Dear Tower Hamlets Food Grower,
We hope you have now received your pack of seeds and coir pellets. This email contains instructions on what to do next. We will also be holding a GROWERS’ QUESTIONS TIME online soon.
Get planting instructions
Coir pellets
You will also have received 10 coir growing pellets. Each pellet can hold 1 large, or several small seeds.
You should start by standing your coir pellets on a plate or tray and soaking them from below with water. Wait until the pellet is completely saturated (to the point that it does not soak up any more water). After this point, water the blocks only when they get dry quite dry. Overwatering can cause mould and damage your seedlings.
Planting your seeds
The depth at which you plant a seed can roughly be said to be about twice the depth of the seed. For small seeds like Rocket, Lettuce, and Pak Choi, you can sprinkle a few seeds on top of the block and then gently press them into just the surface of the soil.
For slightly larger seeds like Tomato, Beetroot, Broccoli, Chard, Mustard, and Coriander place a couple of seeds on the surface and press them gently, then either sprinkle a fine layer of soil over the top to cover them or use a bit of the coir block to give them a thin cover (no deeper than the height of the seed).
For larger seeds like Courgette, Squash or Cucumber – plant the seeds on their long edge, by making a hole about 1.5cm deep in the coir pellet and placing a single seed, then covering it over.
Wrong side – do not plant flat
Correct way to plant – plant seeds on their edge
Taking care of your seedlings and potting on
Keep your seeds and then seedlings in a warm, sunny place like a windowsill but not in burning sun. The first leaves that appear are seed leaves. Generally, you shouldn’t transplant your seedlings until the first ‘true leaves’ (the second set) appear and the seedling is big enough to handle.
PLANTING OUT
So your seedling have now appeared. What do you do next? Find out in Clyo’s latest blog and watch her video for step by step instructions.
Read our gardener Clyo’s blog and watch her videos below for a more in depth look at how to care for your plants.
We’ll be adding more plant care tips to the website as you grow, so keep checking back for more information.
Good luck growers! Send us questions, photos and report backs, we would love to hear and see how you’re getting on.
Keep Growing!
meet the team
MADDY EVANS, LOCAL FOOD COORDINATOR
Maddy has lived in London for 10+ years working on social and environmental justice projects. She’s a keen gardener, walker, and advocate for the wellbeing benefits of nature.
CLYO PARECCHINI, LIVE WELL COORDINATOR
Clyo heads up Wen’s Live Well cooking and food growing courses in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Classes explore in a practical way how diet and lifestyles has an impact on the planet. Attendees learn and try new plant based recipes, spend time in the community garden and enjoy a delicious lunch.
