All farmers and gardeners must decide whether to grow their own or purchase transplants. This decision is made considering several factors, including equipment needs, supply needs, the number of transplants needed, time of year, and price. There are a few people out there who, against all odds, can generate beautiful transplants year-round without fancy equipment. From my experience, those people are few and far between. The rest of us are forced to invest in a greenhouse or other supplies, grow our own, or buy them and save ourselves the trouble of it all. Whatever decision you make, below are some tips to help you be successful.
Read on for tips on growing successful transplants.
We started a research project with Cooperative Extension to demonstrate the growth and profitability of sprouting broccoli as a winter market option. We trialed three sprouting broccoli varieties in a caterpillar tunnel in Concord, NC. The crop was extremely low maintenance and high-yielding from November through March, with an estimated gross income per square foot at $5!
If you’re interested in adding this cool season beauty to your rotation this year, check out our fact sheet from the project!
Ever tried to grow carrots and had problems with germination? You are not alone.
Carrots can be frustrating with their sometimes lengthy germination time but are still one of my favorite vegetables to grow. That said, carrots can be difficult to grow because of weed and disease pressure. They’re not very competitive with weeds, especially when germination is slow and diseases are common, particularly in wet conditions (poor drainage or dense sowing).
Here are Dylan Alexander’s tips to help you improve your carrot crop.
