Already in November, experienced gardeners do not waste time and sow part of the garden beds with seeds, counting on early and friendly spring shoots. The increase in time compared to traditional sowing can be 2-3 weeks. Plants make the best use of moisture reserves in the soil and long daylight hours. The seeds wintering in the garden acquire natural hardening and show good resistance to diseases. In addition, early seedlings suffer less from competition with weeds. Let’s consider how to sow the garden in the fall correctly.
Unstable weather in autumn and early winter can cause seeds to germinate, but the seedlings will not survive. Therefore, it is necessary to sow seeds with a reserve, usually the sowing rate is increased by a third. It is advisable to choose varieties that are suitable for winter sowing, plants should be frost-resistant, and root crops should be resistant to flowering.
The carrot and beet harvest from winter sowing is not suitable for long-term storage, early products should be used in late summer and autumn.
Preparation of the bed
Prepare the bed for winter sowing in advance, after 2-3 weeks, during which the soil will settle. Place it in a well-lit, flat place, where water should not stagnate.
It is appropriate to distinguish a bed with hard sides; the fence will prevent the inflow of spring water and will not allow the crops to be washed away. Provide a fence for snow on open areas, this will ensure safe wintering.
Dig the ground while picking weeds. For root crops, the digging depth is 20-25 cm; on light soils under greenery, it is enough to loosen the beds.
At the same time as digging, apply fertilizers: 10-15 g of ammonium sulfate, 20-25 g of superphosphate, 15-20 g of potassium sulfate or 50 g of complex mineral fertilizer, half a bucket of humus or compost, 1 glass of ash.
Level the surface with a rake, mark the grooves for sowing, slightly compact the bottom with a rail or the handle of a garden tool. Cover the bed with dense material and leave until sowing.
Prepare the soil for the garden in advance and dry the mulch in sufficient quantity. They should be stored in a protected, frost-free place to fill the seed after sowing and mulch the bed.
Weather dictates time
You can guess about the timing of sowing by observing the weather and the condition of the soil in the garden. You must sow in frozen ground. In this case, it is better to take your time. Warm weather can cause seeds to germinate, and subsequent frosts will kill the seedlings.
Carrot, parsley, parsnip seeds germinate for a long time, they can be sown after night frosts become regular. Radishes, onions, lettuce quickly swell and sprout. Sow them only after the top layer of the earth freezes.
In our country, winter crops are sown from the second half of October to mid-November; in the southern regions, the dates are shifted by a month.
How to sow seeds
Open the bed, sprinkle the bottom of the recesses with a thin layer of prepared soil, evenly distribute the seeds in the recesses and cover with unfrozen soil, compost or sand.
Together with the seeds of tall crops (carrots, parsley), you can sow lettuce, which will germinate quickly and serve as a beacon – it will indicate the rows. This will allow to break passages in early spring and preserve moisture.
Mulch the bed with peat, compost, rotten sawdust with a layer of 2-3 cm – this mulch will prevent the formation of a soil crust. Cover crops with spruce branches, stiff stems of ornamental plants, straw or dry grass clippings.
Light materials that are carried by the wind, press with large branches or non-woven material, fasten with pins or boards. Remove cover materials as early as possible in the spring.