When you put a seed in the ground, the young shoot obtained in the early days is called the seedling. There are vegetable seedlings, fruit tree seedlings, flower seedlings etc.. Besides sowing, they may be obtained by other propagation techniques, the most simple of which is the taking of cuttings. You can carry out this operation on your own if you do not have any seeds to sow on hand.

There are several techniques that can be used for producing your own seedlings. However, this depends on the objectives set, on the available means and on the nature of the plant to propagate. Even though sowing is the most commonly used method for producing seedlings, there is no denying that many plants are propagated by the taking of cuttings, by grafting, layering and so on.

How to get seedlings by sowing?

To obtain seedlings from seeds, use cell packs and fill them with sand and potting soil. They are then placed on a large and very flat piece of furniture, before their content is gently watered to avoid water overflow. Then, make small holes in the middle of the sand contained in each cell. Drop one or two seeds in each of the resulting holes and cover lightly with sand. After seven to eight days, the seeds germinate and very small shoots appear. At this stage, either consider setting up a plant nursery or use bowls containing sprinkled wet sand for transplantation. Transplanting is important because it allows seedlings to grow better and thus guarantees stronger plants. In the case of vegetables such as lettuce, for example, start by picking up small gravel that is placed in polystyrene cups, which are then filled with earth so that the gravel is completely covered. The cups are then lightly sprinkled with water before sowing the seeds. After 5 to 6 weeks, young seedlings appear and are ready to be transplanted to the vegetable garden.

Obtaining seedlings by the taking of cuttings

The taking of cuttings is another well-known technique for producing your own seedlings. In the case of leafy cuttings, begin by collecting the cuttings by making clean and clear cuts with a sharp tool, taking care to remove the leaves and flower buds. Afterwards, dip the base of each cutting in a synthetic substance designed to speed up the emergence of roots before planting them in permeable soil. To achieve this, push in their base about an inch deep (2 to 3 cm) and pack the earth well so that they are upright, taking care to cover them with clear plastic to protect them from the ambient air until they resume growth. Once the roots emerge, the new plant can be transplanted to better feed itself and grow rapidly.

Related posts:

  1. Leaving sufficient space between seedlings to let them grow well
  2. Techniques and materials needed to sow and maintain a lawn

Published in Seedlings by Alexander on 31 Aug 2011