Grow Logs 2019 - Pigeon Peas 2

This is a continuation of my previous post about growing pigeon peas this spring season

Sorry for updating this series just this time. Some might be waiting for the update on the actual date the "steps" in growing pigeon peas are happening and I do apologize for that. In my previous post, I focused just on soaking the seeds in water. It is important to check the seeds every day as molds may develop and the seeds won't be viable. Though I am not regularly doing it, one thing you can do when soaking the seeds is to cover the container with plastic food wrap. If molds start to develop, gently wash the seeds and the container and replace the water with a clean one.

In about two to three days, you will see that the seeds have begun to swell a bit and in about another day or two, you will see the sprouts starting to appear. By this time, it is ready for planting in my germination tray. Some people I know find this step a bit redundant and they plant this straight away to small pots. As a matter of practice, at least for pigeon peas, I do plant them in a germination tray first, like what you see above.

For the growing medium, I am not very particular in what I use. While I have my own "formula" when it comes to my carnivorous plants, for anything else, I just use the ordinary potting mix that is available in most garden centers. Take note, I buy the cheapest ones and they still work for me and for my plants. Others are expensive because they claim to have slow release fertilizers and other organic components. I can do my planting with a decent potting mix as I will add my own fertilizers at some point. I do not use ordinary soil that I can just dig from my yard as they are not weed-free and still needs conditioning. So a cheap potting mix from my favorite store will do.

Put soil onto the tray but do not make it to the brim. Leave about half a centimeter. Take note of the depth of my tray, if you have a deeper tray, you might need to leave more than half a centimeter.

Draw two parallel lines across the soil to make a "mini" trench. This is where to put the seeds that started to germinate.

Plant the seeds into these rows with a spacing of about a couple of centimeters. I do not mind if they are too close to each other at the moment since I will be moving them into a growing pot after a while.

Then gently cover the seeds with soil and water it to keep it moist. Then leave it in a sunny position in the garden. Then we will wait for about a week or two, then I will have another update.