{"id":32050,"key":"Raising_seedlings","title":"Raising seedlings","latest":{"id":1207718,"timestamp":"2025-11-27T22:45:33Z"},"content_model":"wikitext","license":{"url":"https://www.appropedia.org/Appropedia:Copyrights","title":"CC-BY-SA-4.0"},"source":"{{Topic notice}}\n\n[[File:Raised Redwood Gardenbeds 06.jpg|thumb|Raised Redwood Gardenbeds]]\n\n'''Raising seedlings''' can be done directly in the garden, or in pots or seedling trays, depending on the local climate, available options and intended use of the seedlings.\n\nFor a quick, practical guide, see [[How to raise seedlings]]. To understand some of the issues in raising seedlings, see below.\n\n== Needs ==\n\nThe key factors that affect seed germination are:\n\n* [[Water]]\n* [[Oxygen]] - there is no root or leaf system to breathe, so oxygen must be able to reach the seed. A light porous soil helps. The main thing is not to bury them in a hard [[clay]] soil, or bury them too deeply within the soil, or have a soil which is waterlogged, or the seed may die.\n* Temperature - many seeds prefer a temperatures around or slightly above room-temperature, 16-24 deg C (60-75 F) - this applies to most food plants which are commonly grown. (Other plants have more unusual requirements, but you generally won't encounter these when growing vegetables or [[herbs]]. Some cold-weather plants can germinate just above freezing. Others response to changes in temperature between warm and cool. Some seeds need to be exposed to cold temperatures (vernalization{{W|Vernalization}}) and then be allowed to warm up, to break dormancy. Some seeds only germinate after hot temperatures during a forest fire which cracks their seed coats.)\n\n== Threats ==\n\nHot, cold, wind, pests excess sun can threaten seedlings.\n\n== Create the environment ==\n\nCheck your setting for the threats above, and look for ways to minimize them.\n\nE.g. A drying wind may be avoided by moving next to an existing [[windbreak]] (wall or [[tree]]) or by placing a plant igloo over them.\n\n== Planting directly or transplanting ==\n\n: ''See also [[How to raise seedlings #Sowing directly vs sowing in containers]].''\n\nIf you have a mild climate, and especially if you like [[lazy gardening]] (which is really efficient and resilient gardening), then planting directly where the plants are to grow is preferable. The seeds can be planted directly in a small amount of compost or potting mix, unless the soil is both good quality and light.\n\n== See also ==\n\n* [[Transplanting seedlings]]\n* [[Disease in seedlings]]\n* {{Cl|Food crops}}\n\n== External links ==\n\n* [[Wikipedia:Germination]]\n* [[Wikipedia:Seedlings]]\n\n{{Add links notice}}\n\n* [http://web.archive.org/web/20150317104645/http://www.cdc.gov/Features/GrowingVegetables/ Spring Seedlings: Tips for Growing Your Own Vegetables] - CDC.gov\n* [http://www.plantdex.com Gardening Resource] Plantdex\n\n{{Page data\n| license = CC-BY-SA-3.0\n}}\n\n[[Category:Gardening]]\n[[Category:Seedlings]]"}