Selection of Planting Material, Planting Transplanting and Watering

Selection of Planting Material, Planting Transplanting and Watering

Does it seem like you are doomed to have a brown thumb?

How many times have you brought home a seedling and happily planted it and the next morning it was dead.
What if I told you that sometimes this can be avoided just by simply choosing good quality planting materials.

Types of Planting Materials
• Seeds (seasoning herbs, legumes, corn)
• Seedlings ( most vegetable crops)
• Cuttings ( cassava, potato, yam, ginger, dasheen, tannia, eddoes)
• Suckers ( banana, plantain)
• Budded/ grafted plants (fruit trees)

Certain Factors need to be considered when you are choosing planting matter or seedlings from nurseries or plant shops.

Environmental Factors
• The surroundings should be free from overgrown bushes, generally clean, no waterlogged conditions
• Seedlings should be in conditions that are free from excess shade. If seedlings have too much shade they do not “harden off” and they have difficulties when they are transplanted.

Seedling Characteristics
The seedlings should:
1. Be of the appropriate age (seedlings with 4-6 healthy green leaves)
2. Be free from pests and diseases
3. Have healthy white roots (good root development, with no balling of roots)
4. Show vigorous, healthy growth
5. Be of uniform appearance
6. Have the proper Shoot to Root ratio (2:1)

Video – How to Choose a Good Quality Seedling

Information courtesy the Extension Training and Information Services (ETIS) Division

Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries

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