As soon as the spring sun's rays have warmed the earth sufficiently, you can sow the first salads and vegetables directly in the bed. This is the perfect start for the small plants, as they germinate quickly and take root well in moist, well-prepared soil.
The right seeds
The following applies here: the better the quality, the more seeds will sprout and grow into strong plants. Seed-resistant organic varieties are a good choice because they were grown under natural conditions. This means the plants are more robust and require less fertilizer and pesticides later.
Pay attention to the sowing time printed on the seed bag. If this does not correspond to the current prevailing temperatures, lettuce, for example, tends to shoot or herbs do not grow at all.
The right soil preparation
- An even soil temperature is important. This should be around ten degrees.
- Heck the soil thoroughly.
- Smooth the floor with the rake.
If the earth is still too cold, it's better to wait a few days. Carrots and radishes, for example, germinate at five degrees, but the first leaves appear only hesitantly. If you sow later, the plants will develop more quickly and will quickly catch up with the seeds sown earlier.
Sowing methods
How you sow depends on the type of vegetable.
Wide sowing
Cut and pick salads are sown widely. All weeds must be thoroughly removed beforehand, as this will hardly be possible later. Then distribute the seeds evenly over the surface and sprinkle a little fine crumbly substrate over them. Press carefully.
As soon as the leaves are about seven centimeters long, the first cut is made. If you later leave a plant every twenty centimeters, they will develop to their full size and you will have delicious lettuces, for example.
Horstsaat
This is recommended for zucchini, among other things. Place three to four seeds in a hole and cover them with some soil. Maintain the planting distance specified on the seed bag. After germination, only leave the strongest plant standing.
Row seeding
This is very often practiced, for example with carrots, radishes or radishes. The distance between the individual seeds and rows of seeds depends on the space required by the vegetable and is noted on the seed packaging. Do not sow too densely so that the tiny cotyledons can develop into strong plants.
Tip
A planting string helps when sowing in rows. With this you can not only maintain the distances exactly and the rows of plants will be nice and straight. If you have little space available, you should sow staggered seeds.
