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Your seed order hit the bullseye, arriving just in time… or fashionably late, but hey, no judgment here. You’ve figured out how many plants your family needs. Hopefully, you’ve planned for some extras to cover any mishaps—like seeds not germinating or plants throwing in the towel.
And let’s not forget the joy of sharing! Maybe sling some veggies to family, friends, or that sweet elderly neighbor who’ll beam brighter than the sun thanks to your generosity. At In Harmony Farms, we’re all about sharing our lifestyle, that we’ve enjoyed for over 15 years, centered on living in sync with nature, sustaining ourselves, and rocking the principles of Permaculture: Earth Care, People Care, Fair Share.
People Care, we’re passionate about it. While we can’t squeeze all the goodness of Permaculture into this article, drop us a comment if you hunger for more about this fantastic way of life, birthed by the genius of Bill Mollison. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this together!
Grab your favorite beverage, some snacks and a notebook to record the key plot points covered in this article.
Table of Contents
- How to Care For Indoor Seedlings
- What Are Your Seedlings Telling You
- Do I Really Need To Transplant My Seedlings?
- Transplanting Your Seedlings
- How To Harden Off Your Seedlings
- Planting Your Seedlings Outside
How to Care For Indoor Seedlings
When it comes to seedling care, it all starts from the get-go: knowing which seeds thrive indoors under grow lights and which don’t. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and herbs are among those that prefer the indoor setup.
On the flip side, lettuce, carrots, and corn are better suited for direct sewing in the garden. These aren’t strict rules, though. Many other crops fall into these categories, but let’s keep it focused here. However, if you’re itching for a deeper dive into this topic, drop us a comment, and we’ll cover it in our next article.
What Are Your Seedlings Telling You
Seedlings are leggy
Leggy seedlings are seedlings that grow long, have few leaves and will be stretching towards its main light source.
Seedling roots are starting to be exposed
This typically happens when the seedling needs to be transplanted into a bigger pot or container.
Seedlings look sad
There are some differences in looking sad. If some leaves are starting to look yellow, (not the first seed leaves, these will become yellow and die off naturally.) they are telling you they are lacking nutrients.
If you have followed our steps in this article, you know that adding nutrients and fertilizers are not necessary nor helpful in the early stages of a plants life. But, when the youngsters are growing out of their studio apartment, they are ready for a transplant and fertilized.
Our favorite all natural fertilizers to begin using after transplanting are Liquid Fish Emulsion and liquid Kelp. Be sure to read the instructions on the ones you decide to buy because they will need to be diluted with water. I like to switch off between the two.
Do I Really Need To Transplant My Seedlings?
Why bother transplanting your seedlings into slightly larger pots before planting them outside? Sure, it might feel like an extra hassle, but it’s crucial. Don’t brush off advice from your green-thumbed pals. Embrace it! Skipping this step might land you in soap opera territory with plant drama. Stay the course.
Remember all the effort you’ve poured in so far. You’ve come too far to let it fizzle out now. Keep going, and pat yourself on the back for your persistence. Quitting at this stage risks undoing all your hard work. You’ve got this!
Transplanting Your Seedlings
You started your seeds the right way. You have been observing them along the way. Providing them with the proper amount of water and light. When they have their two sets of true leaves, now is the time to transplant into a larger container.
This is a great time to double check your last frost date because you will need to figure out when to start hardening off your seedlings.
Hardening off your seedlings is just as important as transplanting. We are taking extra steps, in the process, to better the plants chances of success. You may be shaking your head at this point but, trust me this step. This step only takes about a week or so.
How To Harden Off Your Seedlings
Hardening off is very simple but, will require you to stay on board. Each day you take your seedlings outside you will add an additional 2 hours each day.
Day 1
Day 1 you will start off with taking your plant outside for just 2 hours and place them in dappled shade. This is very important because you don’t want to shock your seedling by placing them in direct sunlight.
Set your fancy alarm and bring them back in under the lights when the alarm rings your bell. Is anyone else hearing the song “Ring My Bell” by Anita Ward. If you aren’t, go ahead and look it up and experience the song with us. Then come right back to continue learning! Go on now, we’ll wait……
Day 2
Repeat what you did on day 1 but now your seedlings will hang outside for 4 hours. Don’t forget to set that alarm now!
Day 3
Seedlings will hang outside for 6 hours…are you catching our drift?!
Follow this pattern for about a week or more. I personally, stretch this phase out for nearly two weeks and have seen incredible results.
Planting Your Seedlings Outside
Now’s the time to get those plants in the ground, but only if frost is no longer a threat. We can’t emphasize this last step enough. It would be devastating to see all your hard work go to waste if a surprise frost hits and kills all your little babies.
SO, triple check that last frost date and stick to it! Typically for us in zone 7a we plant our babies outside after Mother’s Day.
We want you to take a moment to celebrate your efforts in the mirror — you’re boosting your crop’s success rate. Caring for your plants might feel like a chore, but it’s key to success. We’re pumped to keep growing every day. Are you?
Until next time…
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