Seed Raising

There are three essentials for the successful germination of seeds Also consider:, Lawns from Stolons, Artof all types - moisture, Including:, Scented Candles, Farming Equipment in California warmth and air. And:, flora21, flora21 In addition, most seeds Other resources include:, Painted Desert Sheep, Insurance in Arkansasgerminate best in darkness; there are a very few which respond best when exposed to light. Also consider:, Pack and Cart Goats, Japanese Garden Maintenance The depth of sowing is governed by the size of the seed; as a general rule, seeds Including:, Japanese Garden Maintenance, Home and Garden Resourcesshould be covered by a layer of soil Try:, Humidity and House Plants, Japanese Garden Maintenancethat is equal to about twice their own depth. Some seeds, Try:, flora11, Pack and Cart Goats however, should be sown deeper because they have a tendency to push up to the surface as they germinate. Some beans, for example, should be sown 1 to 4 in. deep, and peas should be sown 2 to 3 in. deep. Most small seeds Consider also:, Lawns from Stolons, Treesneed only a very light And:, Fact Sheets for Gardening, Seedling Transplantingcovering of fine soil. Try:, Farming Supplies - Hydroponics, Japanese Garden Maintenance

Outdoor sowing should be in properly prepared soil And:, Mortgage Resources New Mexico, Floorsor seed-beds. It is useless to sow seeds More interesting articles:, ling Transplanting, Roses Indianain loose, freshly dug soil. Try:, Houseplant Drainage, Sowing Seeds in Patches Always firm the surface by treading or rolling, then rake it evenly to remove stones Go here:, Insurance in Arkansas, Rose Fertilizersand create a fine tilth or surface covering of crumbs. On heavy, clay-like soils Try:, flora18, Farming Supplies - Hydroponicsadd sand, fine coal cinders or other gritty material-as well as peat moss, commercial humus, well-decayed compost And:, Vendeen, Watering House Plantsor other suitable organic Also consider:, Link Index Footer, Mulchingmatter - to the surface to make it easily crumbled.

The actual times for sowing vary according to region, season Try:, Solar Cooking, Mortgage Resources New Mexicoand soil Consider also:, Insurance in Arkansas, Feeding Rosesconditions, and no hard-and-fast rules can be laid down. Do not sow until the weather Consider also:, Pack and Cart Goats, Farming Equipment in Missouriis right and is expected to remain reasonably favourable to the growth of the kinds of seeds And:, Watering Roses, Cactus Pests and Diseasethat are to be sown.

Once the seed-bed has been prepared, the seeddrills - little shallow trenches in which seeds See:, Sable, Floorsare sown - should be drawn. Using a carpenter's rule graduated in feet and inches, measure off the prescribed distances between the rows on opposite sides of the plot, and place More interesting articles:, Sheep Associations, Hummingbirdsmall stakes to mark the ends of the rows. Then stretch a good strong garden Try:, Farming Equipment in California, Artline (a plastic See:, Farming Equipment in Missouri, flora8clothes-line is ideal) across the plot from stake to stake, and draw out the seed-drill along one side of the line to the correct depth.

For making shallow drills, use a stout stake or the handle of a broom, rake or hoe. The end of a pencil will make an ideal drill for smaller seeds See:, flora2, Mortgage Resources New Mexicosuch as cabbage and lettuce. For larger seeds Go here:, Stocks, flora1a small draw, hoe or a triangular hoe can be used. Flat-bottomed drills should be drawn, particularly for the larger seeds, Try:, Mortgage Resources Michigan, Stocks because they allow an even distribution. If the drills are V-shaped the seeds Other resources include:, Mortgage Resources South Carolina, Residential Architects in United Kingdomwill run together at the base of the drill.

Water the soil Try:, flora9, Camelidswell before sowing, using a very fine rose More interesting articles:, Ground Covers, Black Welsh Mountain Breederson the watering can or a fine mist spray. Watering along each drill before sowing is of advantage. If the soil And:, Watering Roses, Stocksis well moistened before planting, there is not the same need for frequent watering while the seeds And:, Gardens in New York, Houseplant Drainageare germinating.

The ultimate success of a crop depends on the thin sowing of the seeds. See:, Alpacas Breeders Rhode Island, Solar Cooking Thick sowing results in enfeebled seedlings because of overcrowding and lack of light; and much time and patience will be required to thin out the overcrowded young plants See:, Highland, Highlandin order to leave the proper growing space for those that remain. There are usually far more seeds More interesting articles:, flora24, Camelidsin a packet than are required, and it is a great mistake to sow them thickly in order to use all of them.

Successive sowings are an advantage with short-duration crops.

After sowing, cover the seeds Other resources include:, Houseplant Drainage, Lawn Plugs - Pluggingby using the back of a rake, then gently firm the soil Including:, Restoration, Painted Desert Sheepover the seeds Go here:, Heirloom s, Lawns from Stolonsalong the lines of the drills. Label each kind distinctly and give the date of sowing and any other particulars that may be helpful.

What's Inside

How to Plant Roses - Make the planting hole 15 to 18 in. wide and, except for standards, no deeper than will be required to bring the budding union level with the surface of the soil. (The budding union is the bulge where the main stem starts.) Make a mound of fine soil in th... more

Cactus Propagation - Propagating by Seed. The potting compost and coarse sand is sifted through a 1 inch mesh. In the bottom of each 3" plastic pot, put 1" of coarse washed gravel. Then fill the pot to within 1" of the top with the above compost, press down lightly and see th... more

Miniature Roses - Miniature roses range from 8 to 20 in. high. The tiny individual blooms are often replicas of hybrid teas. The foliage is also proportionately smaller. They are excellent for edgings of beds of floribundas or hybrid teas, as well as for window boxes or ro... more

Planning a Japanese Garden - Before beginning a Japanese garden, look carefully at any made in your district or articles on this subject and study pictures of well-designed Japanese examples. So far as possible, the plants used should be native Japanese kinds, and the soil should be... more

Acclimatising House Plants - It is good practice to let plants acclimatise for the first three or four weeks with only moderate watering, no feeding, good light and, if necessary, increased humidity.... more

Choosing House Plants - When choosing house plants, consider first their shape, habit, texture and colouring for the place they will occupy and in relation to each other. For a group of plants, choose a tall specimen to give height (dracaena or schefflera), a climbing variety (p... more

Prevailing Winds And Planting - With many trees, you will notice that there are longer roots on one side that the other and these provide the tree with greater anchorage against the prevailing wind. If planting a tree in a position where it will receive strong wind from say the west, or... more

Pruning Houseplants - If a plant is growing too tall and a bushier shape is required, stop the growing shoots by breaking off the tips with finger and thumb (known as "pinching" or "pinching back"). This encourages the growth of side shoots and bushiness will soon result. Hous... more

Repotting Houseplants - Frequent repotting of house plants is unnecessary, and generally plants placed in containers 5 in. or larger in diameter can stay in the same pots for 12 to 18 months. Most kinds will thrive in pots that appear too small for them, and many that have fille... more