Me too! I’d love to have something more sturdy! These look like they would last many years! We only have very flimsy options where I am living and you are lucky if they last for two years. Most are breaking by the end of the first year, due to them not being able to stand the heat and UV light, here in the Med.
Your first visual example between the broccoli and cabbage just solved a huge problem I had in my seedlings that I couldn't put my finger on! My seedlings weren't damping off but they were stunted and a bit yellowed. Usually anywhere I searched I was told it was poor nutrients or light, but it seems like the soil was just too damp. We get beat over the head so much about keeping seedlings watered, it's hard to remember that it's okay to let them dry out a little. Thank you for making sense of the problem that's been making my brain itch!
I am really happy to hear that solved a problem for you! Watering is probably the hardest thing to get right in the garden and is something I am still very much try to get down. Its hard to remember that in winter plants grow slower and need less water on top of the fact that it is also cooler!
Yellowing from bottom up is usually nitrogen deficiency. If you are watering soil too much, you're leaking nutrients out the bottom. Seedlings need to be covered to retain humidity if not already in a humid environment. If you keep them covered, watering is easy. Spraying goes a long way, especially for seedlings that may not have much root development.
@@jacquesinthegarden I have been having the same problem also. I am sure it will help me in the future. This was the first video i watched of yours and i plan to watch more. Thanks !!!
I find that if I plant one lot of plants all together, they get absolutely hammered by the pests. When I dot them here and there, amongst other veg, I may lose one or two of them, but I get most of each veggies, instead of coming up empty on bok choi, spinach, cabbage at the end of the season, just because the pests have decimated them all.
Hey Jacques, great video! I pretty much follow the same guidelines you’ve laid out for yourself, except for corn, and my reasoning is this: I want to grow both sweet and flint or popping corn, and when they cross pollinate, it leads to poor quality end product. Since I don’t have adequate distance to separate the varieties by space, I separate them by time instead. First, I look for the shortest possible season sweet corn (which I need anyway here in the PNW); I’ve found a couple very tasty varieties that are only 70 ish days to maturity, Then I select my other corn variety, looking for an 85-95 day maturity. I then start the sweet corn about 3 weeks before I plan to plant in deep starter cells so I can get the seed nice and deep. On planting day, I plant out my sweet corn starts and my flint corn seed. Between the sweet corns shorter maturity window and its head start, sweet is all done pollinating and well on its way to fattening ears before the flint corn even tassels. And in this way, in my average size garden, I can have my corn and eat it too!
There are some corn varieties that can grow to harvest even faster! They might not exactly be gmo free but it will be faster. Just gotta search for them
I have so much more control when sowing in cells rather than direct sowing. Sometimes the critters dig up my sown area. Sometimes I don’t maintain proper moisture. Sometimes I forget I’ve actually sown something and I cover it with compost or leaf mulch. (Happened this year already). Sometimes where I want something to grow is currently growing something else. I use these Lifetime adjustable tables that fold in the middle. I raise them to their highest setting. Four seed pack trays (which each hold 12 of the 6-cell packs) fit on them perfectly. Critters stay off the tables. I have a portable greenhouse my husband built that I keep the trays in until the seeds have germinated. This keeps the birds from snagging those surface-sown seeds (which they have done before).
I've never tried transplanting carrots, however last year I had two full beds corn. One was direct sown and one was sown using a root master system, it's essentially like the epic cells with the aeration ports, however they open up like a clam and have a felt, or cotton ribbon running through that pulls water up from a reservoir that you fill once a week. It's an incredible water saver but also keeps the soil perfectly hydrated moist for seedlings. So what I found was that the test bed with the 'transplants' took off faster and out paced the direct sown and produced marginally better come harvest time. The biggest difference was during the growing period. The transplants performed seemingly better and slightly better harvest, however they were more prone to the wind storm and I did have some pushed over I had to use twine to bring them back to ordered rows. The direct sown recovered from the wind storm without intervention. This year I'm going to test both method again, plus a third! -In a larger single bed. For the third method I'm going to try what I have found the best success for sunflowers... The paper cups! (I will simply place the direct sown in the front, because the indoor sown outpace the direct seeded in initial growth.) In the past the jiffy type cups/cells were made with peat.. nowadays they are made from cellulose fibers and/or Coco coir. I've also tried the Coco coir pucks and as soon as I get a germination in the mini greenhouse I can drop it into a larger cell. There's no transplant shock similar to soil blocks. The roots grow right out of the jiffy pots, and it breaks down in the soil once planted. I've had best success with sunflowers using that system, because when direct seeded the seeds tend to be eaten by birds (something might have nabbed some of my direct seeded corn last year as well, but it could have been just a non-germ 🤷). If I'm not witnessing birds digging up the sunflower seeds, bugs will munch the seedlings; very few make it. With already established plants, they're much stronger 💪... So the only way I found is to use those jiffy style pots ( this year I'm trying out square 8cm⁴ type instead of the circular ones. I use those bigger ones because tp rolls are two small for the sunflowers. ... We'll see how corn does and compare the three methods - this year doing golden bantam, commonly available Sorte I've never tried. Great tips Jac! Thank you.
I've used those Jiffy pods before and they worked out alright for me as well, I didn't like that the little mesh on the outside never seems to break down. I have a potted pepper that I started 2 years ago and the mesh is still in place! I agree with what you are saying and that yes transplants seem to do worse in the wind! I grew golden bantam last year and though it was ok in terms of flavor, not super sweet just a nice a clean corn flavor! This year I am going to try a super sweet to see how it tastes fresh from the garden!
I'm loving that hat!! My aunt had the most fabulous garden in Florida and she made us pick weeds I mean we were like seven.. then we could swim in the pool but she always gave us hats like that to wear. I'm happy that I found both of your channels it's very informative educational and relaxing thank you
I'm in a zone4 and beside the main reason being I pretty much have to start all my plants, except for a few cold hardy varieties and carrots like you mentioned is, the ease of caring and growing all of them in one area, no need to make daily rounds, in my case dragging a hose around to make sure the soil doesn't dry out as they germinate and sent down a main root. I pretty much water them every morning when the lights kick on at 7 am in my pajamas...lol, doesn't get much easier than that.
Your content is excellent. You do well with details without getting bogged down. Also, your presentation skills are first rate. No word whiskers or searching about to clarify your point. Nice job.
I mostly let the garden sow itself. However, I always keep some young plants in pots in a shady area, so I will always have something started and have something for whatever open area I might have, or any new pots I fill. I re-use quart yogurt containers and have discovered that many plants do very well in these for a long time; sometimes even most of their lives.
Great video. This year, I have decided to try more transplants. I am starting vegetables and flowers indoors using an incubator and heated mat. After I get sprouts, I am transferring them to a grow tent for a few days, and then into my grow tower after about a week so they can get fed. I then transfer the coco coir pod into potting soil and put them back in the grow tent. So far, this is working well. I've been able to get coneflowers, feverfew, marshmallow, and other hard to start flowers going. Zinnias really like this method, and amaranth takes off very quickly. Brussels sprouts, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and especially cucumbers are also very happy. I'm learning as I go (only been gardening for 3 years), and enjoying myself immensely. Thanks again.
Absolutely! It is all very well following the instructions on the packet, but your growing conditions may not be the same as where they are selling the seeds. I have been growing and gardening for years, but last year I moved from Singapore to Cyprus and the growing conditions are very different! I am having to adapt and learn all over again! You never stop learning, I suppose, but being flexible really is key in being a successful gardener.
Its so much fun to play around with things and find methods that work for you, there really isn't one method that fits all for everyone given their time, space, and weather
I grew my marigolds - yellow and orange - from seeds from last year’s plants transplanted from indoors. Also propagating their leaves before transplanting. As well as torenia plants. Our heat wave in 8B (South Mississippi) caused many of my marigolds to bend over and crack at the stems while we were away on a trip. I made clean cuts and are successfully replanting them. Have had good luck rooting more marigolds in water from some that are growing very well in a waist-high plant stand my husband built. I’ve also planted leaves and transplanting them as new plants. I’m growing mini bell powers that I started indoors and have successfully planted. Also growing herbs from existing plants and propagating them indoors in water until they have good roots. I’m with you on transplanting! Enjoyed your video.
Parsnips are ferociously difficult to germinate and, although a tap root, do best if you get them going outside of a bed then transplant them. Great video - I learned a lot.
In my short time gardening ( I literally started in August 2023) I’ve realized I like transplanting for the majority of things because I have such rocky soil in my yard. My soil also seems to lack a lot of nutrients, which I’m working on but for the time being it is what it is. Starting seeds in trays and transplanting to bigger pots over time allows me to control the conditions they are being put through, it allows me to control the nutrients in the soil I’m using, I can keep everything in one area so it’s easy to tend to my daily tasks and when the time comes for my plants to go into the ground they’re developed enough that I don’t have to “baby” them so much. Love your videos man, truly been such a help in starting this journey. Keep up the awesome work! God Bless 🙏🏼
thanks for the explanation of what a helathy seedling or transplant looks like. my plants may be getting too much water, and too little sun. thanks for the inspiring videos
Direct seeding on the compost was a huge challenge for me. I initially thought it was a watering issue but later realized the surface area (soil:seed) during germination wasnt enough and the germinating seed would just die before it breaks the soil surface due to dehydration. I suppose it was a watering issue albeit indirect.
My reason is i have a good layer of wood chips as mulch, which is fantastic for supressing the weeds (there was an uncontrollable amount). However I also have a lot of blackbirds who heard that there's a lot of fat worms under the mulch. All day they will come and excavate my garden, either pulling up seedlings or crushing them with the fallen debris that they fling around.
I never had the space to start such a large variety of seeds as you guys. Direct sewing into two dedicated seasons in the low desert of southeastern Phoenix was the more successful plan for my 25 years: fruit and flower bearing sewn in April for June harvest, root and green bearing sewn in November for February cut n come again greens and late March for roots. I keep trying for my new digs in northern New Mexico, but once again, the direct seeded beets, green beans, pumpkins, Asian eggplant, indigo tomatoes and kale yielded more than the romaine lettuce and broccoli started indoors. I'll keep watching, to see what I can do better. Loved the chicken coop episode.
Regarding butternut squash... In a small little garden bed, I had some volunteers that grew in there, as the compost I used in the bed had seeds in it... And at about the same time there were also butternuts that I direct planted in the ground... Of which, council workers who came to inspect a drain near the garden area trampled several of the ones in the ground and some others got eaten by birds as soon as they started sprouting... But I had spare wheel butternuts (the volunteers, which I successfully replaced in the same spots of the damaged ones)... So yeah, transplants are can be used as spare wheels too.
Great video Jacques! Loved the chill vibe and seeing your garden and the beautiful produce. Appreciated the pros and cons discussion also. Looking forward to more of your content.
My direct sowing was pretty much a bust, last autumn, because our temperatures were still so hot way into October. Am definitely going to start sowing the majority of my autumn crops into pots, indoors, first, this autumn. Only the turnip and parsnip had any results and even those were not good. For carrots, hardly any survived, so I think I’ll have to shade the planting bed with shade cloth and have more drip irrigation around the planting areas.
Jacques, thank you for the wonderful video on transplanting seedlings and direct sow. You were so helpful on this topic and really made sense. Perfect video!
This is truly wonderful info on seedling problems. I grow in a green house and a sunroom and move them out into direct sun daily in mid Feb. In the bay area trying to take advantage of as much sun as able and noticed the difference in all the different options of growing our seedlings. Luckily I found the green house very low maintenence as it usually stays moist longer during late winter early spring. The sunroom was the fastest growing and warmest place to grow as well as brightest best sun. And outdoors helped the get plenty of wind stress as well as sun exposure but needed daily watering. I love that there are many options but found that you have to find the best option that fits your lifestyle for time management in growing your own seedlings successfully. My best option is in the sunroom as I do love to water every couple days to everyday as it gets warmer and just open door for ventilation. I can't wait to put them out as soon as possible half way under a peach and apple tree for Simi shade once they get going into mid spring and the rain has tapered off. I love that we get a little more natural watering but don't appreciate less sun and more cloudy days into the beg of spring. I noticed after 12 years of Gardening in the Bay area that every year is exceptionally different but to be completely sure that there is no chance of frost I usually transplant out my seedling on May 1st.
My carrots actually did surprisingly well transplanted, but they were just getting their real leaves when I stuck them in the ground so I didn't disturb much.
That's encouraging to hear. I've always heard you can't transplant carrots, but I've had such horrible luck direct seeding that I'm going to start experimenting with starting them inside anyway.
You make a lot of sense. You help me understand the reasons why to do things. Other videos are superficial and not too informational. Yours are super interesting! Thank you!
In "Cool Flowers" Lisa Zeigler has a table where she tells readers what to start indoors and what to direct sow. A lot of seed packets also have this information. Makes it easier for a neophyte.
Pots, compost and greenhouse space all cost money. You need to factor these in when choosing to raise transplants. Also time: it's a whole nother stage to raise the seedlings and then later plant them out. The size of the containers you raise your plants in I find surprising, twice the volume of anything I'd use. This might account for the water logging problems you're occasionally encountering.
You can do it for basically free. I planted my seeds in cut in half water bottles and I put a couple holes in the bottom. I don't use compost and no greenhouse. I just have them on a table in front of a sunny window.
It's true that all that adds cost absolutely. I find tending to all my seedlings, which I keep in 1 area, a lot easier to manage than checking 20 different parts of my garden. Which I would have to check for pest or critter damage and ensure they aren't drying out. As for watering it would probably be beneficial to start in the tiny cells to make water easier, in this case my waterlogging was from rain but it's true it takes longer to recover in this larger volume of soil.
This is great, Jacques! Really well explained and I really liked the examples, that helped a lot! I think I'll be able to choose the plants I buy better after this video because I learned things I didn't previously know. Excellent job! 🙂🌱
You are so easy to listen to. I am from San Diego, but now reside in the northern suburbs of Chicago area. Somethings you do apply to our gardening here, some don't, but I really enjoyed your video.
I’ve tried growing seedlings so it’s like 50/50 for me. Direct sowing is so much easier since I can get lazy lol. Thx for the information. Love your garden and advices.
I do both. My back can't handle all the bending as I do so many seedlings. Trouble is I don't recognize the new leaves from seeds so I think they're weeds lol
Very informative. I'm a newer gardener and haven't really done much transplanting. Interestingly, I have cilantro and carrots growing right now that were direct sown, mainly because it was easier and I didn't know that was best for those plants. But now I do know - thanks for the clear explanations! Love your channel!
I enjoyed your video. Thanks. I used to do more direct seeding and went to starting in trays and trans planting. This year i have went back to direct seeding my spinach and lettuce and have found it to be easier for me. I do have plenty of room and not looking to find a place to put plants. Also I have a high tunnel so i sow in doors. I use a garlic barrier to spray my seedlings when small to protect them from the rolly polly's or use Diatomaceous earth. I also broadcast my spinach and some of my lettuce this year and have not lost enough to pests to concern myself with the lost. And i will eat the lettuce and spinach as they grow and thin them that way. I will also continue transplanting some things, like tomatoes, peppers, and the cabbage family.
This was great information, thank you! I’ve tried to direct sow my entire Fall garden and definitely struggling getting much to come up. Now I know why! 😆
I had some spinach seedlings growing in some seed starters 3-4 per cell and a very dense sewn bag. I separated and planted half the bag at 3” spacing and the other half planted 2 big chunks trying not to disturb the roots… I just hope something survives.
Maryland gardener. Zone 7b. Hot humid summers. I transplant corn but I bury it an inch into the soil to improve rooting. This saves two weeks in the garden. The only thing I can't transplant successfully is carrots although I am working with five seeds in a large drink cup, grown out six weeks and transplanted for another eight weeks of growth. I have serious problems with crickets eating carrot seedlings in August, the best time to seed for winter carrots in Maryland. Direct sowing in spring is easy but summer harvested carrots don't taste as good as winter ones here. As you say squash and other cucurbits grow really fast and the ten days gained from flat seeding must be balanced against root disruption from transplanting. But an exception is seedless watermelons. THese grow slowly for the first four weeks, then really take off but you save three weeks by growing them in 4" pots. They also need 80F or higher soil temperature to germinate and must be on the dry side of moist or they won't germinate.. hard to get that in open ground. Another advantage you didn't mention is that the 60-80 day growing cycle for direct seeded stuff turns into a 45-65 day cycle for transplants and many weeds don't seed that fast so you can break the weed cycle by light tilling at harvest and planting transplants immediately.
OMG! I just found your channel, and I love this video. You have a new subscriber. I'm growing fruit trees, veggies and herbs, all from seed. Its a lot of work, but very satisfying and rewarding.
I have seeds to direct sow but we still need to get rid of the snow!! I have onion slips that need planted out. You could use ollas for passive watering. 😊 I have 2 Kuri squash, 4 Yellow Doll Melons and 3 Golden Zucchini growing in my livingroom in cups and doing great. They will be mature plants when they get planted out in June or July.
A lot of good info in this video. Thanks for posting it and I look forward to more of your informative content. I also appreciate your laid back style.
I want to try gardening this year. It's been a life dream to have an edible garden. Now that I own a house with a yard, it's possible to do whatever I want. The previous owner of my house left several pots too. I think transplanting will be more affordable to start and learn without being overwhelmed with too many plants or food. I've heard you get more leafy greens if you direct sow so I might try to grow from seed with those
You should get the same production either way, with transplanting you can always start more than you need and then ensure you end up with exactly what you need at the exact spacing you want. For example if you need 4 plants to fill a pot and try adding 4 seeds there is a chance 1 or more won't germinate but you start 6 in pots and maybe 5 germinate then you have the 4 ready to plant exactly how you want and the last one you can gift, put elsewhere, or simply compost!
Sowbugs/pillbugs are so bad here, most seeds and seedlings get devoured. Transplanting pretty much everything helps a lot. Dusting DE in the seeding trench adds to that.
Great video. I will change my ways and give this a try. The big one for me is water saving. I find watering an empty looking bed that quickly gets dried out by the sun is a big waste. Thank you.
Could you do a dedicated video of what different Healthy seedlings for different plants look like? And perhaps what'd they should look like (leaf growth and height) at different stages?
This was so great! You literally helped me decide my plan of attack for a packet of broccoli I am preparing to plant. I shall seed start them in cells first!
This is really helpful! If you ever get a chance, I would love to learn more about your drip irrigation system! I live in North Carolina & when it gets to our hottest days, I struggle to keep up with watering
We grew tomatoes, and cabbage and peppers last year, all from seed. When it got cold, we transplanted the peppers and tomatoes in to pots to put in the garage under a light. So far they're okay, the peppers stopped growing up and out, but one is still producing one pepper at a time, but the tomato plant did well for about a month and now is drying out almost completely, even you it's still ripening tomatoes. No idea why, but we still got a good two months extra out of it, so I guess it's worth it. Really was hoping to overwinter the plant though.
Great info Jacques! I’d love a video with more details of seed starting in cells. Mine always do well up until the first true leaves come on, and then they start to struggle. Can’t quite pin point what I’m doing wrong!
Do you give a weak fertilizer at that point? That is the stage at which thhe seed stops supplying the plant with what it needs. You should add a half strength liquid fertilizer at that point.
You explain things straight forward which I appreciate. I also appreciate how distressed you looked when showing the overgrown seedlings. You looked pained that they were like that. :D
Interesting on transplanting 🧐 I love to start in cells & watch everything emerge 😜. I don’t do carrots 🥕 or spinach cuz It goes spotty germination. Have a great day 👵🏻👩🌾❣️
I get where your coming from, but I've found in South Texas there are some crops that really thrive much better with a direct sow- specifically our "warm" weather crops, squash, okra, beans, cantaloupe and watermelon. For some reason they tamp off or do poorly when we start indoors, whereas they seem more vigorous when started outdoors. I definitely always start my tomatoes, peppers and eggplants indoors though, as well as my cool weather crops.
I've actually wanted to try them for a while and just haven't. I honestly became less interested once I started using the 6 cells as they accomplish the same goal but are way easier to move around and organize
Thanks for all your tips! i transplant some corn last year and they didnt not do too well and keep falling over lol. hopefully this year will be better.
I pretty much always transplant as well! Nonexistent life of a grad student means I barely have time to water outside or check on directly sown seedlings. But I can for sure eat breakfast and stare at my seedlings I have growing under a grow light in my old fish tank! It's my only moment of peace during the day tbh.
A fish tank! Brilliant! I haven't been able to grow seedlings indoors because my cat eats them, but a fish tank might be a solution! Maybe even a clear plastic tub that can handle the grow light.....
@@domesti-city lol my dog eats mine actually. Another reason why I can't direct sow. Any seedling that's her height gets picked right out as her fresh microbrews. Anything that looks like a brassica is especially delectable. Drives me insane
@@ellenkuang8853 I had a Labrador that would pick my strawberries and grapes every chance she got. The grapes were bad for her, but she could strip a bunch off the vine in a flash, and my mom's dog would pick avocados from the tree. Had she or my terriers learned that microgreens were tasty, they would have been harvesting just like yours.
I need to get better at remembering to start my seeds in advance. I had to buy my brassicas from local big box ((no local nurseries)) .....you are an inspiration
I do starts on most of the things you direct sow. The large seeds get dug up and ate by critters if direct sown (corn, watermelons, squash, etc) and carrots I start really thick in a large flat tray and prick them out into a garden bed when they are 1 inch tall. Allows for perfect spacing and zero failure of the little plants.
I prefer to direct sow wherever possible, but that is only because I don’t have a good seed set up to grow transplants. Someday, when I have the space and resources to start seeds, I will give this a try.
That is a orange bougainvillea, usually you see the pink ones as they are much more common, its thorny but the flowers are so nice that it is worth it!
I tend to wait way too long to transplant my seedlings. I've always thought that the bigger they are the better they will do in the big garden. There are so many pests in my community garden. From feral cats to, snails and birds which are the worst. I have to make mini half hoop covered rows to protect the seedlings until they're bigger. I did transplant beets, carrots and cilantro. It was touch and go with the cilantro but in the end I got a better harvest than usual. Great video and I hope you'll get some of the rain we are seeing up north in the Bay Area this week.
I am getting a mere fraction of rain, so far 0.25" maybe we will break 0.5" haha. Bigger seedlings are good but only if you keep potting them up, if you try to force it in small container. If you pot them up then the roots can branch out and have adequate space for growth without stress.
My experience with carrots and cilantro differs from yours, apparently. My cilantro tends to spread seeds, so I lots of volunteers coming up. I routinely "prick" them out when they are small (less than about three inches tall) by carefully teasing the roots out of the soil with a pencil, and then move them to a better location in the garden. They seem to accept transplanting very well for me. The same is true with carrots. Last year, I spilled some carrot seed, so the seeds sprouted where they spilled: hundreds of them crowding each other. I simply dug up the whole patch of seedlings when the roots were about an inch long, teased them apart gently and placed them at suitable spacing in the bed where I had gaps in rows. They thrived for me. Maybe the soil is the difference? My beds are made from straight compost laid over cardboard without tilling the ground below. (Charles Dowding style no-till) My compost is made from horse manure (roughly 70%) and the remainder is pine shavings soaked in horse urine. It remains very loose, even after lying on the garden bed for years with new layers piled on top. Maybe the taproots grow better in very loose, rich soil.
That is interesting to hear, I think part of the problem is that our climate is arid here. This means most of the surface soil is perpetually dry unless you constantly water and water is in short supply and expensive here
I live in Oceanside. So glad to see someone that has the same weather with as I have. Very little rain. Funny, it's raining right now. Love your videos. Do you give classes? Thank you.
If you'd like some Epic 6-Cell Trays, here is the link. We are also working on a larger 4-Cell option soon: bit.ly/3vS2K66
A four cell option would be awesome! I have a couple of cases of the six cell, and I love them.
Can’t wait till we can buy them internationally! 🤞🤞🤞
What is the best bang for your buck growing light for starting seeds to plant outdoors in raised beds later?
Love my epic six cells, larger 4 cell option would be great.
Me too! I’d love to have something more sturdy! These look like they would last many years! We only have very flimsy options where I am living and you are lucky if they last for two years. Most are breaking by the end of the first year, due to them not being able to stand the heat and UV light, here in the Med.
Your first visual example between the broccoli and cabbage just solved a huge problem I had in my seedlings that I couldn't put my finger on! My seedlings weren't damping off but they were stunted and a bit yellowed. Usually anywhere I searched I was told it was poor nutrients or light, but it seems like the soil was just too damp. We get beat over the head so much about keeping seedlings watered, it's hard to remember that it's okay to let them dry out a little. Thank you for making sense of the problem that's been making my brain itch!
I am really happy to hear that solved a problem for you! Watering is probably the hardest thing to get right in the garden and is something I am still very much try to get down. Its hard to remember that in winter plants grow slower and need less water on top of the fact that it is also cooler!
Same!!!!!! I watched that and the lightbulb went off. *That's* why my seedlings are so sad.
Yellowing from bottom up is usually nitrogen deficiency. If you are watering soil too much, you're leaking nutrients out the bottom.
Seedlings need to be covered to retain humidity if not already in a humid environment.
If you keep them covered, watering is easy. Spraying goes a long way, especially for seedlings that may not have much root development.
I concur with Jacques that letting them dry out is not just okay, it's essential. Roots need oxygen.
@@jacquesinthegarden I have been having the same problem also. I am sure it will help me in the future. This was the first video i watched of yours and i plan to watch more. Thanks !!!
I love the look wildness of your garden it just flows from 1 area to another. It's not all regimented and straight lines.
Sometimes it can be hard to envision the next steps but I really like the flow of it!
I find that if I plant one lot of plants all together, they get absolutely hammered by the pests. When I dot them here and there, amongst other veg, I may lose one or two of them, but I get most of each veggies, instead of coming up empty on bok choi, spinach, cabbage at the end of the season, just because the pests have decimated them all.
I also like this format and even when I plant in a lot of pots I lije clustering them haphazardly together
Hey Jacques, great video! I pretty much follow the same guidelines you’ve laid out for yourself, except for corn, and my reasoning is this: I want to grow both sweet and flint or popping corn, and when they cross pollinate, it leads to poor quality end product. Since I don’t have adequate distance to separate the varieties by space, I separate them by time instead. First, I look for the shortest possible season sweet corn (which I need anyway here in the PNW); I’ve found a couple very tasty varieties that are only 70 ish days to maturity, Then I select my other corn variety, looking for an 85-95 day maturity. I then start the sweet corn about 3 weeks before I plan to plant in deep starter cells so I can get the seed nice and deep. On planting day, I plant out my sweet corn starts and my flint corn seed. Between the sweet corns shorter maturity window and its head start, sweet is all done pollinating and well on its way to fattening ears before the flint corn even tassels. And in this way, in my average size garden, I can have my corn and eat it too!
Very smart use of your season and transplanting! This is a very logical and smart approach to this problem
There are some corn varieties that can grow to harvest even faster! They might not exactly be gmo free but it will be faster. Just gotta search for them
I have so much more control when sowing in cells rather than direct sowing. Sometimes the critters dig up my sown area. Sometimes I don’t maintain proper moisture. Sometimes I forget I’ve actually sown something and I cover it with compost or leaf mulch. (Happened this year already). Sometimes where I want something to grow is currently growing something else. I use these Lifetime adjustable tables that fold in the middle. I raise them to their highest setting. Four seed pack trays (which each hold 12 of the 6-cell packs) fit on them perfectly. Critters stay off the tables. I have a portable greenhouse my husband built that I keep the trays in until the seeds have germinated. This keeps the birds from snagging those surface-sown seeds (which they have done before).
Hi Dawn Keckley
How are you today?🌷🌻
I've never tried transplanting carrots, however last year I had two full beds corn. One was direct sown and one was sown using a root master system, it's essentially like the epic cells with the aeration ports, however they open up like a clam and have a felt, or cotton ribbon running through that pulls water up from a reservoir that you fill once a week. It's an incredible water saver but also keeps the soil perfectly hydrated moist for seedlings. So what I found was that the test bed with the 'transplants' took off faster and out paced the direct sown and produced marginally better come harvest time. The biggest difference was during the growing period. The transplants performed seemingly better and slightly better harvest, however they were more prone to the wind storm and I did have some pushed over I had to use twine to bring them back to ordered rows. The direct sown recovered from the wind storm without intervention.
This year I'm going to test both method again, plus a third! -In a larger single bed.
For the third method I'm going to try what I have found the best success for sunflowers... The paper cups! (I will simply place the direct sown in the front, because the indoor sown outpace the direct seeded in initial growth.)
In the past the jiffy type cups/cells were made with peat.. nowadays they are made from cellulose fibers and/or Coco coir. I've also tried the Coco coir pucks and as soon as I get a germination in the mini greenhouse I can drop it into a larger cell. There's no transplant shock similar to soil blocks. The roots grow right out of the jiffy pots, and it breaks down in the soil once planted. I've had best success with sunflowers using that system, because when direct seeded the seeds tend to be eaten by birds (something might have nabbed some of my direct seeded corn last year as well, but it could have been just a non-germ 🤷).
If I'm not witnessing birds digging up the sunflower seeds, bugs will munch the seedlings; very few make it. With already established plants, they're much stronger 💪... So the only way I found is to use those jiffy style pots ( this year I'm trying out square 8cm⁴ type instead of the circular ones. I use those bigger ones because tp rolls are two small for the sunflowers. ... We'll see how corn does and compare the three methods - this year doing golden bantam, commonly available Sorte I've never tried. Great tips Jac! Thank you.
I've used those Jiffy pods before and they worked out alright for me as well, I didn't like that the little mesh on the outside never seems to break down. I have a potted pepper that I started 2 years ago and the mesh is still in place! I agree with what you are saying and that yes transplants seem to do worse in the wind! I grew golden bantam last year and though it was ok in terms of flavor, not super sweet just a nice a clean corn flavor! This year I am going to try a super sweet to see how it tastes fresh from the garden!
I'm loving that hat!! My aunt had the most fabulous garden in Florida and she made us pick weeds I mean we were like seven.. then we could swim in the pool but she always gave us hats like that to wear. I'm happy that I found both of your channels it's very informative educational and relaxing thank you
A big hat goes a long way when outside all day!
I'm in a zone4 and beside the main reason being I pretty much have to start all my plants, except for a few cold hardy varieties and carrots like you mentioned is, the ease of caring and growing all of them in one area, no need to make daily rounds, in my case dragging a hose around to make sure the soil doesn't dry out as they germinate and sent down a main root. I pretty much water them every morning when the lights kick on at 7 am in my pajamas...lol, doesn't get much easier than that.
Your content is excellent. You do well with details without getting bogged down. Also, your presentation skills are first rate. No word whiskers or searching about to clarify your point. Nice job.
Youre a gentle soul
I mostly let the garden sow itself. However, I always keep some young plants in pots in a shady area, so I will always have something started and have something for whatever open area I might have, or any new pots I fill. I re-use quart yogurt containers and have discovered that many plants do very well in these for a long time; sometimes even most of their lives.
Great video. This year, I have decided to try more transplants. I am starting vegetables and flowers indoors using an incubator and heated mat. After I get sprouts, I am transferring them to a grow tent for a few days, and then into my grow tower after about a week so they can get fed. I then transfer the coco coir pod into potting soil and put them back in the grow tent. So far, this is working well. I've been able to get coneflowers, feverfew, marshmallow, and other hard to start flowers going. Zinnias really like this method, and amaranth takes off very quickly. Brussels sprouts, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and especially cucumbers are also very happy. I'm learning as I go (only been gardening for 3 years), and enjoying myself immensely. Thanks again.
Absolutely! It is all very well following the instructions on the packet, but your growing conditions may not be the same as where they are selling the seeds. I have been growing and gardening for years, but last year I moved from Singapore to Cyprus and the growing conditions are very different! I am having to adapt and learn all over again! You never stop learning, I suppose, but being flexible really is key in being a successful gardener.
Its so much fun to play around with things and find methods that work for you, there really isn't one method that fits all for everyone given their time, space, and weather
Your insights on water preservation when starting seedlings made a lot of sense! Especially if you want to grow a lot of plants!
I still remember transferring and watering the transplants in my pap's greenhouse when I was young. Nice memories and taught me a lot
I grew my marigolds - yellow and orange - from seeds from last year’s plants transplanted from indoors. Also propagating their leaves before transplanting. As well as torenia plants. Our heat wave in 8B (South Mississippi) caused many of my marigolds to bend over and crack at the stems while we were away on a trip. I made clean cuts and are successfully replanting them. Have had good luck rooting more marigolds in water from some that are growing very well in a waist-high plant stand my husband built. I’ve also planted leaves and transplanting them as new plants. I’m growing mini bell powers that I started indoors and have successfully planted. Also growing herbs from existing plants and propagating them indoors in water until they have good roots. I’m with you on transplanting! Enjoyed your video.
This answered a lot of questions I had - with answers I hadn’t come up with yet. Thanks, Jacques!
That is great to hear!
learned a few new things about why not to just sew a plant into the garden. Thank you Jacque for this class of the day.
Parsnips are ferociously difficult to germinate and, although a tap root, do best if you get them going outside of a bed then transplant them. Great video - I learned a lot.
Love the calming music in the intro 🌱
In my short time gardening ( I literally started in August 2023) I’ve realized I like transplanting for the majority of things because I have such rocky soil in my yard. My soil also seems to lack a lot of nutrients, which I’m working on but for the time being it is what it is. Starting seeds in trays and transplanting to bigger pots over time allows me to control the conditions they are being put through, it allows me to control the nutrients in the soil I’m using, I can keep everything in one area so it’s easy to tend to my daily tasks and when the time comes for my plants to go into the ground they’re developed enough that I don’t have to “baby” them so much. Love your videos man, truly been such a help in starting this journey. Keep up the awesome work! God Bless 🙏🏼
thanks for the explanation of what a helathy seedling or transplant looks like. my plants may be getting too much water, and too little sun. thanks for the inspiring videos
Direct seeding on the compost was a huge challenge for me. I initially thought it was a watering issue but later realized the surface area (soil:seed) during germination wasnt enough and the germinating seed would just die before it breaks the soil surface due to dehydration. I suppose it was a watering issue albeit indirect.
Yeah pretty much spot on, the grain size of the compost is too variable for most direct seeding
My reason is i have a good layer of wood chips as mulch, which is fantastic for supressing the weeds (there was an uncontrollable amount). However I also have a lot of blackbirds who heard that there's a lot of fat worms under the mulch. All day they will come and excavate my garden, either pulling up seedlings or crushing them with the fallen debris that they fling around.
Great tips. I'm sold on transplants 99.9%. I'm doing only grow bags/containers and this works really great in that situation.
I never had the space to start such a large variety of seeds as you guys. Direct sewing into two dedicated seasons in the low desert of southeastern Phoenix was the more successful plan for my 25 years: fruit and flower bearing sewn in April for June harvest, root and green bearing sewn in November for February cut n come again greens and late March for roots. I keep trying for my new digs in northern New Mexico, but once again, the direct seeded beets, green beans, pumpkins, Asian eggplant, indigo tomatoes and kale yielded more than the romaine lettuce and broccoli started indoors. I'll keep watching, to see what I can do better. Loved the chicken coop episode.
The visual examples were so helpful! Thanks Jacques!
Regarding butternut squash... In a small little garden bed, I had some volunteers that grew in there, as the compost I used in the bed had seeds in it... And at about the same time there were also butternuts that I direct planted in the ground... Of which, council workers who came to inspect a drain near the garden area trampled several of the ones in the ground and some others got eaten by birds as soon as they started sprouting... But I had spare wheel butternuts (the volunteers, which I successfully replaced in the same spots of the damaged ones)... So yeah, transplants are can be used as spare wheels too.
Great video Jacques! Loved the chill vibe and seeing your garden and the beautiful produce. Appreciated the pros and cons discussion also. Looking forward to more of your content.
Love the music choice. Very calming video. Great job!
My direct sowing was pretty much a bust, last autumn, because our temperatures were still so hot way into October. Am definitely going to start sowing the majority of my autumn crops into pots, indoors, first, this autumn. Only the turnip and parsnip had any results and even those were not good. For carrots, hardly any survived, so I think I’ll have to shade the planting bed with shade cloth and have more drip irrigation around the planting areas.
Jacques, thank you for the wonderful video on transplanting seedlings and direct sow. You were so helpful on this topic and really made sense. Perfect video!
This is truly wonderful info on seedling problems. I grow in a green house and a sunroom and move them out into direct sun daily in mid Feb. In the bay area trying to take advantage of as much sun as able and noticed the difference in all the different options of growing our seedlings. Luckily I found the green house very low maintenence as it usually stays moist longer during late winter early spring. The sunroom was the fastest growing and warmest place to grow as well as brightest best sun. And outdoors helped the get plenty of wind stress as well as sun exposure but needed daily watering. I love that there are many options but found that you have to find the best option that fits your lifestyle for time management in growing your own seedlings successfully. My best option is in the sunroom as I do love to water every couple days to everyday as it gets warmer and just open door for ventilation. I can't wait to put them out as soon as possible half way under a peach and apple tree for Simi shade once they get going into mid spring and the rain has tapered off. I love that we get a little more natural watering but don't appreciate less sun and more cloudy days into the beg of spring. I noticed after 12 years of Gardening in the Bay area that every year is exceptionally different but to be completely sure that there is no chance of frost I usually transplant out my seedling on May 1st.
It's really wild on the California coastline especially with cycles of el nino and la Nina on top do everything else!
My carrots actually did surprisingly well transplanted, but they were just getting their real leaves when I stuck them in the ground so I didn't disturb much.
That's encouraging to hear. I've always heard you can't transplant carrots, but I've had such horrible luck direct seeding that I'm going to start experimenting with starting them inside anyway.
You make a lot of sense. You help me understand the reasons why to do things. Other videos are superficial and not too informational. Yours are super interesting! Thank you!
I appreciate that!
great info for this farmer in the making, doing my first growing season this year, this was very helpful
great comments on the roots in the Epic 6-cell trays and how to tell a good seedling from a weak one.
In "Cool Flowers" Lisa Zeigler has a table where she tells readers what to start indoors and what to direct sow. A lot of seed packets also have this information. Makes it easier for a neophyte.
This is explained so well! When limited to growing space, transplanting does help have more harvest!
Pots, compost and greenhouse space all cost money. You need to factor these in when choosing to raise transplants. Also time: it's a whole nother stage to raise the seedlings and then later plant them out. The size of the containers you raise your plants in I find surprising, twice the volume of anything I'd use. This might account for the water logging problems you're occasionally encountering.
You can do it for basically free. I planted my seeds in cut in half water bottles and I put a couple holes in the bottom. I don't use compost and no greenhouse. I just have them on a table in front of a sunny window.
It's true that all that adds cost absolutely. I find tending to all my seedlings, which I keep in 1 area, a lot easier to manage than checking 20 different parts of my garden. Which I would have to check for pest or critter damage and ensure they aren't drying out. As for watering it would probably be beneficial to start in the tiny cells to make water easier, in this case my waterlogging was from rain but it's true it takes longer to recover in this larger volume of soil.
This is great, Jacques! Really well explained and I really liked the examples, that helped a lot! I think I'll be able to choose the plants I buy better after this video because I learned things I didn't previously know. Excellent job! 🙂🌱
You are so easy to listen to. I am from San Diego, but now reside in the northern suburbs of Chicago area. Somethings you do apply to our gardening here, some don't, but I really enjoyed your video.
I’ve tried growing seedlings so it’s like 50/50 for me. Direct sowing is so much easier since I can get lazy lol. Thx for the information. Love your garden and advices.
I do both. My back can't handle all the bending as I do so many seedlings. Trouble is I don't recognize the new leaves from seeds so I think they're weeds lol
😂 I totally have the same problem! I’ve let weeds get way too grown because I thought maybe it was something I planted. 🤷♀️
I’m really enjoying your channel Jacques, and your calm vibe. I’m learning a lot from you and I love your garden!
Hi Colleen
How are you today?🌷🌻
Very informative. I'm a newer gardener and haven't really done much transplanting. Interestingly, I have cilantro and carrots growing right now that were direct sown, mainly because it was easier and I didn't know that was best for those plants. But now I do know - thanks for the clear explanations! Love your channel!
You gave us a lot of information in this video. I always wondered the different options of how to sow my seeds. Thanks for sharing 😊
Cutworms, slugs, birds! Nearly impossible to direct sow for me too. Love your space!
These are some helpful hints. I need to remember that it’s ok not to transplant all the starter plants especially those that aren’t doing well.
I enjoyed your video. Thanks. I used to do more direct seeding and went to starting in trays and trans planting. This year i have went back to direct seeding my spinach and lettuce and have found it to be easier for me. I do have plenty of room and not looking to find a place to put plants. Also I have a high tunnel so i sow in doors. I use a garlic barrier to spray my seedlings when small to protect them from the rolly polly's or use Diatomaceous earth. I also broadcast my spinach and some of my lettuce this year and have not lost enough to pests to concern myself with the lost. And i will eat the lettuce and spinach as they grow and thin them that way. I will also continue transplanting some things, like tomatoes, peppers, and the cabbage family.
Its definitely a balance with your area and specific plants!
This was great information, thank you! I’ve tried to direct sow my entire Fall garden and definitely struggling getting much to come up. Now I know why! 😆
Wow! I learn something new that I could put immediately to practice, thank you!
Enjoying the channel Jacques. I’m learning a lot. I wish you and Kevin were in Zone 7b.
I had some spinach seedlings growing in some seed starters 3-4 per cell and a very dense sewn bag. I separated and planted half the bag at 3” spacing and the other half planted 2 big chunks trying not to disturb the roots… I just hope something survives.
Maryland gardener. Zone 7b. Hot humid summers.
I transplant corn but I bury it an inch into the soil to improve rooting. This saves two weeks in the garden. The only thing I can't transplant successfully is carrots although I am working with five seeds in a large drink cup, grown out six weeks and transplanted for another eight weeks of growth. I have serious problems with crickets eating carrot seedlings in August, the best time to seed for winter carrots in Maryland. Direct sowing in spring is easy but summer harvested carrots don't taste as good as winter ones here. As you say squash and other cucurbits grow really fast and the ten days gained from flat seeding must be balanced against root disruption from transplanting. But an exception is seedless watermelons. THese grow slowly for the first four weeks, then really take off but you save three weeks by growing them in 4" pots. They also need 80F or higher soil temperature to germinate and must be on the dry side of moist or they won't germinate.. hard to get that in open ground. Another advantage you didn't mention is that the 60-80 day growing cycle for direct seeded stuff turns into a 45-65 day cycle for transplants and many weeds don't seed that fast so you can break the weed cycle by light tilling at harvest and planting transplants immediately.
OMG! I just found your channel, and I love this video. You have a new subscriber. I'm growing fruit trees, veggies and herbs, all from seed. Its a lot of work, but very satisfying and rewarding.
Welcome!
I have seeds to direct sow but we still need to get rid of the snow!! I have onion slips that need planted out.
You could use ollas for passive watering. 😊
I have 2 Kuri squash, 4 Yellow Doll Melons and 3 Golden Zucchini growing in my livingroom in cups and doing great. They will be mature plants when they get planted out in June or July.
A lot of good info in this video. Thanks for posting it and I look forward to more of your informative content. I also appreciate your laid back style.
I want to try gardening this year. It's been a life dream to have an edible garden. Now that I own a house with a yard, it's possible to do whatever I want. The previous owner of my house left several pots too. I think transplanting will be more affordable to start and learn without being overwhelmed with too many plants or food. I've heard you get more leafy greens if you direct sow so I might try to grow from seed with those
You should get the same production either way, with transplanting you can always start more than you need and then ensure you end up with exactly what you need at the exact spacing you want. For example if you need 4 plants to fill a pot and try adding 4 seeds there is a chance 1 or more won't germinate but you start 6 in pots and maybe 5 germinate then you have the 4 ready to plant exactly how you want and the last one you can gift, put elsewhere, or simply compost!
Sowbugs/pillbugs are so bad here, most seeds and seedlings get devoured. Transplanting pretty much everything helps a lot. Dusting DE in the seeding trench adds to that.
Where is 'here'?
@@marktwain368 South Central Arizona, 100 miles north of the border.
Great video. I will change my ways and give this a try. The big one for me is water saving. I find watering an empty looking bed that quickly gets dried out by the sun is a big waste. Thank you.
love the aesthetic bro, its hard coming from another channel and being your own
thank you for this!! I was unsure about how to plan my garden for next year and you gave me a lot to think about.
Could you do a dedicated video of what different Healthy seedlings for different plants look like? And perhaps what'd they should look like (leaf growth and height) at different stages?
Interesting idea, I will try to work on this through the season
This is wonderful information!
Just got my first order in for the seed trays. So excited
this was good info and helped confirm some of my own garden practices!
This was so great! You literally helped me decide my plan of attack for a packet of broccoli I am preparing to plant. I shall seed start them in cells first!
This is really helpful! If you ever get a chance, I would love to learn more about your drip irrigation system! I live in North Carolina & when it gets to our hottest days, I struggle to keep up with watering
You're the man Jacques! Thank you for all the great advice.
We grew tomatoes, and cabbage and peppers last year, all from seed. When it got cold, we transplanted the peppers and tomatoes in to pots to put in the garage under a light.
So far they're okay, the peppers stopped growing up and out, but one is still producing one pepper at a time, but the tomato plant did well for about a month and now is drying out almost completely, even you it's still ripening tomatoes.
No idea why, but we still got a good two months extra out of it, so I guess it's worth it. Really was hoping to overwinter the plant though.
love your accent , its calming ,informative and easy going , thankyou very much for all the info , I love the 6 cell packs , tad expensive though 👍👍
Great breakdown. Made it simple.
Glad to hear it!
Love it. I also have multiple crops per bed
Great info Jacques! I’d love a video with more details of seed starting in cells. Mine always do well up until the first true leaves come on, and then they start to struggle. Can’t quite pin point what I’m doing wrong!
I will eventually make a full guide on that topic for sure.
Do you give a weak fertilizer at that point? That is the stage at which thhe seed stops supplying the plant with what it needs. You should add a half strength liquid fertilizer at that point.
You explain things straight forward which I appreciate. I also appreciate how distressed you looked when showing the overgrown seedlings. You looked pained that they were like that. :D
Interesting on transplanting 🧐
I love to start in cells & watch everything emerge 😜. I don’t do carrots 🥕 or spinach cuz
It goes spotty germination.
Have a great day 👵🏻👩🌾❣️
I get where your coming from, but I've found in South Texas there are some crops that really thrive much better with a direct sow- specifically our "warm" weather crops, squash, okra, beans, cantaloupe and watermelon. For some reason they tamp off or do poorly when we start indoors, whereas they seem more vigorous when started outdoors. I definitely always start my tomatoes, peppers and eggplants indoors though, as well as my cool weather crops.
Thank you! I was wondering why I was having trouble with my cilantro.
This was so informative.
Really great info, Jacques! Looking forward to more videos from you.
I'd love to hear your take on soil blocks for starting seeds. Thank you!
I've actually wanted to try them for a while and just haven't. I honestly became less interested once I started using the 6 cells as they accomplish the same goal but are way easier to move around and organize
Thanks for all your tips! i transplant some corn last year and they didnt not do too well and keep falling over lol. hopefully this year will be better.
OK you just solved my cilantro issue! Thank you for that!
I pretty much always transplant as well! Nonexistent life of a grad student means I barely have time to water outside or check on directly sown seedlings. But I can for sure eat breakfast and stare at my seedlings I have growing under a grow light in my old fish tank! It's my only moment of peace during the day tbh.
A fish tank! Brilliant! I haven't been able to grow seedlings indoors because my cat eats them, but a fish tank might be a solution! Maybe even a clear plastic tub that can handle the grow light.....
It is a time saver over all, another reason to do it this way!
@@domesti-city lol my dog eats mine actually. Another reason why I can't direct sow. Any seedling that's her height gets picked right out as her fresh microbrews. Anything that looks like a brassica is especially delectable. Drives me insane
@@ellenkuang8853 I had a Labrador that would pick my strawberries and grapes every chance she got. The grapes were bad for her, but she could strip a bunch off the vine in a flash, and my mom's dog would pick avocados from the tree. Had she or my terriers learned that microgreens were tasty, they would have been harvesting just like yours.
I like your laid back style. It makes it easy to listen for information and not the teacher jumping around. Also liked your example of air pruning.
Also placed order for 6 cell trays.
Thanks for a clear explanation. Love your channel, Jacques.
I need to get better at remembering to start my seeds in advance. I had to buy my brassicas from local big box ((no local nurseries)) .....you are an inspiration
That is for sure the hardest part!
I do starts on most of the things you direct sow. The large seeds get dug up and ate by critters if direct sown (corn, watermelons, squash, etc) and carrots I start really thick in a large flat tray and prick them out into a garden bed when they are 1 inch tall. Allows for perfect spacing and zero failure of the little plants.
Maybe I will actually try transplanting some carrots, a few of you have me curious now.
I prefer to direct sow wherever possible, but that is only because I don’t have a good seed set up to grow transplants. Someday, when I have the space and resources to start seeds, I will give this a try.
Great video!! What is that beautiful plant behind you in the outro with the orange flowers?
That is a orange bougainvillea, usually you see the pink ones as they are much more common, its thorny but the flowers are so nice that it is worth it!
@@jacquesinthegarden thanks!
@@jacquesinthegarden my question too. Thank you. They don't grow like that here in 8b but I'm going to try.
I tend to wait way too long to transplant my seedlings. I've always thought that the bigger they are the better they will do in the big garden. There are so many pests in my community garden. From feral cats to, snails and birds which are the worst. I have to make mini half hoop covered rows to protect the seedlings until they're bigger. I did transplant beets, carrots and cilantro. It was touch and go with the cilantro but in the end I got a better harvest than usual. Great video and I hope you'll get some of the rain we are seeing up north in the Bay Area this week.
I am getting a mere fraction of rain, so far 0.25" maybe we will break 0.5" haha. Bigger seedlings are good but only if you keep potting them up, if you try to force it in small container. If you pot them up then the roots can branch out and have adequate space for growth without stress.
Good video. I also prefer to transplant over direct sow especially because of all the pests.
My experience with carrots and cilantro differs from yours, apparently.
My cilantro tends to spread seeds, so I lots of volunteers coming up. I routinely "prick" them out when they are small (less than about three inches tall) by carefully teasing the roots out of the soil with a pencil, and then move them to a better location in the garden. They seem to accept transplanting very well for me.
The same is true with carrots. Last year, I spilled some carrot seed, so the seeds sprouted where they spilled: hundreds of them crowding each other. I simply dug up the whole patch of seedlings when the roots were about an inch long, teased them apart gently and placed them at suitable spacing in the bed where I had gaps in rows. They thrived for me.
Maybe the soil is the difference? My beds are made from straight compost laid over cardboard without tilling the ground below. (Charles Dowding style no-till) My compost is made from horse manure (roughly 70%) and the remainder is pine shavings soaked in horse urine. It remains very loose, even after lying on the garden bed for years with new layers piled on top. Maybe the taproots grow better in very loose, rich soil.
That is interesting to hear, I think part of the problem is that our climate is arid here. This means most of the surface soil is perpetually dry unless you constantly water and water is in short supply and expensive here
Super informative. I was asking this question the other day (to myself)
Good job on the coverage of information. Glad subscribed. Can’t wait firm more.
Awesome, thank you!
Really interesting tips that most people don't talk about - thanks!
A lot of good information here Jacques. Thank you for sharing.
Finally got a second to watch, thanks for the vid!! Excited to see what else you have planned 😄
that intro track though. *Absolutely soothing!!!~*
Yes! You answered many of my questions. Thank you!
I live in Oceanside. So glad to see someone that has the same weather with as I have. Very little rain. Funny, it's raining right now. Love your videos. Do you give classes? Thank you.