6. Planning First!
Field Layout Seed order
Row Spacing
Number and
varieties of seed
needed
Number of plants
Direct seeding or
Transplanting
7. Daniel’s Seed Timeline
• January 1-15: Seed Order
– Complete rotations and plan for season
– Inventory and dispose of old seed
– Organize seed order and call
• February 1: Begin seed starting in
greenhouse
• March 1: Begin direct seeding and
transplanting
8. Seed Plan: What, Where,
When, How Much
Date-Transplant Est
Date-Seeding Est
Date-Harvest Est
Days to Harvest
Feet per Ounce
Days SD to TD
Rowfeet
Variety
Crop
Field
Chioggia Beets 1 20-Aug 55 14-Oct 200 150
Red Ace Beets 1 20-Aug 50 9-Oct 200 150
Gypsy Broccoli 1 29-Jan 28 26-Feb 58 25-Apr 250
Pacman Broccoli 1 29-Jan 28 26-Feb 50 17-Apr 250
# seeds per foot
# of Seeds / Oz
Ounces of Seed
Plants / Foot
# of Plants
# of Seeds
# of Flats
Flat Size
Variety
Crop
Chioggia Beets 14.67 #REF! 2934 2200 1.334
Red Ace Beets 14.67 #REF! 2934 2200 1.334
Gypsy Broccoli #REF! 0.85714286 214 50 5 500 6000 0.084
Pacman Broccoli #REF! 0.85714286 214 50 5 500 6000 0.084
9. Resources
Reference Sources
• The New Seed • Johnny’s Selected
Starters Handbook Seeds
Nancy Bubel • High Mowing Seeds
• Seed to Seed • Fedco
Suzanne Ashworth • Peaceful Valley
• savingourseed.org Farm Supply
• Seeds of Change
10. Stages of Germination
• Imbibition--taking up water
• Seed coat ruptures
• Enzymatic action breaks down starch
• Synthesis of proteins
• Cells divide and elongate
• Seedling develops and emerges
12. Why Direct Seed
• Better root establishment
• Some crops require it
• Quality seedlings
• Earlier harvest
• No transplant shock
13. Why Grow Transplants
• Crop timing
• Earlier start
• High quality plants
• Greater choice for varieties
• Less field weeding
• Spacing and stand management
14. Seed Starting
• Depth and light requirements
• Temperature
• Pre-treatments
• Soil/media
• Moisture
• Seed/soil contact
15. Seed Starting
• Depth and light requirements
• Temperature
• Pre-treatments
• Soil/media
• Moisture
• Seed/soil contact
16. Depth and Light
• Rule of Thumb:
Plant twice as deep as seed width
• Some require light to germinate
– Cover with vermiculite
• Depth can provide moisture in field
• Plant shallower in greenhouse
17. Seed Depth
• Use your fingers
• Build a peg board for flats
• Estimate when making a trench
• Set your precision field seeder
18. Light
• Some seeds, especially flowers, need
light
• Some seeds germinate only in
darkness
• Light may release dormancy
***As soon as they germinate,
ALL seedlings need plenty
of high-quality light***
19. Light
Plastic or Glass?
• Glass polarizes light
– Seedlings grow toward the plane
– Most expensive
• Plastic diffuses light
– Plants grow straight
– Less durable
20. Seed Starting
• Depth and light requirements
• Temperature
• Pre-treatments
• Soil/media
• Moisture
• Seed/soil contact
21. Temperature
• Different seeds need different ranges
• Provided by:
– Weather
– Heat mats
– Heated bench/floor
– Greenhouse ambient heat
***A special environment can be created
for germination***
22. Temperature Effects
60
Days to Germination
50
40
Carrot
30 Cucumber
20 Okra
Tomato
10
0
41 F 50 F 59 F 68 F 77 F 86 F
Temperature Range
23. Temperature Effects
120
Percent Germination
100
80 Carrots
Cucumbers
60
Okra
40 Tomatoes
20
0
41 F 50 F 59 F 68 F 77 F 86 F 95 F 104
F
Temperature
25. Seed Starting
• Depth and light requirements
• Temperature
• Pre-treatments
• Soil/media
• Moisture
• Seed/soil contact
26. Pretreatments
• Soak
– Soften seed coat
– Dissolve inhibitors--ex. Parsley
• Stratify
– Cold treatment or changing temps
– Echinacea and artichoke
• Scarify
– Score seed coat
27. Seed Starting
• Depth and light requirements
• Temperature
• Pre-treatments
• Soil/media
• Moisture
• Seed/soil contact
28. Soil/Media
In the Field
• Adequate seedbed
• Till or cultivate just before planting
In the Greenhouse
• Select a fine/light mix
• Conventional potting mix has fertilizer
and wetting agent
29. Daniel’s Former Soil Mix
• 6 cu ft peat moss
• 2 cups lime mixed into peat
• 4 cu ft vermiculite
• 4 cu ft perlite
• 4 cu ft good quality compost
• 2 cups kelp or Azomite
• 4 cups Fertrell 4-2-4
30. Daniel’s Current Soil Mix
• 2 @ 3.8 cu ft peat moss
• 4 cups lime mixed into peat
• 4 cu ft vermiculite
• 4 cu ft perlite
• 4 cu ft worm castings
• 2 cups kelp and 2 cups Azomite
• 4 cups Symphony 5-4-3
31. Fertilizing
• Starter fertilizer in potting mix
• Water with fish or kelp
– Stimulates growth
– Reduce before transplant
– Stop fertilizing to hold plants
• Soak in fish or kelp before transplanting
33. Soil Blocks
• Set in plastic or wooden trays
• Ease in potting up
• One tool makes infinite number of
blocks
• Soil Mixture
– Moisture content
– Consistency
34. Seed Starting
• Depth and light requirements
• Temperature
• Pre-treatments
• Soil/media
• Moisture
• Seed/soil contact
35. Moisture
In the Greenhouse
• 1000 water breaker: ‘red head’
• Constant moisture for germination
• Allow plants to dry before evening
In the Field
• Plant before rain or into moist soil
• Good seed/soil contact
36. Seed Starting
• Depth and light requirements
• Temperature
• Pre-treatments
• Soil/media
• Moisture
• Seed/soil contact
37. Choosing a Seeder
• Singulation of seed
• Precision
• Proper spacing
• Speed of sowing
• Cost
• Row marking
38. Direct Seeders from Johnny’s
European
Push Seeder
Six Row
Seeder
Glaser
Earthway
Precision
39. Direct Seeding-Spacing
• Between plants
– At planting
– By thinning
– Should fit with cultivation
• Between rows
– Use row marker
– Should fit with cultivation
Knott’s Handbook for Vegetable Growers
41. Transplanting Tips
• Harden off in any season
– Expose to outside sun and wind
– Reduce watering
• Soak or water flats just before planting
• Be sure the root ball is covered
• Plant in late afternoon or evening
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51. Resources
Reference Sources
• The New Seed • Johnny’s Selected
Starters Handbook Seeds
Nancy Bubel • High Mowing Seeds
• Seed to Seed • Fedco
Suzanne Ashworth • Peaceful Valley
• savingourseed.org Farm Supply
• Seeds of Change