In My Garden! Spring Planting
It may be hard to think about spring planting but spring in San Diego is just around the corner. I'd like to talk a little about techniques that will make your planting more successful.
Use only new seed packages. It sounds like a no brainer, but you would be surprised at how often old seeds are sold, and old seeds don't always germinate. If they are from the last year they may be ok, but personally I don't think its worth the aggravation if they aren't. I would rather just buy fresh seeds. Most seed packages have dates printed on them when they were packaged.
If you are going to plant directly into the garden (as opposed to starting in trays) add a new layer of one to two inches of compost a couple weeks before planting. Dig it in and start watering twice a week. This will help activate the natural bacteria in the soil, which is important for the plants to be able to access the nutrients held in the soil.
When planting the seed it's important to follow the depth and spacing of the seed instructions on the packages. I use a 3/4" x 3/4" x 2 foot long square stick on it's edge and press it into the soil to produce a straight line the right depth, then place the seed in that indentation. Then I sprinkle soil on top and pad down lightly with my hand.
The soil is already damp because of the watering I have been doing the last couple weeks so I need to water only lightly after the planting. Depending on the soil and where you live, you will need to keep the soil damp and water every day or every other day. Don't over water or allow to dry out until the plants sprout. The package will give the expected time of sprouting, usually one to three weeks.
If you plant too close together the plants won't develop well and you will have a smaller crop, wet rot, and insect problems. I have seen people put a whole package of seed in a 3 foot line and that doesn't work. Thin if you need to when the plants emerge, as per the directions on the seed package. Good luck with your garden, it's well worth the time and effort.
