Landless way of growing seedlings

The landless technology of growing seedlings is most often used when working with flowers, but it is also quite possible for vegetable crops, including tubers such as potatoes and Jerusalem artichoke. Its main advantage lies in the lower cost of time and resources, and some of the ways you can engage in the cultivation of seedlings, even in small apartments, where it is difficult to place bulky boxes of land.

Landless way of growing seedlings in sawdust

This technique is most often used for the cultivation of cucumbers, tomatoes and pumpkin family. Its main attractiveness lies in the fact that the process of setting and ripening of fruits occurs faster, for which chemical preparations would have to be used in other conditions. The development of the root system in sawdust is also actively stimulated, as a result of which there is no need for additional intervention. In addition, in comparison with other methods of landless cultivation of seedlings, there is the possibility of continuous production of nutrients by the plant.

• Sawdust that you will use for seedlings should be treated with an antiseptic. Seeds are very vulnerable, and the slightest, even the weakest infection, will reduce the chances of their germination to zero. Initially, sawdust is boiled over, and then an antiseptic is used. Any tool can be used, mostly gardeners prefer a common solution of potassium permanganate in which sawdust is soaked for 15-20 minutes, after which they are carefully dried in the open air so that they do not have excessive moisture that can cause mold and provoke the appearance of harmful microorganisms.
• The capacity where the seedlings will be grown is chosen sufficiently deep and spacious to give freedom to the root system. Experts advise to pay attention to the traditional wooden boxes with sizes from 1 to 1.5 m or more, having high sides. First, such a box is enough for a whole bed of the same cucumbers or tomatoes; secondly, its depth allows to fill a thick layer of sawdust, as the technology of work with them requires. Ideally, make this layer 2/3 the height of the box itself, and if you grow it in another container, then the approximate layer thickness will be 8-10 cm. If it is made smaller, there will not be enough space for the roots, which will negatively affect their growth and development . According to reviews of gardeners, the search for such a bulky container is the only drawback of landless growing of seedlings in sawdust.
• The bottom of the tank is necessarily tightened with a simple cellophane film, especially if there are holes in it intended for air exchange: the looseness of the sawdust will allow the roots to "breathe" through them. Next, a layer of sawdust is poured onto the film, on the surface of which you need to distribute a small amount of wood chips, slightly moistened with water: it will act as the main "soil". Layer it will be only 1-1.5 cm and may vary depending on the size of the seeds with which you work. They are laid with a small recess in the chip, keeping a distance of 0.5-1 cm. At the stage of primary germination, in any case, you will have to thin out later. The box is tightened with the same film that was lined with the bottom, and it needs to be removed in a dark and warm place.
• As soon as the shoots seem, the film is eliminated, and the container is moved to the light, but not under direct sunlight, so as not to burn the weak shoots. The top layer of sawdust is moistened daily by gently spraying water at room temperature from a spray bottle. At 7-10 days after the emergence of sprouts, you can begin feeding with the help of a solution of a small mullein, which is also introduced through spraying. The frequency of feeding should not exceed 2 times a month, while it makes no sense to carry out more than 3 procedures: the plants will manage to take everything they need during this period.

We grow the seedlings in plastic bottles on toilet paper

The following method, often used by gardeners in the absence of free space for a large number of containers and boxes. This method involves the use of toilet paper and plastic bottles. Despite the seeming oddity with regard to the choice of improvised means, the effectiveness of such a technology cannot be challenged. Additionally, you only need cellophane film - there are no more material costs in this method. However, you should pay attention to the fact that with such a method of growing the seedlings will have to be fed with a liquid medium, because here she has no place to get food permanently. And some gardeners also use solutions to stimulate the development of the root system, which, for example, when entering seeds into sawdust is not necessary. Therefore, the disadvantages of this technology are no less than their merits.

• Plastic bottles should be cut in half with a horizontal line, screw the hole at the neck. A cellophane film unfolds on any flat surface, better than high density, by analogy with the one that is used to tighten the greenhouses, and is cut into long strips. Depending on the size of the plastic bottles, their width varies from 10 to 15 cm. Toilet paper is placed with the same tapes over the strips of film, after which it is thoroughly moistened. For this reason, it is recommended to take a thick, rough paper, the traditional gray color - it is not so susceptible to creep from moisture.
• Seeds are poured on paper in a thin layer, preferably between them to leave small (up to 1.5 cm with especially large) gaps. On paper ribbons, the free edges should be kept with a width of 0.8-1 cm so that the seeds do not spill out during subsequent actions. When all the seeds are distributed over the surface, they need to be covered with the same moistened toilet paper tape, and then with a strip of film. Then, the resulting "sandwich" is rolled up into a loose roll, tied with a thread, which should not be firmly tightened: it is enough to simply fix the paper-film construction in the specified shape.
• The resulting rolls are placed one by one in halves of plastic bottles, which are immediately filled with water at room temperature up to a height of 4-5 cm. Unlike other methods of growing seedlings, the method with toilet paper suggests an instant light effect on the seeds, therefore the bottles are placed on the window sill. Every 2-3 days it is required to change the water in the tanks, and after 4-5 days a few drops of the root system growth stimulator are injected.
• After 14-17 days, sprouts usually appear, which will be seen immediately: the roll acquires a green color, the seedlings gradually make their way through unopened edges. Gardeners recommend waiting for 2 full sheets on each sprout, after which you can transfer them either to open ground, if the weather already allows, or start planting in separate containers. Moreover, toilet paper should not be removed: it will decompose in the ground, so you just need to remove the film before you do the transplant.

Video and recommendations

It should be noted that landless technology is not suitable for all cultures, and some require modification of the algorithm. For example, gardeners grow potatoes in ordinary thick paper, a little thinner than a paperman, but they do not wrap it with a film. It is also moistened, seeds are distributed over it, covered with a 2nd sheet, after which everything rolls into a roll, tied with a thread. Instead of plastic bottles with a capacity, an ordinary cellophane bag appears in which a wet roll is laid, after the bag is tied, so that moisture is stored inside it. Shoots may appear after 7-9 days, during which the roll is sprayed daily with water, and the bag is ventilated for 15-20 minutes.

There is an even simpler kind of landless growing seedlings on toilet paper, which requires only a few deep and small containers, as well as plastic bags or plastic rectangles that will cover these containers. Toilet paper should be laid on the bottom of each container, folding it in 2-3 layers, after which the paper is moistened and seeds are distributed over it. Top of them covered with the same wet paper in 1-2 layers, after which the container is closed to maintain moisture and heat. But unlike plastic bottles, it is removed in the dark for 14-15 days, before germination. Even ordinary napkins are suitable for this method, but they will need to be folded in 4-5 layers for floor covering.

Landless technology of growing seedlings - on toilet paper, plain or in sawdust - can certainly be a real salvation if you can not stock up on the ground or simply do not have enough space for the boxes with seedlings. It is no more difficult than traditional work with the earth, and the sprouts sometimes hatch earlier, and the percentage of seed germination rises.