Sowing in clods

Ecological, economical... sowing in clods using a clod press is a technique increasingly used by amateur gardeners. What are the specific features of sowing in clods? Eliminate the pots: From potting soil, solid clods are formed. Resistant and capable of retaining water, they eliminate the use of plastic pots. A very good gesture for the environment! They will make a very good substrate for both seedlings and cuttings. Reasonable use of potting soil: Several sizes of clod press exist and allow you to adapt the quantity of potting soil used to the plant. Between lettuce and tomatoes, the space required for root development will not be the same! Less stress: The seedlings resulting from this technique are moved with the clods whole. Results: the number of handling operations is reduced, the roots are preserved and the plant establishes more easily. Plants that require intermediate transplanting can be sown in small plugs and then transplanted into larger plugs. Be careful not to dry out. Formed plugs are more prone to drying out. Care must be taken to keep the plugs moist to maintain the seeds in favorable conditions for germination. What size plug press for which plants? The 17 mm and 38 mm plug presses are suitable for small seeds (lettuce, annuals, etc.). It will allow early start of crops on a small surface, ideal for vegetables that need to be transplanted several times (celery, cabbage, etc.). The mini plugs can be transplanted after 2 to 4 weeks into larger plugs (50 mm) or in a pot. For fruit vegetable seeds such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, cucumber, melon and other cucurbits, 50 mm plug presses or larger sizes will be more suitable. Clod Sowing Technique Choosing the right substrate is the first step in sowing and probably one of the most important! The seeding substrate must have good water retention capacity but also drainage so as not to suffocate the roots. It must be light and fine to promote germination. Finally, it must be healthy to prevent the spread of disease. In a container, moisten the substrate evenly. Fill the clod press, press, and gently extract the formed clods. Place 1 to 2 seeds in the hole created in each clod and cover it with potting soil. Make sure to keep the clods sufficiently moist throughout the germination process.