Samantha Akkineni took to Instagram to share sowing tips. (Source: samantharuthprabhuoffl/Instagram)Samantha Akkineni’s passion for healthy eating is no secret. The actor has also set up a home garden for growing microgreens, glimpses of which are regularly spotted on her Instagram profile.
The Oh!Baby actor has now shared some simple tips to keep in mind while buying, storing and sowing seeds. So, if you also cultivate a kitchen garden or are planning to start one, here is some useful advice directly from the actor:
* The first thing you need to ensure is that the seeds are of good quality. “Make sure your seeds are healthy; unhealthy seeds give rise to weak seedlings and they don’t grow healthy,” Samantha wrote on Instagram.
* How do you identify good seeds? “Weak seeds are lighter in weight, they float in water, smaller than usual, pale in color, and mostly with wrinkled seed cover. If store-bought, make sure to check the expiry date,” the actor suggested.
* Make sure you store the seeds away from sunlight, Samantha advised. “Be sure to store them in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight and soaking for a few hours before sowing your seeds is a good practice,” she mentioned.
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Sowing tips
Here’s what the 33-year-old actor suggested:
* Before sowing, wet the soil or cocopeat a little. Don’t pour water, gently sprinkle on the top layer. Overwatering will drown the seed.
* Don’t bury the seed too deep, place the seeds no more than 1-2 cm in the soil, any deeper and the seedling will have trouble popping out.
* Never pack the soil or cocopeat very tight, sow in loose soil.
* If you can, cover the seeded area for two to three days till you see some sprouting and water with care. Not too much, just wet the top layer.
* If you germinated in a nursery bag or tray and need to transplant to your pot or garden, do it after you have 3-4 true leaves, gently.
*If you are growing hydroponically (growing without soil, by mineral nutrient solutions in an aqueous solvent), you can just move the coco coin in a net pot straight into NFT (nutrient film technique) channel.
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