Planting your 4 Pack seedlings

On the farm we grow nearly all our crops from starts, just like those 4 packs you have purchased.  The difference is that we usually don't put as many seeds in a cell.  However, you will notice your cell packs often have more than one seedling in it.  I do this so that you get more for your $.  Some items can be grown just as they are but others will do better if given more space.

 

A few key things

Try and plant early in the morning or in the evening or on a cloudy day.  It is harder on the plants to go in on a sunny and hot day, especially if they are having their roots disturbed! 

I prefer to separate my seedlings when the dirt in the cell is dry because it is easier to loosen it all up.

Make sure you are set up to water as soon as you are done and keep an extra  eye on those things that have been separated.

After planting, your seedlings may be really wilted but don't worry. They will spring back up.

Seedlings are tougher than you think and it's ok if you tear some roots, more will grow. Just do your best!  However be little extra careful with items that you are harvesting for the root- like beets.

Finally, just so you know, we often break these rules and plants still grow! 

CAN I PLANT COLD CROPS???

Yes but with a few precautions...

In regards to whether you can plant your cold crops... most items I am selling you have been partly hardened off in a semi-sheltered outdoor spot.  Some have already endured -5 but not all. So, I would suggest to give everything 1 half day, then 3\4 day in full elements.   They are all tolerant of light frost but need to get used to sun and wind.  If we are expecting frost it really doesn't hurt to cover them. If we are expecting a decent frost definitely cover them.  

I would give the most attention to: Perpetual Spinach, lettuce, beets, green onion, asian greens because they have been in the hoop they would be extra sensitive to a very cold snap. 

 Looks like some decent weather coming next week after Wednesday night , maybe consider planting Thursday?  (please check weather as it changes daily!)

 

TWO EXAMPLES OF SEPARATING SEEDLINGS FOR BETTER HARVEST

A lettuce plug 

 After loosening the base, grab the seedling and carefully wiggle them apart. Plant each in its own spot.

 Here is a tricker lettuce transplant because the smaller ones are more fragile.  There are 3 seedlings here. You could simply split this in 2 and plant the two on left together if you are afraid to break them. Or you can carefully split each one!

As long as you can get some root mass, you are fine.

Just plant each in their own spot and water right away.  I actually put these in two close together, I would actually pull every other out.  You can harvest the outer leaves of your lettuce until you see the middle starting to rise which means your plant is bolting and will start to taste bitter.  Best to cut it out completely before it gets too strong.  Alternatively, you could let each grow to a full head.  

Here is a 4 pack of beets, lots of beets in there!

 So this plug seems very easy to separate.  Beets can grow relatively well in groups of 2-3 max. So I would just split this in two.

Just like this.

This one looks harder but it's really not and remember more beets for you! 

Soil is nice and dry and with a little massaging these babies will separate easily.

 

Just pulls away.  You can also grow them as singles.  

 

 

 

Hope this helps!