growth.- Transplanting stimulates growth. When you transplant
a seedling into a double-dug, composted bed that is
fluffy, aerated, and full of nutrients, you give it a
second “meal” of nutrients, air, and moisture after its
first meal in the flat. If the seeds are sown directly in
the bed, the soil will begin to re-compact after its
initial digging while the seeds are germinating and
growing into seedlings. Therefore, the soil will not be
as loose for the plants to grow in once the seedling
stage is reached. - Seedlings in a flat require much less water (a half-
gallon per day) than seedlings in a bed (10 to 20 or
more gallons per 100 square feet per day).
Seedling Flats
The standard home-built at size is 3 inches deep by 14
inches wide by 23 inches long (internal dimensions). For
smaller gardens, half-sized ats may be more convenient.
The depth is critical since an overly shallow at allows
the seedling roots to touch the bottom too soon. When
this occurs, the plants believe they have reached their
growth limit, and they enter a state of “premature
senility.” In this state the plants begin to ower and fruit
even though they are only transplanting size. We have
experienced this with broccoli and dwarf marigolds; the
broccoli heads were the size of the nail on a little 9nger.