neutral. Vegetables grow best in a PH range
of 6.0 - 6.8. You can test anytime before planting, but late summer or fall is best. Soil testing is offered by The U.S.
Dept of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service through county offices, or your state’s Land Grant University.
Less precise do-it-yourself kits are available. If your soil PH is 5.5 or less, you need to add lime; if it is 7.5 or over
you need to add sulfur. The soil test will tell you how much to add. Remember that it takes 3-6 months to see the
full effect of soil that is well balanced.
Time and money are usually the deciding factors in how you start your garden. If you have time but are
short on cash, make your own compost pile and start from seeds and transplants. If your situation is the opposite,
you can purchase compost and plants that are ready to put in the ground.
If your choice is to buy, most health food stores, such as Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s, have a garden area
and will carry plants in the early spring. Herbs are available year round, so pick these up early for the best choices.
Keep them well watered and in the sun until you are ready to plant. If you are not planting organic, Walmart,
Lowe’s and Home Depot carry a large variety. Look for healthy, green, sturdy, compact plants with no signs of bugs
or brown spots. Avoid spindly, root-bound plants. Some healthy white roots should be visible through the bottom
of the packs, but if the roots are growing through the holes, the plant may be stunted.
Root plants should be
started from seeds sown directly into the garden, including beans, beets, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, radishes
squash and okra.
Some seeds have a hard coat and need to be soaked over night before planting , including okra, melons,
beans and squash . Sugar snap peas and super sweet corn need to be pre-sprouted before planting. To do this,
sprinkle seeds on a wet paper towel, roll it up and insert into a plastic bag, seal, and place in a warm spot for 3-5
days. Plant them immediately and keep the soil moist for a week.
To grow your own transplants, set up a table or bench with a waterproof cover in a window facing south or
west. Hang a 40-watt cool white florescent tube light 3-6” above the plants (you must be able to raise the light as
the plants grow). Attach a timer, as your babies need 14-16 hours of light per day. Use cell packs or peat cups with
drainage, fill them with sterile potting soil, and sow seeds according to the directions on the seed pack. Keep soil
evenly watered using a spray bottle filled with lukewarm water. When seedlings show 3 or more leaves begin
fertilizing them organically by using 1 part blood meal and 1 part bone meal, or 5 parts seaweed meal and 3 parts
wood ash. These need to be mixed into the soil because they need to decompose to release nutrients. An easier
method is fish emulsion. A non-organic option is to use a soluble household fertilizer, such as 10-45-20 or 5-50-17.
County Extension Agents in your area can provide you with frost dates, disease and pest problems that are based on the area where you live. When you start your seedlings depends on when you expect your last frost. Listed below is the number of weeks between sowing seeds indoors and then transplanting them into the garden:
Swiss chard and lettuce: 4-6 (seeds need light to germinate; pat the seeds into the soil, do not bury deep)
broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, eggplant, endive, escarole, kale, and peppers: 6-8 (seeds are slow to
germinate and require more than 2 weeks)
Tomatoes: 6-10
Onions: 8-10 (cont. on next page)
In case of a frost after you have planted use plastic milk, water or soda bottles to cover the young plants.
Take 2’ rods or stakes that will fit through the opening of the bottles, and push them into the ground next to the
plant, taking care not to disturb the roots; cut the bottoms off of the bottles, and place them over the rods and
plants. Be sure to remove these in the morning or your plants will die.
One last tip- if your area is still experiencing freezing weather, try to till or turn the soil in your garden.
This will uncover any pests that are wintering there and allow them to freeze before they have a chance to
reproduce. Be careful not to touch your soil if it is wet! Working with wet soil will create clods that are next to
impossible to break up.
See you next month for soil preparation in the garden, tools and composting!
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Also in this issue (click to view):
Cleaning House: Simple Recipes
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