Planting

If you buy 1 month old seedlings you have saved a month’s work.

When you plant seeds only 70-80% survive to seedlings.If you buy 100 seedlings you will have 100 seedlings.

The seedlings are the same size so you get even growth. Follow these steps in setting up a good nursery:

Step 1

Buy seedlings from a good seedling raiser like Plant Raisers. They are grown for greenhouses, have good root growth and do not have pests or diseases.

Step 2

Plant seedlings 60 cm apart along drip lines 30 cm apart. Plant in a zig zag.

Step 3

Plant seedlings next to the driplines so they can get water easily. It also stops water being wasted. Make sure the holes in the driplines face up. Stand the plants as upright as you can.

Step 4

Water the seedlings twice a day. Water in the early morning. Water again in the early afternoon. You do not want the soil to be wet at night. Add more water if it is hot.

Step 5

If the soil sticks to your hand when picked up it is too wet. Wet soil brings diseases. Stems will rot and the plant will fall over. This is called damping off and the plant can die.

Step 6

Transplant seedlings after 3-4 weeks (15–25 cm tall and or with 3 - 5 leaves)

Step 7

One week before you move, give plants less water to harden them.

Step 8

Dig holes 1 ½ feet apart in a row with rows 2 feet apart and ½ foot (15cm) deep.

Step 9

Put a handful of manure and a bottle top of planting fertilizers like Mavuno Planting NPK 10.26.10 per hole.

Step 10

Mix soil with fertiliser and manure well.

Step 11

Uproot a seedling with a ball of soil and plant then firm soil around them.

Step 12

Drench again with PEARL and CONTROL 70DF from Osho Chemicals and water the seedlings regularly. Drenching helps to kill early pests and diseases.