How to Starting Your Gardening Life with Plastic Seed Trays?
Why Use Seed Trays
Seed trays are a great way to get your seeds germinating well before the weather is ready for planting. Especially in areas where the growing season is short or the weather is too hot or too cold. And also, it allows you to grow something that you could not usually grow.
How to Use Seed Trays
I. Preparation
Before starting your planting, you will need seed starting mix (soil with compost mixed), seed trays, your seeds (just remember to view the directions on the seed packet), and other essential tools such as a putty knife and markers.
II. Plant Seeds
Adding the soil into the nursery seed tray by pressing the dirt in firmly to make sure it fills all corners. Then start to moisten your soil with waves of water and make sure the pressure won’t take away the soil. When the soil starts to be slow to absorb, just place the seeds on the soil (large seed with one in each hole, small seed with 2-3 per hole), and gently press the seeds down so they are nestled nicely. If your seeds are really small, leaving them uncovered is also okay.
And don't forget to label them, you can use any way to label your plants, just be sure to include the plant type and the date you planted them, it will be more effective to take further actions.
III. Grow Seeds
Because the soil in seed container tary is shallow, it may be easy to be dry. You should make sure that it won’t be completely dry out as your seeds grow. Every plant is different so just review your directions from your seed packet. Most plants need moist soil so you can stick your finger into the soil to test for moisture. Most plants also need direct sunlight, so you will need to place them in a greenhouse or near the window with plenty of light. You may also need grow lights if additional heat and light are needed.
Once the plants push through the surface and grow a few inches tall, you need to thin out the number of plants by pulling out the smaller or weak-looking plants. You can also try to separate the thinned-out plants and replant them, but it should be known that the success rate won’t be high.
IV. Replant
When the weather is suitable for the growth of your plants, you can start to prepare your replant. Fill your beds with a combination of soil with compost. Plant the plants with all of the soil it has been growing in. Be sure to read about directions to make sure the appropriate space for your plants as you put them in the ground so they have enough room to grow throughout the whole season.