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Mother Hen Meets Garden Bed
If you want something done right, grow it yourself.
Seedlings bring out all my mothering instincts. I want to do my own seed starts—seedlings raised by others aren’t really mine somehow. Plus, I can grow the variety of plants best suited to my microclimate and my palate. I reduce the risk of exposing my garden to contaminants or disease—and what mother wouldn’t want that? I can also transplant when the seedling is ready to move outdoors—seedlings raised for sale tend to get too leggy and rootbound in their pots.
Outdoor Training Wheels for Seedlings
Tough love builds tough plants.
Whether purchased from a garden shop or grown from seed, seedlings need to get used to being outdoors through a process called “hardening off.” Once seedlings have two sets of true leaves, I put them outside for a few hours on the first day. I prefer cloudy days, because leaves can get sunburned, turning yellow or even black and crinkly around the edges. I increase the length of sun and wind exposure each day, bringing them in at night.
Setting the Table for Seedlings
Your soil is the seedling’s bed—fluff it up and make it cozy.
During the one- to two-week hardening off period, I prepare my raised beds. I have crimson clover overwintering as a cover crop. Clover is an annual, dying off after one season. It fixes nitrogen in the soil, so it nurtures rather than competes with my seedlings for nutrients. The clover roots increase the activity of microorganisms, so I don’t uproot the clover. I cut the clover stalks off at the soil level. I lay the cut clover stalks on the bed to continue their benefits to the soil.
Planting Like a Chess Master
It’s not just planting—it’s garden choreography.
Once hardened off, my seedlings are ready to be planted outdoors. Some, like mustard, kale, and spinach, can tolerate cool temperatures. Others need to wait until after the last frost date for my region.
Three factors dictate where the seedlings will live in my garden. First, tall plants grow on the north side of my bed (for example, bush beans), short plants on the south side (root vegetables), and middle heights in between (chard or kale). This maximizes sun exposure. Second, I rotate crop locations every three years—there’s no such thing as a bed that only has tomatoes or garlic or carrots year after year. This helps me avoid the establishment of pests and diseases. Third, I mix things up: tomatoes mature surrounded by carrots and cucumbers, strawberries keep company with onions, and radishes and lettuce share space in the garden as well as the salad bowl. This conserves valuable garden space. Plus, garden insects with unlimited appetites will have to work harder to find their preferred plant among the plants they find less attractive or even repellent.
From Pot to Plot: The Big Move
Think of transplanting like moving day—but with more dirt and water.
So, I know where the hardened-off seedlings will go. I get a trowel, a full watering can, and my veggie starts—my “little ones.” I let the seedlings wick up a final drink of water to make sure the root ball will stay together once out of the container. I dig a hole the size of the root ball (making room among the clover roots) and soak the hole with water. I mix a handful of bone meal into the bottom of the hole for the heavy feeders, like tomatoes and peppers. I shake the seedling free from its pot. If the seedling root has curled around in the bottom of the container, I pull it apart a bit, stressing it to stimulate root growth. I place leafy seedlings like lettuce in the hole and press the soil down around it, planting it deep enough to cover the roots and stem so the first set of leaves are at ground level. I water it again to settle the soil around the plant. I pinch off the lowest leaves on the tomato plants to keep leaves off the ground by about two inches.
Mulch, Cover, Repeat
Rain, row covers, and resourcefulness—that’s garden TLC.
I use straw as a mulch around the seedlings to reduce evaporation and crusting of the soil. (I have yet to find a source for straw that is seedless, so yes, I get rogue green shoots of hay standing up among the straw. But they pull out quite easily.) Crushed, dried leaves kept from last fall also serve as an excellent mulch.
I use a floating row cover to keep the seedlings warmer and protect them from flying insect pests that may want to use them as a place to lay their eggs. Since I have 4×4 galvanized steel raised beds, I tie a rope around the perimeter of the bed, attached with a bungee cord. I purchased hula hoops from the Dollar Store and pulled them apart at the joint, emptying the beads that make them rattle. I install three in each bed and drape the row cover over them and under the rope, secured with clothespins. The row covers are water-permeable, so I can take full advantage of spring rains to keep my seedlings watered.
Letting Go and Letting Grow
It’s hard to let nature takes its course—but its time.
I’ve invested so many hours of hands-on care for my “kiddos.” It’s a risk sending them out into the big, cold world. But I’ve given them the best start possible. Now it’s their turn to thrive.
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