Germinating and growing plants outdoors can be easy or as difficult as you can make it. First, you will need to determine your soil type. Is it clay, loam or sand infused? Each type can be amended to create a good growing medium for your transplants or seeds. You can use water absorbing materials for sandy soil such as peat, vermiculite, compost and grass clippings that haven’t been sprayed with weed killer.
To improve clay soil, some of the same ingredients can be used. Compost, for example, will be beneficial for either type. Straw and wood chips are also choices. When you mulch your plants with organics, these will decompose and improve your soil. For additional information from the Colorado State University, click here.
Planting Steps for Outdoors
- Prepare the soil: break it up, rake it or hoe it. Add amendments.
- Prepare the seeds: Check Information on seed packet.
- Place seed in furrows: Space seed according to directions.
- Cover to depth: Cover with fine soil at depth required.
- Water: Use a fine mist or watering can to avoid washing the seed away.
- Mark Variety: Mark what and where you plant if you plant more than one type of seed.
- Cover lightly: Put a little straw or herbicide-free grass clippings to retain moisture, but don’t block light from soil.
- Check daily: Make sure the soil doesn’t dry out until the seedlings are up.
- Identify your plants: If you don’t know what a seedling of a certain seed looks like when it sprouts, look it up so you don’t inadvertently pull it thinking it is a weed.
- Enjoy your plants as they grow and bloom!
Plants for your garden
Direct sowing in your garden is easy to do with larger seeds. Seeds of garden plants such as peas and corn, lettuce and radishes, squash and pumpkin are all easy to plant as the seeds are large and easily spaced. If flowers are what motivates you, marigolds, zinnias and other medium to large seed will usually germinate quickly, and are easy to plant. Some smaller seeds like alyssum sprout quickly given damp conditions and sunny days. Over the years, I have found some that grow quickly and some that don’t do well in my location. Usually most are successful, with a few failures from time to time. But if you’re passionate about gardening, there is always the next year to try new plants from seed, and new ways to combine them together.