Direct sowing your seeds simply means sowing your seeds outside in the garden where they will grow directly in your vegetable garden instead of starting the seeds indoors in containers under lights.
If you live in a warm climate, you can direct sow almost any crop. Ceux d’entre nous qui jardinent dans des régions plus froides commencent soit à semer des graines à l’intérieur sous des lumières, soit à acheter des semis à semer dans une serre qui peuvent être transplantés dans le jardin une fois que tout danger de gel ha pas. If we don’t start certain crops early, we don’t have enough time to produce a crop before our first fall frost.
Not all plants need an early start under the lights, even for those of us who live in colder regions. Plants that are difficult to transplant or don’t need more time to start, can be sown directly into the vegetable garden.
Find below a list of 13 vegetables that are easy to sow directly outdoors in the vegetable garden:
1- Beans:
In general, there are two types of beans. Green beans grow on long vines and will need the support of a pole or trellis. White beans continue to produce a long time until frost. Bush beans produce their harvest faster and at about the same time. Plant several successive bush bean plantings two weeks apart for a continuous harvest throughout the summer. The seeds germinate quickly in warm soil and may benefit from a brief soak in water for 4 to 6 hours before planting. Sow in late spring when the soil warms up after the danger of frost has passed. For most varieties, plant 2.5 cm deep, spaced 7-10 cm apart.
2- Beetroot:
This dual-purpose crop produces fresh vegetables and roots. Beets prefer cool weather. Sow seeds directly as soon as the soil can be worked. Sow every three weeks during the colder months for a continuous harvest. Seeds germinate faster in warmer soil and may benefit from a brief soak in water for 4 to 6 hours before planting. For most varieties, plant seeds 0.5 cm deep and 2.5 cm apart. Beet seeds are actually a pod that contains several seeds. Once the beets are about 13cm tall, thin to one plant every 7-15cm. You can eat the plant without preservatives.
3- Carrots:
Carrot seeds are small and difficult to space individually. Homemade seed mats make it easy to sow carrot seeds. Carrots are a cool-season crop and will tolerate frost once established. Direct sow the seeds about three weeks before the last expected frost. Sow the seeds 1 cm deep and 1 cm apart. Keep the soil evenly moist. Once the seedlings are 5cm tall, thin to one plant every 3cm for baby carrots or one plant every 7cm for larger carrots.
4- Corn:
Since corn is wind-pollinated, it should be planted in blocks or at least four short rows next to each other, resulting in a block of plants. Directly sow seeds outdoors when the soil temperature is around 15°C, about two weeks after the last frost. For most varieties, plant 2.5 cm deep, 10-12 cm apart. Repot one plant every 30 cm.
5- Cucumbers:
Grow cucumbers in mounds and leave enough room for the vines to stretch or grow along a trellis to save space. Direct sow the seeds when the soil has warmed, about a week after the last frost date. For most varieties, plant 2.5 cm deep and 15 to 20 cm apart. If you are growing cucumbers in mounds, plant three plants per mound and space the mounds 45-90cm apart. Thinning is not necessary if you are growing along a trellis or in mounds.
6- Lettuce:
There are many varieties of lettuce with leaves of various colors and shapes. Lettuce prefers cool weather and tolerates frost once established. Sow seeds directly as soon as the soil can be worked. Plant the seeds 0.5 cm deep and keep the soil evenly moist. Lettuce varieties with thin leaves should be 10 cm apart, cos and loose-headed varieties should be 20 cm apart, and firm-headed varieties 40 cm apart. Homemade seed mats make it easy to sow lettuce seeds.
7- Peas:
Some varieties of peas grow on short vines and on long vines, but all pea plants benefit from trellis supports to satisfy their climbing nature. The pods will also be easier to harvest along a trellis. Peas like cool weather and tolerate a bit of frost once the plants are established. Seeds germinate faster in warm soil and may benefit from a brief soak in water for 4 to 6 hours before planting. Direct sow pea seeds in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. For most varieties, plant 2.5 cm deep and 5 to 8 cm apart. Weight loss is usually not necessary.
8- Radishes:
Radishes are a rewarding vegetable to grow. It prefers cool weather and grows very fast. Sow every two weeks during the colder months for a continuous harvest. Sow seeds directly as soon as the soil can be worked. For most varieties, plant 1 cm deep and 5 to 8 cm apart. Weight loss is usually not necessary.
9- Spring onions:
Green onions (also called cluster onions) are frost tolerant and many varieties will overwinter and continue to grow in the following season. Sow seeds directly as soon as the soil can be worked. Plant the seeds 0.5 cm deep and 1 cm apart. Slim down to 5cm for smaller bulbs, but leave more room for larger bulbs.
10- Spinach:
Spinach prefers cool weather, and even young plants tolerate frost. Sow every two weeks during the colder months for a continuous harvest. Sow again in mid to late summer for the fall harvest. The seeds do not germinate well in hot soil. Pre-germination of seeds increases the germination rate. Sow seeds directly as soon as the soil can be worked. For most varieties, plant the seeds 1 cm deep and 2.5 cm apart. Reduce to 5 to 15 cm.
11- Pumpkins:
There are two main types of squash, winter squash and summer squash. The difference is their harvest time. Summer squash is harvested young, while the skin is soft. Winter squash takes much longer to mature and is harvested when fully ripe. Direct sow the seeds when the soil has warmed, about a week after the last frost date. Use the mound method for most varieties of squash. Plant 2.5 cm deep and space the plants 15-20 cm apart. Space your hills 1.2 to 2 m apart depending on the size of the fruit. Thin up to three stories per mound.
12- Swiss chard:
Swiss chard is one of the few green vegetables that grows in both cold and warm climates. Direct sow seeds two weeks before the last frost date. Seeds germinate faster in warmer soil and may benefit from a brief soak in water for 4 to 6 hours before planting. Plant the seeds 1 cm deep and 5 cm apart. Like beetroot, Swiss chard seed pods contain several seeds. Once the beets are about 10cm tall, thin to one plant every 15-30cm.
13- Turnips:
Grow turnips for vegetables and roots. Turnips prefer cool weather. Sow every two weeks during the colder months for a continuous harvest. Sow seeds directly as soon as the soil can be worked. For most varieties, plant 0.5 cm deep, 2.5 to 5 cm apart. Once the seedlings are 10 cm tall, thin the smaller varieties of turnips to a space of 5 cm to 10 cm and the taller varieties to 10 to 15 cm. It is not necessary to rinse them to consume them as green vegetables.
And you? So, is your favorite no-till garden crop on the list?
Otherwise, leave a comment and tell us what you think are the easy vegetables to sow directly in the garden.