#How to prevent collar rot in mustard crop

[umangharyana]

सरसों में सिंचाई करने से पहले पढ़ ले ये जरूरी खबर, पूरे पौधे को नष्ट कर देगा ये रोग

जयपुर: राजस्थान के किसानों के लिए सरसों की फसल पर एक महत्वपूर्ण कृषि एडवाइजरी जारी की गई है। बीकानेर स्थित स्वामी केशवानंद राजस्थान कृषि विश्वविद्यालय (SKRUM) ने किसानों को सलाह दी है कि सरसों में पहली सिंचाई सावधानी से करें, वर्ना कॉलर रोट नामक खतरनाक बीमारी का खतरा बढ़ सकता है। यह बीमारी फसल को न केवल कमजोर करती है, बल्कि अगर समय रहते इसका इलाज न किया जाए, तो पूरी फसल नष्ट हो सकती है। कॉलर रोट…

[livingcorner]

Sowing Seeds in the Vegetable Garden

How to Direct-Sow Seeds Outdoors

You're reading: Sowing Seeds in the Vegetable Garden

Most vegetables are started from seed sown directly in the garden. This is often called “direct sowing” or “direct seeding.” In this article, we’ll talk about which vegetables are best planted as seed directly in the garden (versus planted as transplants). Plus, we will provide some tips and tricks for sowing seeds so that they survive and thrive.

Starting Your Vegetable Garden

When it comes to growing vegetables at home, you have two options for getting your garden started: you can start vegetables from seed (indoors or outdoors in the garden) or purchase small starter plants (called “transplants”) from a local garden center. Many gardeners use a mix of these techniques in their vegetable gardens each year.

Which method is best? It depends. Many vegetables prefer being directly seeded into the ground and do not thrive as well if they’re transplanted or disturbed. In this article, we focus on vegetables which are planted as seed directly into the ground outdoors. See our separate articles about transplanting and starting seeds indoors for more information on those topics.

Of the vegetables that are planted as seed directly into the garden: Some are considered “cool-season” vegetables, which need a cool period to germinate, and others are “warm-season” vegetables, which need the soil to be warm enough to germinate and will not survive a frost. Here’s a helpful list:

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Cool-Season Vegetables

“Cool-season” vegetables have seeds which will germinate in cool soil. They are often planted in the spring (to mature before the weather gets hot) and in the summer (to mature in the cool of autumn). Below is a list of those veggies which prefer to be seeded directly into the soil (not transplanted):

Very hardy (can be planted 4 to 6 weeks before average last frost date)

Collards

Endive

Fava beans

Kale

Kohlrabi

Leeks

Lettuce

Onions

Peas

Rutabagas

Spinach

Turnips

Hardy (can be planted 2 to 3 weeks before average last frost date)

Beets

Carrots

Chard

Mustard

Parsnips

Radishes

Warm-Season Vegetables

“Warm-season” veggies grow best in warm weather and seeds germinate only if the soil is warm enough. If planted too early, seed may rot in the ground. A late spring frost will kill them, as will the first autumn frost. Below is a list of those veggies which prefer to be seeded directly into the soil (not transplanted):

Tender (plant 0 to 2 weeks after frost; injured or killed by frost but tolerant of cold weather)

Snap beans

Dry beans

New Zealand spinach

Summer squash

Sweet corn

Warm-loving (plant 2 to 4 weeks after frost; killed by frost immediately and not tolerant of cold weather)

Cucurbit seeds (which include cucumbers, muskmelons, watermelons, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, and gourds) require very warm soil to germinate, at least 60°F. Seeds may rot if the soil temperatures are under 60°F. 

Cucumbers

Garbanzo beans

Lima beans

Melons

Okra

Pumpkins

Soybeans

Winter squash

Yardlong Beans

Before Sowing Seeds

It goes without saying (but we’ll say it again), you can’t just scatter seeds on the ground and expect all plants to grow!  Similar to a human, plants need the right environment, nourishment, and water. Here are some things to keep in mind before sowing seeds:

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Know Your Planting Dates. Before you even start planting, know when each vegetable should be planted. Consult our Planting Calendar for the best dates to plant, based on frost dates.

Have a Plan. Know where each vegetable will go. For example, consider which vegetables need shade and which vegetables are tall so they do not shade shorter plants. Also, plant so that you can reach the center of the row or bed easily enough to weed, water, and harvest. Provide permanent beds for perennial crops such as rhubarb, asparagus, and some herbs. Remember, you can plant cool-season crops in the same place as warm-season crops later in the season, based on the vegetable’s days to maturity (on the seed packet). Try our Garden Planner to plan your garden for success.

Prepare the Soil. Your seeds need rich, fertile soil to grow. Add organic matter in the spring and work it into the soil, digging down about 1 foot to loosen the soil. Alternatively, do as many gardeners do and add organic matter in the fall so that it needs little work in the spring. See our page on how to prepare the soil for planting.

Remove Weeds. Before you plant any seeds, the area MUST be weed-free! Otherwise, the weeds are competition for water and nutrients. 

Apply Fertilizer. In the spring—shortly before planting—work fertilizer into the soil. A soil test will help determine soil deficiences. Learn more about how to apply fertilizers to your garden.

Use Quality Seed. Seeds do have a shelf life, and while you can often get away with using older seeds, just be prepared for lower germination rates. Use fresh seed from a reputable company for the best results. See our list of reputable seed soures. Also, if you save you own seeds, do not save seeds from hybrid plants. Most hybrid plants will not be “true” to their parent type, so you could end up with a completely different (and possibly disappointing) fruit or flower. See more about saving vegetable seeds. 

Starting Indoors. For vegetables that grow slowly from seed, try starting seeds indoors several weeks before the planting dates. Vegetables that grow slowly from seed and are ideal to start indoors include: tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, and peppers. See our article on how to start seeds indoors. 

Prepping Warm-Season Crops. Before planting warm-season crops, especially cucurbits, you can warm the soil with different techniques, such as forming a mound or hill and/or using black plastic. To form a hill, mound soil to make a low, broad hill about 8 to 10 inches high. Lay any black plastic on the soil surface as early as possible in the spring. Simply cut a hole in the plastic in the area where you want a plant to be located; the plastic will keep the soil warmer and suppress weeds around the plant. Learn more about warming the soil.

Protect Seedlings From Frost. If you plant in early spring, be prepared to insulate young seedlings from cold weather—from cloches to row covers. See how to protect seedlings.

How to Plant Seeds

Sowing seeds is pretty simple, but there are some tips and tricks to make it easier, including the following:

Sow at the proper depth. In general, plant seeds at a depth two times the seed’s diameter, no deeper. However, do refer to the seed packet for this information. Some seeds only need to be pressed into the soil surface, as they need more light to germinate. For seeds at two or three times the depth, poke individual holes for seeds or create a furrow. You can use a pencil to poke holes if you wish!

Pay attention to seed spacing. You can plant lettuce, radishes, carrots, and other small seeds densely, and then thin them to the correct spacing when the seedlings are small. In general plan to sow some extra seeds, since not all seeds may germinate.

Plant in defined rows if you are a beginner; don’t scatter widely. It’s easier to keep weeds down between rows and identfy seedlings from weedlings. (Weeds don’t usually grow in rows!) Often, rows are spaced about a foot apart, but refer to your seed packet for specifics. See our helpful page on vegetable seedling identification.

Firm the soil, once seeds are sown. This ensures good contact between seed and soil. 

Water new seeds gently! Don’t turn the hose on full strength and blast them or you’ll wash those seeds away or cause them to drift together. Use a fine, gentle mist to moisten the soil or let the water hose slowly trickle around the area.

Prevent soil crusting. Weak seedlings (such as carrots) can struggle to break thrugh the soil surface if a hard crust forms. After covering seeds with soil, add a thin layer of fine mulch or compost to help prevent crusting. When you plant, you can also mix in seeds that germinate quickly (such as radishes), which will break through the crust and allow weaker seedings to grow.

“Hill” vining plants. When direct-sowing large vining plants such as squash, melon, and cucumber, consider planting them on a hill. Each hill should be spaced 4 to 8 feet apart. Plant 4 to 6 seeds in a circle in 5-inch intervals on each hill. Thin when seedlings have 2 or 3 leaves. Remove all but 2 to 3 large, healthy, well-spaced plants per hill. More than 3 plants per hill will lead to crowding, greater chance of disease, and lower yields. 

Mark the spot where you planted your row of vegetables; it’s very easily to forget, especially when you are trying to differentiate between seedlings and weeds! Use a popsicle stick to label rows, or anything that works for you!

Caring for Seeds and Seedlings

Once seeds are sown, be sure to keep them cared for!

Keep soil moist until the seed germinates. Watering seeds is critical. Never let the soil get dry; seedlings do not have a good root system and will dry out within hours, especially if it’s windy outside. Use drip irrigation or put the hose at ground level and let the water gently soak the planting area. Learn more about when to water vegetables.

You’ll need to thin seedlings to the right spacing when they are a couple of inches high. Don’t be scared to thin! If you don’t, your plants won’t have space and nutrients to grow and will crowd together. 

Protect seedlings. Some pests do love those tender seedlings, too. If you have critters or pests, there are a number of different techniques to protect your seedlings, including netting, row covers, and little plant collars. See how to stay ahead of garden pests. 

Provide trellises and supports such as poles or cages. For example, cucumbers need vertical supports to produce straight (rather than curved or malformed) fruit. Any vining or sprawling plant such as melons or pole beans also need supports. Tomatoes also need supports or cages for their heavy fruit.

Pinch back leggy plants. Many vegetables—and especially herbs—benefit from being “pinched back” after they have grown 3 sets of true leaves. Pinching back simply involves pruning the top of the plant back to its next set of leaves. This will encourage more branches so that your plant does not get leggy and grows in a more compact way.

Continue to pamper your seedlings until they become established plants! 

See our Growing Guide Library for plant care tips for all your common vegetables.

If you have grown any seeds indoors, you’ll need to transplant into the soil. See how to transplant. 

Free Online Gardening Guides

We’ve gathered all of our best beginner gardening guides into a step-by-step series designed to help you learn how to garden! Visit our complete Gardening for Everyone hub, where you’ll find a series of guides—all free! From selecting the right gardening spot to choosing the best vegetables to grow, our Almanac gardening experts are excited to teach gardening to everyone—whether it’s your 1st or 40th garden.

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Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Garden

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[sherristockman]

How to Grow Great Lettuce Dr. Mercola By Dr. Mercola If you're growing your own vegetables, now is the right time to start your lettuce. Lettuce of all kinds thrives in cool temperatures and consistently moist soil, so spring and fall, when temperatures are between 45 and 75 F, are the best times to grow them. Popular lettuce types include: Loose-leaf varieties — Fast-growing delicate leaves that grow from a central stalk; cutting the outer leaves rather than pulling the whole head will allow the plant to keep growing new leaves to replace what you harvested Butterhead (Boston) — Soft, tender leaves with white heart; requires cool weather and optimal soil quality to thrive Mesclun blends — Spicier greens such as radicchio and mustard add flavor and color to your salads Romaine — Heat-tolerant with crunchy long leaves. Use red or red-speckled varieties to add color to your meal Crisphead (iceberg) — Heat-hardy with thick, crunchy leaves, high in fiber but low in overall nutrition When and What to Plant for Spring First, check your Farmer's Almanac (The Old Farmer's Almanac is now available online1) to find the last frost date for your local area. Lettuce should be sown six weeks before the last frost date. Ideal soil temperature is between 55 and 75 F. Within this range, seeds will sprout in two to eight days. If your seeds resist sprouting, they're probably too old. Lettuce seed should be replaced annually. Fresh seeds have a germination rate of about 80 percent, and a single standard seed packet will produce about 80 heads of lettuce. Make sure your soil is rich in humus and retains moisture well, as the soil should never be allowed to dry out. Lettuce also needs plenty of nitrogen. To ensure a continuous spring crop, plant your lettuce as follows:2,3,4 1. Plant seeds in cold frames six weeks before your last spring frost date. 2. At the same time, start another batch of seeds indoors under growing lights. When the seedlings are three weeks old, place them outside for two to three days to adjust before transplanting them into your planting bed. For the first few days, use a shade cover to protect the tender plants from excessive sun and wind exposure. Reducing watering and exposing the seedlings to lower temperatures for three days before transplanting them into your garden will toughen them up further. 3. Two weeks before your last spring frost date, direct seed another batch in your garden. If the weather threatens to warm up considerably, be sure to use more heat-tolerant varieties. Be mindful of the fact that if the soil is too warm, germination may not occur. You can encourage germination by placing the seeds on wet blotting paper and refrigerating them for five days before planting them. 4. As the seedlings begin to grow, you'll need to thin the lettuce to allow adequate growing room. Begin thinning when the seedlings have four leaves. Thin leaf lettuce so the plants are 4 to 6 inches apart; butterheads, 3 to 5 inches; romaine varieties need about 10 to 12 inches; and head lettuce needs about 12 to 16 inches. Rows should be about 18 inches apart. 5. Water daily. The soil must not be allowed to dry out as this will make the leaves thin and bitter. Lettuce has shallow roots, so the soil surface should be kept moist but not soggy. Adding a thick layer of mulch will help retain water and cool the soil. If the weather gets too hot, put up a shade cover. Fall Crop Growing Tips For a fall crop, find the date of your first fall frost and start planting seeds eight weeks before the frost date. Direct seed batches every one to two weeks for a continuous fall crop. Once you're a month out from your first frost date, be sure to sow only cold-tolerant varieties such as the following.5 Alternatively, use a mixed seed packet, which can contain a dozen or more varieties. The hardiest ones will survive. ✓ Green Forest ✓ Hyper Red Wave ✓ Merlot ✓ Midnight Ruffles ✓ New Red Fire ✓ Oscarde ✓ Panisse ✓ Pablo ✓ Red Salad Bowl ✓ Salad Bowl ✓ Winter Marvel (Bibb variety) ✓ Winter Wonderland (Romaine) Planting and Harvesting Tips If you're using a planting bed, loosen the top 10 inches of soil and mix in about an inch's worth of compost. Seeds should be planted at a depth of about one-fourth inch, with 1 inch between seeds. If you want, you may simply scatter the seed across your planting bed, but be sure to thin and transplant the seedlings as they start to pop up. Lettuce can also be grown in containers, or you can add them to your flower beds as edible greenery. Growing several different varieties and planting a new batch every week or two will provide you with fresh salad greens for several months out of the year. Adding compost or fish emulsion once or twice during growing season will promote speedy growth. If the soil is too dry, the plants can start seeding early, at which point they tend to get really bitter. Pull and discard any plant that goes to seed. If you want to save seeds, save only those from the very last plants that go to seed, as early seeding is an undesirable trait. To prevent the seed head from toppling over, you may need to stake the plant. Once the seed pods are plump, gather them and store in a paper bag in a cool, dry place. Harvesting is simple: If you need the whole head, simply cut the head off near the soil line. Alternatively, just cut some of the mature leaves from the outside with a pair of scissors, leaving the center in place. New leaves will continue to fill in. The best time to harvest is in the morning, after they've had time to plump up with water overnight. Rinse with cool water and pat dry before storing in the refrigerator. Harvesting your lettuce while still immature is a simple way to get more nutrition out of your lettuce. After about two to three weeks, when the plants have reached a height of about 2 inches, they're considered microgreens. At a height of about 4 inches, they're known as "baby greens." Both microgreens and baby greens are packed with higher densities of nutrients than full-grown vegetables. Addressing Pests Without Chemicals Common pests and ways to address them without toxic pesticides are as follows: • Slugs — Signs of a slug problem include smooth-edged holes in the outer leaves. Simple remedies include collecting them by hand (use gloves), trapping them in beer traps, or spraying cold coffee on infested plants until you see no further sign of infestation. When these approaches fail, I have had great success with Monterey Sluggo, which is OMRI certified for organic gardens. • Aphids — Aphids are typically found in the folds between leaves. Simply spraying them off with cool water can help. Ladybugs and syrphid fly larvae6 (also known as hover flies or flower flies; often mistaken for bees and wasps) are natural predators that can quickly suppress an aphids infestation. You can tell you have active syrphid fly populations in your garden if you see black oily smears on plant foliage. This is the excrement of the larvae. If you don't have an active syrphid fly population, you can buy live ladybugs (available online) and apply them to your garden.7 Before releasing them, refrigerate the live ladybugs for 30 minutes. It's best to release them in the evening, so be sure to time it properly. Spray some water on the lower portion of the area infected with aphids, then sprinkle the chilled ladybugs on the lower half of the plant. The chilling will slow the ladybug's metabolism, basically putting them to sleep for the night. As the sun warms them up in the morning, they'll start scavenging for food and laying eggs. So, even though many will fly away, the eggs will hatch larvae that continue feeding on the aphids, and the grown ladybugs will continue the lifecycle of laying eggs and controlling pests in your garden. • Cutworms (moth larvae)8 — You will typically see these caterpillars in your garden in the evening, after dusk, which is when they start to feed. During daylight hours, they can be hard to find as they curl up in different hiding spots. Cutworms can do severe damage, as they chew through the plant's stem at the very base of the plant. They also feed on plant roots. Usually, infested plants cannot be salvaged. To prevent cutworms, place a 4-inch-tall plant collar made from cardboard around each plant stem. Save and reuse toilet paper tubes for this purpose. Simply cut the tube in half, lengthwise, and down the center to slip it around the plant. Another alternative is to pick off the cutworms by hand. Go out after dark and use a flashlight to find them. Place the cutworms in a bucket of soapy water. Repeat every few nights until the infestation is under control. Other chemical-free treatment alternatives include the following: ◦ Sprinkle used coffee grounds or ground up egg shells around your plants ◦ Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around each plant ◦ Use oak leaves as mulch around the plants ◦ Plant tansy near cabbages to ward off cutworms ◦ Fireflies are a natural predator to cutworms, so if you have them in your garden, consider yourself lucky Preventing Plant Disease While lettuce needs moist soil, poor drainage can lead to soggy soil that promotes bottom rot and gray mold. As a general guide, only plant lettuce in the same spot once every three years. This will prevent many soilborne diseases. To avoid bottom rot, make sure the soil is moist but well drained. Planting your lettuce on ridges elevated about 4 inches can be helpful. Also avoid wetting the leaves when watering. Gently fold the leaves off to the side with one hand and only water the soil. Gray mold produces grayish-green or dark brown spots on the leaves. Any infected plants should be pulled and discarded far from your garden to avoid spreading. Regrow Romaine Lettuce in a Bowl of Water As seen in the video above, regrowing romaine lettuce requires nothing more than a shallow bowl and some water. Once you've cut off the leaves, leaving a couple of inches' worth of the head, simply place it in a bowl with one-half inch of water. Replace the water daily. New leaves will begin to sprout from the center, eventually regrowing the entire plant.