It is the monsoon, and with it comes the season of tree planting. Many people like to raise seedlings from seed with their own hands. The first thing is to get the seed quality right, so buy good seed: very old seed is reluctant to sprout.
Soak seeds in water before sowing. The ones that sink are the most likely to sprout. The potting mix must also be good: you can sow in a mix of 60 per cent cocopeat, 20 per cent sand and 20 per cent compost. This crumbly mix keeps seeds healthy.
Sowing and watering
Do not bury seeds deep in the potting mix. Fill the container you are sowing in to 70 per cent, then add another 20 per cent of potting mix on top. One rule to follow: cover the seed with as much soil as the seed is wide.
After sowing, water with a spray bottle morning and afternoon. Make sure the soil never dries out, but it should not stay soggy all the time either. Keep it out of direct sunlight, in a place with light and air movement.
Feeding and transplanting
When the seedlings are 15-20 days old, you can give a very dilute fertiliser. Once at least 10-12 leaves have appeared, they can be moved to a larger pot or into the ground.
After that, 1 teaspoon of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) in 1 litre of water can usually be used. To feed seedlings, dissolve 1 teaspoon of NPK in 2 litres of water and spray it on the soil and on the plants.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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