How to grow your own seedbed step by step: Containers, seeds and substrate.
Aha, but, what is a hotbed and how is it made?
You already know that I am in favor of having a kitchen garden at home, there are many physical, mental and economic benefits and if you are already interested in having one, here I will explain how you can obtain your plants for the garden.
Let's see, we can go to Home Depot or Lowes Or any nursery and buy some plants to transplant them but did you know that you can have your own seedlings from scratch.
There are many advantages of making a seedbed at home and doing a subsequent transplant. Today we will see what are the types of seedbeds and the steps to make a homemade vegetable seedbed.
What do we need to create our seedbeds?
What is a seedbed? What is it for? What do we need?
A seedbed is a container where the seeds of the plants are sown so that, once they are germinated and a little developed, they can be transplanted into the ground, in the cultivation beds, or in pots or other cultivation containers.
Since we have planned our garden (location, containers to plant, species we want to grow), we can start the cultivation ourselves from the seed.
We have already decided that we will germinate the seeds in our house, and there are two options: direct sowing in the soil or previous sowing in a seedbed. If you decide on the second option, today we are going to see some tips and tricks to learn how to make a seedbed step by step.
1.- Types of containers:
We can use any recycled container to make the seedlings, you just have to remember to open holes to promote drainage and prevent seed rot.
In particular, I have used all kinds of containers to make our seedlings, but I particularly prefer containers made specifically for that, plus we can reuse them for a long time. There are many types and here I show you several options:
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2. Soil or substrate for seedbeds:
As a substrate we can use the same one that we are going to use to fill the beds, as well as adding organic matter (compost, peat or root biostimulants).
Now, the most important thing to keep in mind is that the substrate you use to make the seedbed maintains adequate humidity, since recently germinated plants are very sensitive to lack of water, so we must keep it humid and not leave that it dries completely, noting that we must avoid waterlogging.
Make it stand out
Whatever you do, make it fun for you and your family.
Mark the difference
3. Seeds and sowing depth:
The depth to which they must be buried is approximately twice what the seed measures:
We will sow as many seeds as plants we want to grow in our garden, plus a spare 10-15% because there is always some that does not germinate.
4. Irrigation and germination of the seeds in the seedbeds:
Once we have placed the seed, we cover it with a little substrate and we will proceed to carry out with great care (preferably with a sprayer so that the seeds do not sink) a planting watering, very important for the proper development of our plants, and it will continue watering in this way to maintain the humidity of the seedbed.
You can place this type of container in the shelter of your backyard, or in the garage, but if the temperature drops too much at night, I recommend you keep the seedlings inside your house so that the temperature variation does not affect negatively affect germination.
Once the seed germinates, about a week later (that depends on the plant we are planting), you must put the plants in a place with plenty of light so that they can develop properly.
