TopVeg – growing veg,fruit&herbs

May 3, 2010

Optimum germination temperature for vegetable seeds.

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — TopVeg @ 3:53 pm

There is an optimum temperature, the most ideal temperature,  for vegetable seed to germinate, and it varies from one type of veg to another.

The optimum temperature is printed on the back of some seed packets.

Seeds will germinate over a range of temperatures, but at the optimum temperature :

  1. more seeds germinate – the percentage of seeds to germinate is highest
  2. germination is quicker – the number of days to emergence is less

The benefits of increasing germination rate by hitting the optimum temperature are:

  • seed cost per veg plant produced is less
  • return on effort of seeding is higher

The benefits of decreasing days to emergence by hitting the optimum temperature are:

  • less time for seed to rot off
  • less time for seed to be eaten by predators
  • shorter growing period & earlier harvest

Seeds will germinate at temperatures lower & higher than the optimum temperature, but fewer seeds will germinate & they will take longer to come through.

For example, the optimum germination temperature for asparagus is 77F, when 95% of seeds are likely to germinate, and the asparagus seedlings take 10 days to emerge.  Either side of the optimum temperature, the number of seeds germinating reduces as shown in the table below; and the number of days for the seedlings to emerge increases.

Asparagus seed
Temperature F %germination Days to emerge
32 0
41 0
50 61 53
59 80 24
68 88 15
77 95 10
86 79 12
95 37 19
104 0

Starting seeds off indoors, or outdoors in pots or under glass is worth considering because:

  • germination temperatures for vegetable seeds often differ from the ideal temperatures for plant growth.
  • soil temperature takes a long time to heat up & waiting for the optimum soil temperature will prolong harvest dates, if indeed, there will be enough days left for a full growing season.

Vegetable gardeners will find that some types of veg, and also different varieties of particular veg, do better in their particular locality.  Some varieties will germinate at lower temperatures than other varieties of the same type of vegetable.

Click this link to view a chart showing the optimum germination temperature for vegetable seeds.

April 20, 2010

When to Take Seedlings out of the Propogator

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — TopVeg @ 8:41 pm

ben_short has asked ” when should I remove plants from propagator? when the cotyledon have thrown off the seed casing or at the first sign of the plant?”

We  put seeds in a propogator because they require a higher temperature to germinate.  But once they have germinated, a lower temperature will encourage the seedlings to grow slowly and to develop a strong stem.

seedlings-in-pot

seedlings-in-pot

Here is a chart showing the difference between germination & growing  temperatures:

Germination temperature Growing temperature
Asparagus 77 60-70
Beans – french 75-85 60-65
Beans – runner 75-85 65-75
Broccoli 80 60 – 65
Brussels Sprouts 75 – 80 60 – 65
Cabbage 75 – 85 60 – 65
Carrots 75 60 – 70 Sow Directly into soil
Does not transplant well.
Cauliflower 80 60 – 70
Celery 70 60 – 70
Leeks 75 75
Lettuce 40 – 60 40 – 60
Onions 65 – 85 65 – 85
Parsnips 65 – 75 65 – 75
Peas 40 – 75 40 – 75 Sow Directly into soil
or sow in gutter
Potatoes 45
Spinach 50 – 75 60 – 65
Swiss Chard 50 – 85 60 – 65
Turnip 50 – 95 50 – 95

Once the seed has germinated, it should be removed from the propogator and placed in a warm, light place.  It will need to be protected from cold temperatures for a few weeks.

elongated-seedling

elongated-seedling

If the seedling is kept in the propogator for a day or more, it will become leggy, with a long, weak stem.

Remove the plant from the propogator at the first sight of the seed leaves.

April 12, 2010

Watering newly planted seed

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , — TopVeg @ 10:02 pm

ben_short on Twitter, has asked TopVeg “any advice on avoiding creating a surface pan when watering a newly planted seed bed?”

This is a very interesting question, which requires a longer answer than the 140 characters allowed on Twitter!

water

water

1.  Give small droplets of water – using a very fine rose on a watering can, or a spray.  This will not swill the surface like water from a hose pipe

2.  Retain small cloddy bits of soil on the surface, to help keep it open.  It is good to have fine soil around the seed to give plenty of soil/seed contact.  The seed can then take the water from the soil & start to grow.  But the surface of the seedbed should contain little lumps of soil, so that it is not a powder which will soak up water & then dry into a hard sheet or cap.

water-seeds-in

water-seeds-in

3.  When raking the seedbed do not collect up all the small bits and clods to leave totally fine soil.  Fine, powdery soil will run together when wetted, & then go solid when it dries out.

rake-seed-bed

rake-seed-bed

4.  Do not overwork the soil, leaving a very fine soil on the top.  The fine soil will go hard after a wet & a dry.  The germinating shoot will not be able to push through this hard cap.

5.  On clay/loamy soils,  sow seed into moist (not wet) conditions.  Before watering the seeds in, let the surface of the soil dry out a little so that the small cloddy particles go hard.  Then they will repel water and not melt when wetted.

6.  Be careful not to over water and make the soil water- logged.  Too much water will fill all the air spaces – pushing all the oxygen out of the soil.  It is better to water little & often, maintaining a permanently moist (not wet) soil.

Watering a newly planted seed bed requires lots of attention to detail!

March 27, 2010

Germination Temperatures for Vegetable Seeds

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — TopVeg @ 10:18 am

Germination temperatures for vegetables seeds often differ from the ideal temperature for plant growth.  Some vegetable seeds will only germinate when warmer than the best soil growing temperature, so they have to be germinated in a propagator, on the windowsill or under a cloche .

Here is a chart of some ideal temperatures:




Germination temperature
Growing temperature





Asparagus 77
60-70
Beans – french 75-85
60-65
Beans – runner 75-85
65-75
Broccoli 80
60 – 65
Brussels Sprouts 75 – 80
60 – 65
Cabbage 75 – 85
60 – 65
Carrots 75
60 – 70 Sow Directly into soil




Does not transplant well.
Cauliflower 80
60 – 70
Celery 70
60 – 70
Leeks 75
75
Lettuce 40 – 60
40 – 60
Onions 65 – 85
65 – 85
Parsnips 65 – 75
65 – 75
Peas 40 – 75
40 – 75 Sow Directly into soil




or sow in gutter
Potatoes 45


Spinach 50 – 75
60 – 65
Swiss Chard 50 – 85
60 – 65
Turnip 50 – 95
50 – 95







Germination temperature
Growing temperature





Asparagus 77
60-70
Beans – french 75-85
60-65
Beans – runner 75-85
65-75
Broccoli 80
60 – 65
Brussels Sprouts 75 – 80
60 – 65
Cabbage 75 – 85
60 – 65
Carrots 75
60 – 70 Sow Directly into soil




Does not transplant well.
Cauliflower 80
60 – 70
Celery 70
60 – 70
Leeks 75
75
Lettuce 40 – 60
40 – 60
Onions 65 – 85
65 – 85
Parsnips 65 – 75
65 – 75
Peas 40 – 75
40 – 75 Sow Directly into soil




or sow in gutter
Potatoes 45


Spinach 50 – 75
60 – 65
Swiss Chard 50 – 85
60 – 65
Turnip 50 – 95
50 – 95

March 18, 2010

Cutting Seed Potatoes

Filed under: potato — Tags: , , — TopVeg @ 9:17 am

Cutting seed potatoes is a way to increase the number of potato plants grown from one seed & is used when the seed of a particular variety is scarce or very expensive.

Large seed potatoes may be cut into several pieces, as long as each piece contains at least one eye. The ideal seed potato is the size of a hen’s egg.
The eye of the potato is a leaf scar with a depressed lateral bud. This bud will grow into the shoot, which appears above ground, and also produces the new tubers below ground. When the eye first starts to grow the new shoot is called a chit.

How to Divide, Cut or Split Seed Potatoes:

  •  divide potatoes a day or two before planting, so they have time to heal
  • use a clean knife, to prevent spreading disease from one potato to another
  • cut when sprouts/chits are 1/4″ long  pieces should be about the size of a small egg.
  • cut pieces should be block shaped, with at least one eye or sprout, but two  are preferred. Thin slices of potato are no good.
  • cut lengthwise, across the top, to divide the chits that usually group there.

 

potato-chit-day20 potato-chit-day20
  •  part of the center core of the potato should be in each piece.
  • cover the cut potatoes with powdered limestone, to dry the cut up. Or sprinkle  with flowers of sulphur, to stop any disease entering the cuts.
  • let the potatoes “heal” by storing them at 65-70 degrees with fairly high  humidity. The humidity is important to stop the potatoes dehydrating. The cut  surface will develop a protective coat that can help prevent seed decay.  Covering the box with clear plastic film will also stop dehydration.

There are pros and cons to cutting seed potatoes into several pieces before they are planted.
The advantages of splitting seed potatoes are:

  •  large seed potatoes are utilised to the full
  • less tubers are produced per seed, so each tuber harvested is bigger
  • apical dominance is broken, releasing more eyes to sprout
  • expensive seed potatoes go further in the vegetable garden
  • saves buying another packet, if just need one more seed to finish the row

Disadvantages of dividing seed potatoes are:

  •  bacteria & pathogens may be spread between the potatoes on the cutting knife.
  • Large seed potatoes may be divided up into several pieces, as long as each piece contains at least one eye, to achieve the ideal seed potato size, equivalent toa hen’s egg.

 

Larger seed potatoes:

  • have more vigour
  • grow quicker
  • emerge sooner
  • will be ready for harvest earlier
  • for more information click size of seed potatoes

Cutting seed potatoes is an old technique which has been practised by vegetable gardeners for years.

February 16, 2010

Vales Emerald Potato Variety

Filed under: potato — Tags: , , , , — TopVeg @ 11:00 pm
Vales Emerald is a popular, high yielding, first early potato variety which tastes good. 

Vales Emerald :

  • produces a large number of new potatoes
  • matures quickly , making it a very early potato
  • is a Maris Peer x Charlotte cross
  • has red violet flowers

 

vales emerald

vales emerald potato seed

Vales Emerald potato tubers are:

  • round to oval
  • white skinned
  • cream fleshed
  • shallow eyed
  • firm & waxy
  • great tasting

 

Uses of Vales Emerald:

  • boil or steam
  • serve hot or cold
  • ideal salad potato

 

Click this link to buy some seed of the first early variety of potatoes  Vales Emerald 

 

 

February 15, 2010

Chitting potatoes

Filed under: potato — Tags: , , , — TopVeg @ 9:28 am

Chitting potatoes must be done properly, according to John Sarup of the SAC.

Chitting is the controlled production of sprouts on seed potatoes before planting.   But the controlled production of sprouts is the key. The length & strength of the sprout must be controlled to give a short (1.5-2.5cm (0.5-1in) long), stubby, green chit. 

The 3 factors involved in chitting are:

  • temperature – 4 degrees Celsius is ideal, but the temperature should not go above 10 degrees, neither should it reach freezing.
  • ventilation - plenty of fresh air
  • light - plenty of light – but not bright sunlight – a north facing window is best

Early and late main crop potatoes could especially benefit from the chitting , but it must be done properly.

February 14, 2010

Potato Variety Accord – first early

Filed under: potato — Tags: , , , , — TopVeg @ 7:09 am

The recently launched potato variety Accord is a first early.

Accord potatoes are:

  • first early
  • disease resistant – Double eelworm resistant
  • high yielding
  • creamy fleshed
  • very tasty 
  • easy to grow
  • ideal for containers, patio planters, a sunny balcony or roof terrace

Click this link to order some Accord seed potatoes, which are a first early variety.

February 13, 2010

Potato Variety Premiere

Filed under: potato — Tags: , , , — TopVeg @ 11:07 pm

The potato variety Premiere is a first early potato.

Premiere potatoes are:

  • first early
  • pale yellow-skinned
  • yellow fleshed
  • oval shape
  • firm and dry texture
  • good for chips, boiling, New Potatoes, & Salad Potato
  • golden eelworm resistant

Click this link to buy some seed poatoes, variety Premiere.

February 12, 2010

16 Seeds to sow in February

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — TopVeg @ 1:49 am
These 16 seeds can be sown in February if the soil conditions are dry enough – some of them will need to be protected from the cold weather.

Seeds needing protection from frosts:

beetroot-growing

Seeds which can be sown outside in February:

young-parsnip-plant

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