Скачать или смотреть Greenhouse Secrets: Growing Plants From Little to Lush!

When starting plants from seed or growing them from “plugs”, you’ll need the best growing medium and methods to get plants to size up quickly. DirtFarmerJay shows you how.

#greenhousefarming #planttrays #greenhouse #plantpots #seedstarting

Maximizing space is a priority when growing plant stock in a greenhouse. Greenhouse operators recognized this years ago and devised clever ways to optimize their space use, minimizing losses and maximizing profits.

A time-tested approach is to use 10” x 20” growing trays that accept inserts with varying numbers of growing cells. This allows a lot to be grown in a small area, and then transplanted to packs for sale or planting later.

Attrition occurs when growing plants for various reasons, including low germination rate, temperature variations, inadequate or too much moisture, and too high humidity, which can result in botrytis (damping off).

Starting seeds in specialized starting trays allows the consequences of reduced germination to be contained in a small area. Plants that germinate and grow well are then planted into larger cell sizes.

We typically do one transplant because we sell moderate-sized plants in six-celled “pony packs”. The exception is when we offer a selection of 4” pots, one-gallon pots, or patio/hanging containers. As long as each stage is well-rooted, it can be quickly and successfully transplanted to the next size.

To see the common sizes we use on our greenhouse operation, enjoy this episode:

   • Greenhouse Tray Sizes Explained So Anyone ...  

Growing medium choices are also essential. We mix bales of medium in a large tub to fill planting trays. The medium is dry when opened, so water has to be added and mixed in until it is dark brown, damp, and holds together slightly when squeezed into a ball. There shouldn’t be any standing water; the mix should be moist but not dripping.

We use two types of medium: germination and general-purpose. Both are sifted products, with the germination mix being very fine with no discernible pieces of material visible. This mix is used for seed starting. We use 288-cell trays to do this. The moist mix is put into the trays and then seeded for smaller seeds. We use a vacuum bulb or tweezers. The flats are kept moist by misting to avoid washout of the medium or seeds.

The general use mix is not sifted as fine, but it works well for general planting needs in 6-packs, 72-cell trays (for plants like melon, cucumber, and squash), and square pots.

Planting up 288-cell tray “plugs” is very easy. We'll fill trays or pots with the general mix, depending on what pot we want the plant sold. We don’t tamp it down; how the cells naturally fill with gravity is fine. We start by using a scoop and overfilling the tray/cells, then use the scoop back to slide off the excess, leaving each cell full to the top. Excess is not needed or desirable.

Next, we indent the center of each cell. You can use a dowel, your fingers, or a dibble board (dowels in an arranged pattern mounted to a board so you can indent several cells simultaneously). If the mix won't keep the indent open, it needs more moisture.

Now, pluck out plugs by the base of the plants (not the leaves!) and push them into the indents flush with the surface of the medium. No tamping or pushing of the medium around the plug is necessary - watering will do the trick of getting the medium in contact with the roots on the surface of the plug.

Now, fill the tray with water, and label each pack or pot. We also sprinkle on encapsulated slow-release fertilizer - we like the Osmocote® product.

There won’t be any transplant shock, assuming the plugs are well rooted and a bit dry when planted. The plants will size up nicely in the following days and weeks, as you have given the plants new resources.

We use Banana Bloom® banana trunk fiber in our growing medium. This product increases water-holding capacity. Unlike coir and peat moss, the fiber is hydrophilic (it “likes” water). Coir and peat moss are hydrophobic, tending to repel water. They have to be repeatedly moistened for them to accept the water.

If you’d like to see Banana Bloom® in action and our thoughts about it, visit:

   • How Banana Bloom® Soil Additive Became A R...  

We get to help support a great organization - 180 Ministries Women’s Center. If you want to know more about what they do and how you can help, visit:

https://www.180ministries.net/women


JUST DO IT YOURSELF!