Are you in need of Greenhouse structures to cater for your seedling propagation projects or other crop cultivation? Aqua Hub Kenya delivers quality greenhouse structures that will serve your growing needs for a long time.
Greenhouses accommodate a variety of crop seedlings including vegetables and fruits. The warmer environment inside the greenhouse structure makes it ideal to start seedlings from either beds or planting trays.
Learn from this guide the dynamics of seedling propagation, how to prepare, how to plant, tools for planting, watering, and how to monitor till growth.
How to Prepare for Seedling Propagation
Start by choosing the right greenhouse size that fits the projected number of seedlings you are growing. You need to prepare your land first by choosing a flat area, clearing and cultivating before constructing a greenhouse. Consider Aqua Hub, the ideal greenhouse vendor to Construct a viable greenhouse for you.
Types of Greenhouse Structures for Seedling Propagation
Any greenhouse, size, and design for optimization of the environment to enhance proper growth and maturity of seedlings.
Wooden or metallic greenhouses can be either tunnel or vented designs with ventilation sizes varying as per the crop type.
How to Design a Greenhouse Structures for Seedling Growing
The ideal factor to consider is the light requirement and transmission rate of a greenhouse cover material. A polythene cover for a greenhouse structure should be within 200-to-300-micron thickness levels.
This gauge range allows proper sunlight requirement for most seedlings. Install misting kits for irrigation of your seedlings as per the flow rate needs of your crop seedlings
Ensure the ventilation is enough to allow maximum aeration inside your greenhouse. Proper air circulation prevents fungal infection and burning of crops when temperatures rise.
Accessories Necessary for Seedling Raising in Greenhouse Structures
Seedling Trays
Seedling trays are plastic propagation kits for effective seedling growing. You need seedling trays if you are growing vegetables and other plants. They are more effective and usually enhance 100 percent seedling germination.’
Shelves or Structures for Holding Seedling trays
Depending on the size of your greenhouse, you may require structures to hold your seedling trays. Holding trays could save on space and also enhance ease of irrigation from overhead misting kits.
Misting Kits
Ideally meant to water the young seedlings or at times reduce the temperature inside the greenhouse on hot days.
Misting kits work while suspended on the roof of the greenhouse, a method that enhances water delivery on to the cells of the seedling trays.
Cocopeat
It is a growing substance that sustains seedling nutrients and water access as it has excellent retention rate. Cocopeat needs to be flushed first to remove salts and debris before it can be used on trays. After soaking and washing in water, leave them to loose excess water and then place them on the trays.
How to Plant Seedlings in Trays
Obtain and place treated cocopeat on your seedling trays and spread them gently using your hand until all cells are filled.
Select hybrid seeds and sow them in the holes. Place 1 or 2 seedlings on each cell and bury them on a shallow depth or 3-4 cm.
Apply water using irrigation cans or misting kits if already installed.
How to Manage Seedings in Greenhouse Structures
Special attention to temperature, light, pest and irrigation rate is essential to ensure proper growth and germination of seedlings.
- Always monitor the temperature and adjust the ventilation to ensure crops such as tomatoes are not at risk of damage.
- Consider irrigating your seedlings as per the recommended rate of water needs for the specific plant. Vegetable seedlings need to be watered 5-7 times a week.
- Check for pests and apply pesticides. Consult agronomists in case of pest attack
When to Transplant Seedlings
Most Vegetable seedlings take 4-6 weeks to mature and be ready for transplant. For vegetables such as kale, cabbage, spinach, onions, tomato and capsicum transplanting requires proper handling to ensure the roots do not cut.
Do you need Greenhouses to start your Seedlings? Call 0790719020
