Parenting Your Plants

Friday, May 01, 2009 by Jeremy Dore - Categories: gardening seedlings
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My youngest daughter has just had her first birthday which is a delightful stage.  As she starts to take her first steps and learn to explore the world (especially our garden) it marks the first in a series of milestones that will see her gradually gain more independence.  It is a process that is mirrored in the plant world as we, the gardeners, look after  the seedlings in our care until they are ready to survive on their own and fulfil their purpose of producing a harvest.  Plants have different needs during the various stages of their development and, like a young child, they need the right kind of attention at the right time...

Of course, just as humans need water, food and shelter there are some common factors which are always important throughout a plant’s lifecycle: plenty of light, the right amount of water and protection from  frosts or adverse conditions.  However, once these basics are seen to we need to think about the specific needs of each stage, particularly when they are started off indoors or under cover:

• Birth:   Getting seeds to germinate can be an art in itself.  Many vegetables, such as tomatoes, need no more than a pot of moist soil and a little warmth and they will sprout without difficulty.  Others, such as parsnips require more persuasion – well prepared warm soil and a lengthy wait.  Some people also recommend that larger seeds such as peas and beans are soaked overnight before planting to speed up germination.  However, just as when expecting a baby it is all too easy to just focus on the birth, so with plants it is important to remember that most of the work comes after the seed has germinated!
• Baby: At this young stage, the seedlings need plenty of attention if they are to survive.  Moisture levels must be kept just right – too wet and the emerging roots will rot, too dry and the seedling will shrivel up.  I find that they need checking twice daily on sunny days to ensure that the compost or soil is just right – damp to the touch but not wet.  Surprisingly, although needing lots of care, this stage is when plants suffer the least when transplanted.  Because they don’t have a large established root system to disturb they can be carefully eased out of a sowing tray and transferred to individual pots without too much of a setback in growth.
• Child: Once a plant is transferred into a pot of its own it reaches the first stage of independence.  During this stage good growth is all about providing consistent conditions, so it needs plenty of light, daily checking for water and protection from very cold or windy conditions.  One of the best tips I ever received when dealing with young plants is to water them from below.  Instead of dousing the pots from above with a watering can, fill a tray with 1 – 2 inches of water.  Then pick up each pot, stand it in the tray and, after a few seconds, take it out and allow it to drain.  This way, the compost is moist at the bottom encouraging root growth downwards.  It takes a little longer to water this way but is well worth the effort as you get to know how much each pot requires by the weight of it.
• Teenager: As the plant approaches the time when it can be transferred outside or into a container, it needs a little preparation for the wider world.  In the same way that teenagers are gradually given more freedom, so plants need to be introduced to the natural elements in stages.  At least a week should be allowed for hardening off potted plants, taking them outside for longer periods each day until they are able to survive the lower night temperatures.   A semi-protected area such as a greenhouse or cold frame is great for this purpose and by mid April I usually have my tomato and pepper plants on my greenhouse benching where they can get the strong natural light they need.  Plants often need a nutrient boost at this stage as, like teenagers, they usually go through growth spurts, so pile on an extra inch of fresh compost to help.
• Adult: Finally the plant can be transferred into the bare earth or given new compost in a bigger container.  A good soak of water is needed after planting and once or twice a week during dry times but otherwise they should be doing well on their own by now.  With the occasional check for pests and weeding to prevent competition in the first month or two, you should be able to leave them to get on with producing a decent harvest.
• Old Age: Not many plants are encouraged to make it to old age in a gardener’s plans.  Yet selecting a few of the best to produce seed that can be saved is a prudent strategy as you begin to find varieties you like and want to grow each year.  I have a favourite strain of lettuce which I grow on for seed each year and this summer I plan to do the same with a particularly productive variety of bean.

Perhaps this all seems slightly obsessive and you are wondering whether I will be talking to my plants to keep them company!  Gardening is not meant to be as demanding as parenting but it does share some similarities.  Ask any gardener who is about to go on holiday in early summer and has to leave someone in charge of looking after their greenhouse and you will know the burden of care that they feel.

What is at the heart of this process – and also of raising children well – is giving the right attention at the right time, with the ultimate aim of letting go.    Producing strong plants is about meeting their needs at each stage so that they will be stronger and more resilient when growing through the summer.  Independence is the goal of most of the interventions a good gardener makes, so that the plants can eventually draw the nutrients and water they need from deep in the soil with little extra help.  So whilst most of my seedlings seem to require a lot of attention at this time of year, it is great to see them developing into stronger healthy plants.  Before long they will be out on their own in the garden and I will be glad of the attention they had earlier in the season.  If all goes according to plan my daughter will be experiencing the taste of freshly picked tomatoes for the first time on her own journey to independence which I am proud to be part of.