Many vegetable problems start in the nursery.
Good nursery practice
- Clean media: sterile or well-composted mix, trays that are washed.
- Quality seed with good germination, treated if needed.
- Right water and light: moist, not soggy; enough light to avoid leggy seedlings.
- Protection: insect-proof net against virus-carrying insects; shade in heat.
- Hardening off: reduce water and increase sun for the last week before transplanting.
Transplanting
Choose healthy seedlings of even size, transplant in the cool of the evening, plant at the right depth, water in, and shade if the sun is strong.
Why it pays
Uniform, vigorous seedlings give uniform crops and earlier harvest, and avoid replanting gaps. Buying or growing quality seedlings costs far less than the yield lost to poor ones.
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