After looking at weather forecasts, the calendar, present conditions and the approaching period here known as “de IJsheiligen” ...we have decided to plant the beans and pot-on some toms. This is the traditional point in the spring when we generally say that the last frost ought to have been and plantlets maybe planted outside. It is a sort of almanac-y concept, but proves true most years. I do not think that there is a gardener here that does not know and use this term in some way. I am going off on a tangent here. My apologies. Planting more seeds—well, shall I just get on with it then? This time the beans are getting our attention. I fill the root-trainer about 2/3 full with potting soil and the upper 1/3 with seeding soil. Then dib a planting hole with a dibber. Then in go the seeds. Once planted, the seeds are covered with soil and that is tamped-down so that soil touches all sides of the seed. I just flip the dibber upside down for this step. Now then, finally, a covering layer of vermiculite. When all the planting for the day was done we found a place for them in the windowsill. The windowsill is full now and we had to place two small tables as the plants have begun to spill-over. Right then, that was the planting for this time. More will follow to be sure, but for the moment we can focus only on the garden development. What a pleasure it is to plant the seeds and care for the resultant plantlets until the time comes to set them in the gardens.
Looks good Sjoerd. I keep meaning to pick up some of those root trainers. What is the purpose of the vermiculite?
Thanks Netty. Yeah, those root trainers I really cannot do without. I have used them for so many years now that they have become a sort of security blanket. The vermiculite is to hold moisture. When I am seeding, I give water only once until the seed has germinated and has one or two sets of leaves. My incubators and little seeding cells are on the bedroom windowsill and get western sun all afternoon. This could prematurely dry the cells out right at the critical moment. You may well ask why I would not simply give them some water. The answer is because I cannot precisely see how moist the cells are and at that stage, too much water can be fatal. I do not like to take that sort of chance. I find that the strict water allocation regimen especially important with French climbers which can sometimes rot before they germinate. Cayu— root trainers I have written about before. Let me see if I can find a link. Wait a mo. Oké, I’m back. Check this link out and scroll down. You will see root trainers opened up to demonstrate how the root trainers train the roots to grow downwards. The bottom of the trainers are open so that when the roots finally reach the bottom of the cell, they grow our the hole in the bottom and the root top dries and dies, forcing the roots further up to branch and become thicker. Root trainers—unmissable. Here’s the link: https://www.gardenstew.com/threads/lets-garden-2.22156/#post-198983
