Plant Frame for Seedlings

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 84, Issue 4, 15 April 1952, Page 319

Plant Frame for Seedlings

ANEW TYPE of container for the growing of seedling plants called the plant frame is being used successfully in Auckland by a number of growers of both indoor and outdoor tomatoes and by some nurserymen. In this article the plant frame is described by S. O. Gillard, Vegetable Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Auckland. PLANT FRAMES are manufactured from timber veneer similar to that used for strawberry chips, punnets, or pottles. They consist of oblong strips of wood scarfed cross-wise in four places; these scarfs are placed so that they allow the frame to be bent easily to form a bottomless box with four square sides and an overlap of lin. around the corner where the ends come together. They can be made up simply and quickly. To keep the frame in shape when it is being made up a rubber band can be placed round the middle of the frame or a paper clip may be used. Some nurserymen prefer to staple frames with a stapling machine by placing one thin wire staple near the top and one near the bottom of the fold. To suit most requirements plant frames are manufactured in three sizes, which range as follows: — Frame Size In flat Size when made up No. I I3in. x 4in. 4ln. deep x 3ln. square No. 3 Ilin, x 3ln. 3in. deep x 2Jin. square No. 5 9in. x 2Jin. 2Jin. deep x 2ln. square

The frames are designed for use in standard seedling trays measuring 12in. x 16m. (inside -p measurement) and accommodate the following number of plants (frames) to a tray: No. 1, 20; No. 3, 30; No. 5, 48. Preparation for Planting r ■ 3 Frames when made up are placed l n S u. e<n « tray. Prepared potting soil is then shovelled over ray containing the empty ? a S ieS Kr an ? shaken down and levelled off. Next water is applied and this compacts the soil sufficiently for the setting of the young seedlings or seeds. When plants are large enough for replanting the frames are removed or, if desired, they can be set out with the plant.

Advantages of Method This plant frame method of plant propagation has many advantages over the system of growing seedlings in trays, and in many instances the frames can take the place of small pots. Some of the main advantages of the te ™ are + ... 1. It facilitates even spacing of the plants in the seedling box. 2. Moisture is retained for a longer period than if plant pots were used, as there is no space for evaporation between plant containers. « w , . . , 3. Watering is made easier, as each frame will take its quota and the water does not tend to flow to one side as with the ordinary seedling tray. 4. If disease organisms, such as foot rot fungus, are in one portion of soil,

they cannot travel as readily from one part of the tray to another as they would in the ordinary seedling tray. 5. Plants can be removed easily from the seedling tray with less likelihood of damage to their roots. 6. The soil remains attached to the plant roots when plants are removed from the seedling tray and this assures quicker establishment. 7. When plants become crowded in the seedling tray and more room between the plants becomes necessary some can be removed easily without disturbing the remainder. 8. Plant frames are much cheaper than any other suitable type of plant pot at present available.

All photographs by Sparrow Industrial Pictures Ltd.