If your answer is "yes"—don't
worry, you're not alone. I've heard frequent concerns about direct seeding,
which is when seeds are planted straight into the soil as opposed to using starts
from a nursery. An afternoon of garden coaching might help.
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| Purple top globe turnips |
Successful direct seeding requires thought,
preparation and precision. Each crop has its own requirements for seed depth,
spacing, temperature and moisture. And, as with everything in gardening, your
success depends on the quality of your soil, which can be improved with proper
organic techniques.
I can best assess the tilth of your
soil (i.e the structure) and give tips for improvement by meeting with you in person
at your garden. You also have the option of a seeding lesson on-site at M R
Gardens. It's much easier to achieve achieve good tilth if you know what it looks
like. You can see and feel healthy soil in beds now in their fifth year. (With my gardening methods, the typical time period for creating optimal soil health is three or more years, but you can produce high quality vegetables in just a few months after setting up a brand new bed.)
 |
| Bloomsdale spinach |
From now until June 14, I've dropped
the low end of my sliding scale to $12 an hour for customers seeking tutorials
on direct seeding. Some seeds may be included in the price depending on which
crops you request.
If you want to plant spring crops such
as mixed salad, other greens, peas, potatoes, bunching onions, cilantro, parsnips,
turnips, or radishes, please make an appointment prior to April 15. Some frost-hardy
crops such as carrots and beets sprout more quickly when the soil has warmed to
70F, so we can wait until late April to seed them. For summer crops
such as squash, cucumbers, melons, beans, okra, sweet corn and popcorn, we can make
an appointment to seed between May 13 and June 14.
Please contact me at 828.333.4151 or
gardens@wncmretc.com.
