Research7 min read
Seedlings, patience and the art of the nursery
Every plant on our farms starts in the nursery. A look at how we select, raise and harden off more than a million seedlings a year.
By The Krishi team
Our glasshouses run all year, but spring is when they are fullest: tray after tray of tomatoes, brassicas, herbs and heritage squash, all waiting for the soil outside to warm up.
Selecting for the place
We save seed from the plants that do best on our own land. Over a few years, that turns a good variety into one that is perfectly suited to our climate, our soil and our way of growing.
“A seed carries the memory of every field it has grown in.”
Before planting out, every seedling spends a week outside in the cold frames, getting used to wind and sun. It is called hardening off, and it is the difference between a plant that sulks and one that thrives.
