- In the open for 2 more days to complete the hardening
off process before transplanting. - In the open under a 30% shade net during warm and
hot weather. - In the shade to slow down their growth in hot weather.
- You may want to build flat covers to protect seedlings
from birds and mice. An easy way to do this is to build
a flat similar to the ones the seedlings will be in, but
without the wooden bottom. We use ½-inch
galvanized wire fabric on the “bottom.” Then we turn
the unit upside down and place it on top of the flat to
protect the seeds and seedlings.
Flat Soil
You are now ready to prepare the soil in which to grow
seedlings. A good simple at soil mix is 1 part sifted
compost and 1 part bed soil (saved from the 9rst trench
when you double-dug) by volume. “Old” at soil, which
has been used to raise seedlings, can be stored in a bin.
Although some of the nutrients will have been depleted,
it will still be rich in nutrients and organic matter, so it
can be used to make a new at mix. In this case, the
recipe would be 1 part old at soil, 1 part sifted
compost, and 1 part bed soil. Compost for the at soil
mix should be passed through a sieve of ½-inch or ¼-
inch wire fabric. As your bed soil and your compost
improve, your flat soil and seedlings also will improve.