Growing Instructions

Growing Techniques from our friends at Sow Organic.

These techniques and practices are based on our own experiences as gardeners of seeds. Timing of the planting cycles are structured on our weather (Southern Oregon). We are a Zone 7, by all the charts we have checked. Our ground is rarely frozen in Winter. Our greenhouse is an unheated one, covered with one layer of poly plastic made for this purpose.

1. Seed depth and handling
   Seeds should be planted, twice their thickness deep, covered, and lightly tamped. German Chamomile should be sprinkled on the surface and watered in, no covering! Echinacea and St. John's Wort will need to be stratified by freezing for 7 days or chilling for 2 weeks before planting.
   
   
2. Watering
   Plants and seeds like to be in moist soil but do not like to be in wet, undrained soil. Be aware, don't over water! Treat new sprouting seeds gently, a hard flow of water can damage or move them. Freshly planted seeds should not be allowed to dry after you begin watering them. They are tiny, little sprouts with no roots into the deeper, moist soil. Keep them moist until they establish as rooted plants. A once-a-week deep watering of a mature garden is better than three quick waterings. Mature plants have established deep roots and can drink long after the surface starts to dry. Young plants have roots closer to the surface and may require frequent waterings until they become established.
   
   
3. Starting in pots or trays in a greenhouse
   We do this, instead of direct seeding, for many varieties, so we can avoid the first major weedings that are required when seeds and weeds sprout at the same time in the garden. Also cold sensitive melons, beans or cukes can get an earlier start. Cabbage, kale, and broccoli are early starters from mid February. In an unheated greenhouse tomatoes and peppers can be started from late March through early April. If weather blocks the sun this cycle runs later.
   
   
4. Transplanting
   Move starts to the field after the heat of day, or shade them from direct sunlight. Transplants should be watered into their new homes immediately after planting. This lets them merge well with the soil around them.
   
   
5. In the earth
   Seeds planted directly in the garden should be spread evenly on the designated line of each variety. Thirty two - thirty six inches between lines is necessary for tillers, etc.. If you hand hoe beds closer is fine. Remember to consider the size and growing habitat of mature plants in your spacing plans. Down the row carrots can be a 1/2 inch apart. Spinach and radish are OK at 1-1 1/2 inches apart. Beets and chard are OK at 2-3 inches, each pod can have 4 fertile seeds. Thin as necessary. Second or third thinnings are often large enough to eat. Plant beans 3-4 inches apart in the row and corn about 6 inches. Remember, corn needs to be grown in a block of 4-6 rows so they pollinate each other and fill out their cobs. The rows for bush squash can work a little wider at 40 -45 inches as these do get larger than leaf and root veggies. Running vine squash can easily handle 5 foot or more so there is room to spread. Squash seeds can be placed one or two every 15-20 inches down the row.

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