Now is the Time,
Kerby's is the Place
September 11, 2014
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Now is the Time, |
September 11, 2014 |
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In This Issue
Starting Veggie Seeds
Fall Seeds are In
Back By Popular Demand
Click to See
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Featured Plant Golden Butterfly Allamanda Allamanda x Beautiful, golden-yellow blooms are a lovely way to begin to usher in the fall season. This allamanda is a cousin of the typical climbing variety, but it doesn't grow as tall. It is lovely in pots for bright color, or great planted in a nice sunny garden. |
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Below is information on starting veggies from seeds. Seeds are a great way
to start a vegetable garden, and are an especially great way to get varieties that are hard to find as seedlings. A couple of
cool varieties that I think we are going to try in our garden this year are: Easter Egg Blend Radishes, Bright Lights Swiss Chard,
Moneymaker Tomatoes and Listada de Gandia Eggplants. My mouth is watering already. What will you grow this season?
Plant Seeds Properly - That seems obvious doesn't it . . . but two things are critical when planting veggie seeds. Plant seeds at the correct time of year and at the correct depth. Planting seeds when it is too cold or too hot will result in poor germination and weak plants. Additionally, each type of veggie has a different planting depth. Radishes (pictured at right), for instance, should be planted at a depth of about a half inch, whereas most lettuces are planted at a quarter of an inch. Planting too deep means a seedling can't find the sun as soon as it needs to and results in a weak plant, or no plant at all. The University of Florida has a great Vegetable Gardening Guide with tables of detailed information for lots of veggies.
Water seeds properly
- Seeds don't need a whole lot to get started. A little sunlight and
moderate moisture is all that they need. Avoid over-saturating the
soil that you are starting seeds in, as this can lead to disease issues and
poor growth of seedlings. As seedlings grow larger, increase the amount of
water they receive.
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Kerby's Nursery 2311 S. Parsons Ave. Seffner, FL 33584 (813) 685-3265 www.kerbysnursery.com |
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Start Seeds in Pots or Trays
- Some seeds, like lettuce, spinach, radishes and carrots are easier to
start right in garden beds. But some veggies like collards, broccoli,
tomatoes and peppers are easier to start in individual pots or trays. We
like to use old egg cartons with holes poked in them as our seed-starting
trays. This allows you to start a number of seeds and then select the
strongest plants for your garden. When starting seeds in pots or trays, use
a very light soil. Mix a little perlite or vermiculite into your garden soil
to lighten it, or use a mix designed specifically for seeds. A dense, heavy
soil can be tough for a little seedling to push through.