INSTANT SEED BEDS

Press, 21 September 1977, Page 15

INSTANT SEED BEDS

If the garden soil is not yet ready for planting, or it is still too cold to put in some of the heat-need-ing crops such as tomatoes and green peppers, then some vegetables can still be got off to a flying start with the help of an “instant seed bed” which is available from most nurseries or seed merchants.

Many home gardeners yill, of course, have their Own seed beds but for those without the space, time or inclination to prepare their own, an “instant” bed, bought commercially will be beneficial. The method involves raising seedling plants in a plastic dish containing a special growing medium which retains moisture and is at the same time both insulating and pliable. It is virtually foolproof in that the addition of water is all that is necessary to produce a bumper crop of seedling ready for eventual replanting.

Such an instant seed bed is called “Punch’n Gro” the name being descriptive of the manner in which growth is started by simply punching holes in an already semi-per-forated plastic lid. A pencil or similar pointed instrument will do.

The starter kit is preplanted with approximately 100 seeds of choice strains which have been scientifically placed at a set depth in their sterile, bacteria free growing medium.

After puncturing and ■watering, leave it for a day. Next day remove the transparent lid and just keep the kit at room temperature until the seedling appear. They must then be watered occasionally until sufficiently grown to transfer to garden beds.