Vegetable Seed Selection and Soil Preparation
By Terry Blackburn All vegetables can be grown from seed, purchasing seed from a reputable Seedsman is of course important and there are a few well know companies who are very reliable for the quality of the seeds they offer for sale. Some of the larger companies have excellent web sites and all have catalogues that help to make the choice easier for the gardener. Vegetables are also grown from tubers or bulbs; these include potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, onion, and shallots sets, and garlic. Globe artichokes and asparagus can be grown from seed, but needs three years before it can be cropped; therefore young plants or roots are usually purchased to get a good head start. These can be purchased also from seedsmen as young plants but will naturally be more expensive than seeds. Soil Preparation When preparing the soil for sowing, the depth of the furrow or drill will depend on the size of seeds- the smaller the seed the shallower the drill, and the heavier the soil the shallower the drill. In average soils, drills in. (12mm) in. deep suits the seeds of parsley, lettuce and carrots; 1-in. (25mm) deep drills suit beetroot, spinach and turnips; peas and beans require 3in. (76mm) drills. Most seed packets however do give precise instructions as to the best sowing methods for those particular seeds. Sprinkle the seeds thinly and evenly along the drill; extra care should be taken when sowing tiny seeds to try and avoid putting the seeds too thickly. However, it is unrealistic to expect all the seeds to germinate and sowing a few extra will allow for this, the seedlings can be thinned out later to allow each plant to develop properly. As soon as the seeds are sown fill in the drill with soil the back of a rake making sure that the surface is level. Mark out where each row has been planted by inserting some form of marker, preferably one that can be written on with the type and variety of each vegetable; a flat piece of wood or plastic stick is ideal, making sure that the ink is water-proof of course or the seed packet can be tapped to the stick. VEGETABLE SEED INFORMATION Vegetable Average number of seeds per ounce Average days to germinate Average days to mature from seed ASPARAGUS 1,000 25 3 Yrs. BEETROOT 1,600 13 60-80 BROCCOLI 9,000 8 270-450 BRUSSELS SPROUTS 7,000 8 100-120 EARLY CABBAGE 6,000 8 70-90 LATE CABBAGE 6,000 8 90-130 CARROTS 14,000 16 75-100 CAULIFLOWERS 10,000 8 65-120 CELERIAC 50,000 18 120-150 CELERY 50,000 16 120-150 CHICORY 15,000 9 120-150 CUCUMBERS 1,000 9 70-90 KALE 7,500 8 200 LEEKS 8,000 9 100-200 LETTUCE 16,000 7 60-90 ONIONS 8,000 9 130-150 PARSNIPS 6,000 17 125-150 PEAS 90-150 13 60-80 RADISHES 4,000 6 20-40 ROUND SPINACH 2,500 11 40-50 SWEDES 7,000 8 150 TOMATOES 12,000 10 100-130 TURNIPS 9,000 8 50-80 Terry Blackburn. Internet Marketing Consultant, living in South Shields in the North-East of England. Author and Producer of blog http://www.lawnsurgeon.blogspot.com Author of “Your Perfect Lawn,” a 90 Page eBook devoted to Lawn Preparation, Lawn Care and Maintenance. Find it at http://www.lawnsurgeon.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Blackburn http://EzineArticles.com/?Vegetable-Seed-Selection-and-Soil-Preparation&id=360022 mexican pharmacy valium xanax valium buy xanax without prescription in usa buy-xanax-online-without-prescription overnight no prescription xanax
