How to plant vegetables for greatest success

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It is important to know how to plant vegetables

Knowing how to plant vegetables improves your chances of success and minimises the chances of failure.

Ensure chosen option(s) suit your situation

I have a problem of mice eating seeds on my vegetable garden - solve this by growing plants from seed in pots/ trays/ modules in a green house or cold frame and then planting these out.

You may have the same issue or suffer from birds feasting off your seed rows when your back is turned.

Or maybe your garden faces north, or is in a frost pocket or windy spot - if so you will need to sow sensitive species indoors and plant out later when the risk of damage has gone.

For more information see when to plant your vegetables.

General advice for how to plant vegetables

Where-ever you sow - seeds need moisture, a certain seed depth and good soil-seed contact, appropriate warmth to germinate and space for root growth. Follow the guidelines on the seed packet for best advice.

Options on how to plant vegetables

Seed trays: sow onto compost and cover appropriately with compost. Water and allow to drain. Cover tray with a clear plastic and place in a cold frame, on a window sill or in a green house as appropriate to the temperature need of the vegetable sown.

Pots/modules; to give plants the best start sowing and growing on young plants in pots/ modules means you can just pop them in a planting hole with minimum disturbance. Place seed at the right depth in good firm seed compost. Water, cover and keep at right temperature.

Sowing outside: ensure conditions are warm enough in spring to suit the vegetable chosen. Draw a drill line of the right depth and sow at the right spacing as per the packet. Cover with some fine soil (sieved, or rubbed between fingers), then firm soil and water.

Planting/ transplanting: make a planting hole large enough to take the roots to minimise disturbance, add some compost and gently place the transplant in the hole drawing the soil/ compost over the roots and firming so that the plant sits at the right depth and is stable. Water well, and check plant establishes over the next days, watering if necessary.

Planting times: summary table and advice

Protection;

from birds: netting or foil or old CD's hung off sticks and strings
from cold: fleece or plastic over sticks/ canes/ wire hoops or cloches all provide good protection and can safely bring on an earlier crop in more frost prone/ windy areas

Planting distances: Normally follow the guidelines on the packet for spacing both in the row and between rows.

However, if you are planting according to the bed system then plant according to the plant spacing in the row in both directions, but stagger planting points. The arrangement and density can be changed to suit you needs, with tighter planting if you want smaller vegetables.

For further information;

For more advice on how to plant vegetables

For general advice on planting a vegetable garden

To return to home of easy vegetable gardening