Direct Seeding

- Direct seeded crops require less labor and tend to nature faster than transplanted
crops.In this method, plants are not subjected to stresses such as being pulled from
the soil and re-establishing fine rootlets.However, they have more competition from
weeds

Steps and procedures in Direct Seeding

1.Prepre your seedbed

- Make sure that the top 8-12 inches of your soil are loose and fluffy. You can do this by
digging, plowing, or if you’ve been tending your garden for some years and using mulch,
just raking away the mulch to reveal a beautiful, soft, open palate. After loosening, run
a rake over the bed to smooth out its surface and remove any debris such as rocks or
roots.

2.Decide on a planting patter and mark it out

- Three of the most common ways to plant are in rows, in a honeycomb pattern, and
broadcast or scattered. Depending on the crop and your overall management, one of
these styles will be the right choice for you. For rows, it can be helpful to scratch a
furrow or run a string to mark the row so that you stay on it while sowing. Some people
use planting jigs for honeycomb patterns.

3.Sow seeds
- Depending on the area you are planting, this can be done by hand or with a
device. Rolling, walk-behind seeders and jab-style seeders are available for larger
gardens and farms. Seeding devices can be homemade too. Sowing depth depends
on the crop you are working with, and ultimately on the size of the seed. A general rule
of thumb is to plant to a depth of 2x the width of the seed. Some seeds, however, need
light to germinate, so check on your seed packet for specific information. For great seed
sources, check out our list of Independent seed companies..

4.Cover seeds
-Good soil contact is crucial for germination. It also means that your seedlings won’t get
dried out easily once they germinate. With you hands or a hoe, cover the seeds
completely with soil (unless they are light-dependent germinators). Tamp the soil down
gently. Walk-behind seeders do this step automatically!

5.Thin to desire spacing and weed

-. Once your baby plants are up, thin out enough of them so that you’re left with optimal
spacing. Keep up with weeding right from the start so that your crops don’t have to fend
off competition from too many vigorous neighbors.