David Goldsmith wrote:
I vegetable garden organically in Oly, Wash. and am getting ready to
start this year's crop. I have good soil and good compost to enrich
it with. Opinions: should I seed directly or start and transplant?
Does it depend on the plant, i.e., some plants should be seeded
directly, others started and transplanted? And any opinions regarding
using egg cartons for the starts? Finally and separately, any advice
on nursing transplanted cedar sprouts?
You can sprout just about any veggie that produces above ground
indoors but just about all that grow below ground should be direct
seeded. I use the styrofoam egg cartons, with holes punched in the
bottoms, for just about all of my transplants--- but I do transplant
them to soil blocks when they get four new leaves. They then go to
the cold frame for hardening off and then to the garden. I use the
cartons from "Jumbo" eggs because the dividers go all the way to the
top and I fill them with mix to almost overflowing, this helps in
preventing damping off. I cut off the lid from the carton and use it
for a watering tray beneath the carton------waste not, want not!
Bill