Transplanting Bedding Plants

Bedding plants and other small plants are easy to establish in the garden. They are already growing and have an active root system. Plant them in the spring as soon as it is warm enough for the species. But don't rush out with a new flat of plants, and stick them in the ground. First you must harden them off. Most bedding plants are grown under greenhouse conditions and are not yet ready to take on the real world. Here are four critical steps to success.

Hardening off. Toughen bedding plants first to stretch your plant dollars. Hardening off is a physical toughening of plant tissues. It takes only a few days and pays off in the survival rate and vigor of transplants. Whether bringing home plants from the garden center or preparing your homegrown transplants, this is a crucial step. Begin by placing the plants outside for about thirty minutes in a protected site, near a south wall for instance. Even a gentle breeze can seem like a howling gale to pampered plants. The next day increase the plants' time and exposure to the elements. Continue this routine for about a week.

Site preparation. While the plants are hardening off, prepare the site by removing all weeds, turning and amending the soil, and dusting with diazinon or diatomaceous earth to kill soil-dwelling bugs. Transplanting. Transplant on an overcast day or in the late afternoon. Use a garden trowel to dig holes for the transplants 1 to 2 inches deeper than the roots of the plants. Sprinkle a little fertilizer or 1 inch of compost at the bottom of each hole. Refill the hole so that the transplant rests at the same depth it grew in the container. Gently loosen the transplant's roots, and place in the hole. Pat into place, and water. Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) makes a cheap fertilizer substitute for tomato transplants.

Coddle transplants. Coddle the transplants for a few days even though they have been hardened off. They will suffer less shock and will grow more quickly. Water frequently, but don't drown them. If the weather is windy, give them a wind break by placing a board or bale of straw between them and the prevailing wind. If it gets too hot or sunny, rig a shade cloth over them. A good start will result in more robust and productive plants when they mature.

Windowpanes or Grow Lights

The final consideration for starting seeds indoors is their individual light requirements. Most seeds germinate best in darkness, but some won't sprout without a little light. Knowing the light requirements of the seeds you sow prevents mysterious disappointments.
The light level is just as important after the seeds sprout. If grown at room temperature, they need supplemental light to prevent spindly growth. Plants grown on windowsills will do fine if the microclimate near the window is cool enough.

The alternative is to purchase cool-watt fluorescent lights. Sold as shop lights in 4- and 8-foot lengths, the lights are inexpensive and perfectly adequate for the task. They do not radiate the full sun spectrum, but unless you intend to hold seedlings until they flower, they won't need the full sun spectrum. The range of light waves from shop lights are just what seedlings need. Hang the lights within a few inches of the plants' tops, and adjust the lights as the seedlings grow.

Start Your Own Seeds in Containers

You can start transplants either indoors in containers or in a cold frame. Start them under controlled conditions to get a jump on the growing season. For gardeners in areas with short growing seasons, this is standard practice. Also, plants that originated in the tropics, such as tomatoes or peppers, require a long, warm growing season to ripen fruit. Start them as transplants.
Starting seeds in containers requires seeds, a growing medium, and containers. Quell that stingy urge to use garden soil in containers. As discussed in Chapter 1, it compacts and carries disease organisms to which seedlings may succumb. A bag of seed-starting medium is not a bad investment, or mix your ow.
The next consideration is the container. The only requirements for transplant containers is that they must be at least 21/2 inches deep to allow for young, spreading roots, and they must have drainage holes. Those nicely matching plastic models at the garden center are a landfill nightmare. If you must buy them, use them carefully, wash thoroughly, and re-use them.

Do you need some suggestions to get started looking for free containers? Piece together wooden flats from scrap lumber, but make sure they are not painted or coated with a toxic preservative. Don't use old painted wood or treated lumber as it may contain toxins that could leach into the container soil. Cut milk cartons lengthwise and slice a few holes
in the bottom for drainage. Large, wax-coated cereal boxes and styrofoarn take-out containers are made to order. For a built-in greenhouse effect save plastic boxes from delis or bakeries. Poke holes in the bottom, fill, plant, and put the lid on. Wash out used margarine or yogurt cups and plastic trays from snack foods. Save toilet paper rolls, cut in half, arrange on a tray, and fill. Learn to find food-safe containers.

If you start seeds indoors, scrounge up trays to place beneath the draining containers. A shallow box lined with plastic wrap, plastic container lids, or cookie trays will work in a pinch.

Temperature is critical to how many seeds germinate and develop. Room temperature, 65° to 70°F works well to germinate most plants. Heating mats or tape underneath the seed containers encourage roots to grow downward. Once plants sprout, however, remove the bottom heat as cooler temperatures produce sturdier plants.

Sow the seed as for direct seeding. Don't worry about spacing. As soon as the seedlings show two to four leaves, carefully lift by the leaves and transplant into individual containers. Never pick up tiny seedlings by the stem because they will crush easily.

Planting Bulbs, Corms, and Tubers

Not all plants start best from seed. Many, such as tulips, gladiolus, and dahlias, propagate best from underground storage organs (as discussed in Chapter 3). The methods for planting bulbs, corms, and tubers are similar to planting seed, except bulbs used for naturalizing or planted in grass. In these cases, don't prepare the soil in advance, instead use a handy bulb planter for forming holes.

For perennials, use a hand trowel to dig holes about three times deeper than the width of the bulb. This insulates the bulbs from extreme temperatures. Irises are one exception. Plant them with part of the rhizome above ground. Planting irises too deeply will kill them. Likewise, plant onions and garlic with the tops nearly exposed.

It is absolutely critical to place bulbs, corms, and other underground storage organs in the soil with the growing tip facing the sky. If you are not sure which end is the growing tip, check for roots. The growing tip is on the opposite end. Dahlias and other tuberous plants should have small growing shoots coming out of the tuber. Plant them so the tips of the shoots point up. Make sure you don't break or damage growing tips. Sprinkle a little bone meal in the hole before placing the bulb to help the roots develop. Place the bulb in the hole, fill with the soil removed from it, and press down gently.

Planting Seed at the Right Temperature

It is important to know the temperature tolerance of the seeds you plant. Cool-season plants will sprout and grow at 40°F. Due to the process of microbial breakdown, however, cold soil has few organic nutrients available to plants. But warm-season plants will rot at 40°F. Most plants germinate very well at temperatures between 60° and 70°F.

Saving Money on Seeds

When buying plants, seeds are much cheaper than transplants. Compare two extremes. Tetraploid pelargoniums cost $2.95 for a packet of only five seeds, nearly 60¢ for each plant. A transplant, however, costs around $3. Of course, you have to factor in the cost of growing the seed, but after doing that, even expensive seed is still a bargain. Then there are the seeds you buy on sale or wholesale, or those you save from your own plants. Outside of a few pennies for seed, soil, and water, the costs are negligible for a homegrown transplant.

Tucked away in its cozy little hiding place, protected by a tough seedcoat, a baby plant waits to make its grand entrance into the world. When conditions of light, temperature, and moisture are just right, which varies by the type of seed, the embryo bursts forth. It carries just enough nutrition in the seed for the incredible feat of breaking free and stretching upward. Afterwards, it makes its own food. Through the miraculous process of photosynthesis, plant cells convert light, air, water, and soil nutrients into sugars, starches, and proteins. Seeds may be direct seeded, which means planted directly into the garden where they will grow, or started in containers for later transplanting. Most plants are better suited to one method than the other.

Direct Seeding
This is the original plan for seed-bearing plants. They flower, set seed, and some seeds manage to get a foothold. Some types of garden seeds, especially those that develop extensive root systems, are best suited to direct seeding. Direct seeding begins with preparing a seed-bed. Begin by removing all weeds and cultivating the soil. Rent a rototiller or get a good workout turning the soil by hand. Rake the soil to remove any clumps, sticks, or rocks, and break the soil into fine particles. Water the area the day before planting so the soil is moist. You may want to treat the soil with an insecticide, such as diazinon (one of the less toxic of the chemical insecticides) or diatomaceous earth (an organic alternative), especially in soil freshly turned from sod. If soil-dwelling insects such as army-worms or cutworms get your plants before they emerge, you not only waste the money, time, and effort of planting, but you fall behind in the growing season. Space seed plantings to avoid wasting seeds and having to pull out healthy plants later.

You can broadcast seeds or plant them in rows. Spice dispensers, such as those for salt substitutes, make handy, free seed broadcasters. Those with smaller holes work for small-seeded crops, such as carrots; those with larger holes, are great for bigger seeds, such as marigolds. Fill the dispenser and gently scatter the seeds evenly over the prepared area. Scatter tiny seeds more evenly by mixing with fine sand for a carrying medium. To plant in rows, use a dibble, made from a stick or your finger, to poke a hole the appropriate depth into the soil, and drop a seed or two in each hole. Use either method for raised beds or wide rows.

I include broadcast seeding because many gardeners use it, but I don't. I think it wastes seed. It is faster than placing each individual seed where it belongs. Much of the time saved is imaginary, because thinning the thickly sprouted seeds takes time. Since it is more difficult for me to justify yanking out a perfectly healthy seedling than it is to space my plantings in the first place, I take the extra few minutes spacing seeds according to their size at maturity. Since I plant wide rows in raised beds, I space the seeds a certain distance apart from a center point. For example, carrot seeds are 3 inches apart on all sides and bean seeds are 4-inches apart.

Once planted, cover seeds lightly with fine soil. The standard rule of thumb is cover seeds with soil two or three times as deep as the seed's thickness. Gently press on soil over the seeds until dirt is firm. Remember to keep moist. Tender seedlings will die if allowed to dry out.

When starting vining plants, such as pole beans, scarlet runner beans, or sweet peas, plant a support along with them. Another prime candidate for direct seeding is a lawn. Till and amend the soil; most lawns benefit from tilling in peat moss or other organic matter. Rake until as even as possible, then compact with a roller, a large metal drum you rent and fill half-full with water for weight.

Seed evenly with a spreader by walking across the area first in one direction, then perpendicular to the first pattern, and finally at a diagonal. This pattern prevents bare spots.

The best germination depends on good seed, warm temperatures, and constant moisture. Until the grass is about 1 inch tall, water it every day. Spread a grass seed mulch over the seed to reduce water loss. You will save money substantially by planting your own lawn rather than laying sod or hiring someone else to install it either way.

Tips on Planting Many Types of Plants

Garden Vegetables
This may sound a little obvious, but grow what you like to eat. No matter how good a crop you turn out, it's a waste of time and money if no one eats it. The second important consideration for a cost-effective plot is to grow only those crops which are cheaper to grow than buy. Why toil over a bed of spuds when you can buy 10 pounds for $1.59? Actually, there are a couple of sound exceptions to this rule. If your heart's desire is for a vegetable variety unavailable at the grocery store, grow your own. If you worry about an organic diet, grow your own. But if cost is a factor, leave the cheap vegetables to the truck farmers.

Herbs
Herbs are among the most trouble-free plants to grow, rarely bothered by pests or diseases. This is an endearing quality to the gardener who likes to save time and money. Most are attractive plants that add beauty to the landscape and many are exquisitely fragrant. They fit in anywhere; interplant into a border or grow in containers, a windowbox, or a pot on a sunny kitchen windowsill.

Look at some of the wonderful ways you can save money through the benefit of homegrown herbs. Grow gourmet cooking herbs such as Italian parsley or cilantro, that are often difficult to find in grocery stores. Common culinary herbs such as dill, oregano, sage, and tarragon transcend into gourmet delights when homegrown and just-picked fresh. Moreover, all herbs seem to taste better when you know you didn't have to pay the high prices they bring at the market. Grow mints, chamomile, and lemon balm, among others, to create your own soothing teas at a fraction the cost of store-bought. You can also dry herbs to use and enjoy all through the year, or to give as gifts.

Small Fruits
Berries and other small fruits add a touch of sweetness to the summer garden. While expensive in the supermarket, most small fruits are easy to grow.

Annual and Perennial Flowers
We appreciate flowers for their marvelous colors, textures and aromas. Annuals provide color all season, while gardeners wait patiently for perennial favorites. By blending the two types, you can create a lasting portrait in living color.

Turf and Ground Covers
Choices in ground covers have expanded wildly in the last few years. From play turf to low-maintenance 'Blue Carpet' juniper, there is something for every lifestyle and every pocketbook. As nice as a lawn is, consider the time and expense that goes into maintaining it, and alternatives become all the more attractive. Many tolerate drought much better than a lawn, which saves you money on watering. And most add visual interest to the landscape that turf can't touch. Those listed tend to spread readily to cover the area, another valuable characteristic.

Climbers and Vines
Climbers and vines add interest to spaces that might otherwise go bare. Use them to create a privacy screen or to obstruct an unpleasant view. Quick growing annuals are handy for a nearly instant solution to such landscape problems, while perennials provide long-term cover. Growing and training vines is easy. Direct seed or transplant annuals where you want them to grow, and provide a trellis or other support structure at planting time. Plant perennial vines as you would other perennials. The method differs somewhat for container plants and bare root plants.

Landscape Shrubs
The main reason for landscape shrubs is to provide visual interest in the yard or garden. Those that stand out remain attractive even after their main growing season. Shrubs also provide a haven for birds.

Shade and Landscape Trees
Few things in life are more rewarding than trees. They provide shade, privacy, and good company. Recommended types on the next page are low-maintenance, and offer at least two seasons of interest.