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Indoor seeding: Vegetables and annuals

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Tomato plant.
Photo: Jardin botanique de Montréal (Michel Tremblay)
Lycopersicon esculentum

Growing seedlings indoors has many advantages. It is possible to try plant varieties that are rare or have only recently been introduced. For species with a vegetative cycle that is too long for our climate, such as the tomato, eggplant and pepper, growing the seedlings indoors produces a quicker and much larger yield. Moreover, many annually flowering plants such as petunias, begonias and celosias must be sown indoors.

Some vegetables, like carrots, beans and radishes, can be seeded directly outdoors, while others, such as sweet peppers and tomatoes must be started indoors in pots.

Vegetables can also be obtained in containers, ready for outdoor transplanting. Always pick plants with a short and thick stem, with green foliage and with a sound appearance.

Transplanting into the outdoor garden is made under cloudy skies, once all risk of frost is over. Carve a small depression around each transplanted vegetable to collect sprinkled water.

Water the plants before and after planting them in the garden.

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