When the nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees here in Michigan, I know it’s finally a safe time to plant the warmer summer season crops such as beans, squash, cucumbers, corn and tomatoes. This next week the temperatures are going to be very warm, so with a little water, seeds should germinate quickly and transplants should root in nicely.
planting bean seeds
When planting seeds, make sure you follow the directions on the package. As a general rule, you will plant a seed as deep as up to twice its diameter. For instance, you plant beans about 1″ deep. Some seeds you may just sow directly on top of the soil and barely cover. The most important part when planting seeds is that you keep the soil moist until it has germinated and is growing. If the root begins to emerge from the seed, and it dries up before it is able to become established in the soil, it’s a gonner.
loosing the rootball on this tomato plant
When transplanting vegetables or flowers to your garden, make sure you loosen the rootball of the plant and bury it in the soil at the same level it was growing in the container.
This rule can be broken for tomatoes, which when planted deeper in the soil, burying a leggy stem, will develop more roots on the soil covered stem, which is better for the tomato plant overall.
planting tomatoes to encourage additional root development
Even though we have reached our frost free date, and the nighttime temperatures are consistently over 50, I will wait another week or two to plant basil, eggplant, and some of my favorite peppers. I don’t want to take any chances and these plants really like to grow in warmer temperatures.
So when planting, keep in mind the following five tips:
- Make sure you know how deep to plant the seed or transplant
- Check the seed packet to see how far apart to place each seed (or plant).
- Lightly pat the soil around the plant. Don’t smash or compact the soil.
- Water thoroughly and continue to check daily for watering. Keep moist, but not soggy.
- Label each planting with the name and date planted. Then you can estimate the time of harvest. Yum!
Happy Planting!
My Urban Farmscape 