There are many ways to grow certain crops, but today I want to talk about an undeservedly forgotten technology that came to us with the advent of cardboard trays for storing eggs. The essence of the method is that each root crop germinates in its own cell, thereby solving the problem of thinning and the appearance of weeds. There are several more advantages of this method, but I will talk about them a little later.
Which trays are suitable?
For growing garden crops, trays of an unsightly gray color made of loose cardboard are suitable. They do not contain toxic substances, so over time they will turn into a natural fertilizer. Avoid using colored trays with pictures and labels. Other materials, such as plastic and polystyrene, will not work for our purposes either.
We grow carrots in trays
The most difficult stage of growing carrots in egg trays is sowing, but even this is not difficult.
Stage 1. Preparing the garden
Preparing a bed for sowing carrots in trays is not much different from preparing for sowing in the classical way. The earth is dug up together with sand and humus to obtain a fertile substrate. It is possible to add wood ash or crushed eggshells. The surface is leveled first with a rake, and then with a flat board. It is important for us that future trays are evenly submerged in the ground.
Stage 2. We lay out the egg trays
After the bed is prepared, the egg trays need to be laid out over the entire surface. The edges of the containers must be close to each other. To prevent the trays from being blown away by the wind, they must first be pressed into the ground, and then pressed with pebbles. Instead of the latter, wire pins or small stakes can be used.
In order for the root crop to germinate unhindered into the ground, a hole must be made in each cell. Despite the fact that the trays quickly get wet from irrigation and do not represent an obstacle to the culture, I would advise you to play it safe.
Stage 3. We proceed to sowing
When the trays are laid out and strengthened, they must be thoroughly spilled with water and filled with humus. The latter can be replaced with any other nutrient substrate.
Now let's move on to sowing seeds. It is better to choose a coated material, as it will be easier to lay it out in cells.
After sowing, the trays are buried in a thin layer of earth with humus and watered abundantly with water.
Stage 4. Care and harvest
Further, the process of leaving will not differ much from the classic cultivation, except that you do not have to thin out the plantings and fight weeds. In addition, cardboard trays will retain moisture for a long time even under the rays of the scorching midday sun. Over time, the cardboard will rot and saturate the earth with cellulose, becoming an additional fertilizer. Which is also an undoubted advantage.
Will slugs appear under the trays?
To prevent snails and slugs from appearing under the cardboard trays, they must be firmly pressed into the ground at the time of laying. If there is space between the ground and the cells, it is highly likely that shellfish will hide under the trays in the midday heat.
Read on my website - The original way to grow radishes in egg trays
I recently got groups In contact with and Classmates, there I post announcements of new materials every day.