Transplanting Seedlings in the Grow Box

Before planting seedlings in your grow box or raised bed, there are several important factors to consider:

 

1. Which types of crops are most suitable for a grow box or raised bed.

2. What spacing is necessary for these crops.

3. How do you select the healthiest seedlings for transplanting into the grow box

or raised bed.

1. Crops that are best suited for a grow box

Crops that are best suited for a grow box or raised bed built from a single concrete block (8 inches or 20 cm in height) are typically shallow-rooted or short-term varieties. If you want to plant deep-rooted crops, you can easily create a deeper box by stacking the blocks on top of each other.

2. Plant Spacing

When planting seedlings in your grow box, spacing is important. Spacing applies to both the distance between plants in a row and the distance between rows of plants.

Importance of Plant Spacing

Adequate spacing is essential for promoting faster, more vigorous, and healthy growth in plants. Overcrowding can hinder this growth. 

 

Proper spacing between plants is important for several reasons:

1. It allows the root systems of plants to grow and spread freely in the soil.

2. Each plant's roots have better access to moisture and nutrients.

3. The leaf canopy has room to expand.

4. Improved wind passage enhances gaseous exchange and helps prevent excessive humidity.

5. There is reduced competition for light, which facilitates more efficient photosynthesis.

6. Spacing enables closer inspection of individual plants, allowing for quicker detection of pests, diseases, and nutritional deficiencies.

3. Selecting Healthy Seedlings

Starting your grow box with healthy seedlings is crucial to ensuring the best quality crops. When selecting seedlings for transplantation into the grow box, look for the following characteristics: 

• The leaves should be glossy and green, indicating good health.

• The roots must be healthy, typically appearing white and plentiful.

• Healthy seedlings should be free from pests and diseases.

• For crops such as tomatoes, eggplants (often referred to as melongene), and peppers, the seedlings should have thick, straight stems. Avoid seedlings that are spindly or tall, as they are more likely to break in the wind.

Here is an example of Lettuce being transplanted into a grow box

One week after transplanting

Two weeks after transplanting

CROP SPACING CHART

The chart below outlines the ideal planting distances for various crops you may want to grow in your grow box. It includes measurements in both Imperial and Metric units. To make the most of the space in your grow box, it is recommended to follow the smaller spacing guidelines.

CROP	DISTANCE BETWEEN ROWS		DISTANCE BETWEEN  PLANTS IN A ROW
	Imperial	Metric	Imperial	Metric
	inches	cm	inches	cm
Beet Root	8 - 10	20 - 25	4 - 6	10 - 15
Cabbage	20 - 25	50 - 60	8 - 12	20 - 30
Carrots	12 – 16	30 – 40	4 - 6	10 - 14
Corn	28 - 32	70 - 80	10 - 12	25 - 30
Green Beans	30	75	8 - 12	20 - 30
Hot peppers	40 - 48	100 - 120	40 - 48	100 - 120
Lettuce	10 – 12	25 – 30	5 - 10	20 - 25
Melongene	30 - 36	75 - 90	14 - 18	35 - 45
Ochro	32 - 36	80 - 90	20 - 25	50 - 60
Pak Choi	10 – 15	30 – 40	5 - 10	20 - 30
Sweet Pepper	25 – 30	60 – 75	10 - 15	35 - 45
Sweet Potato	24 - 30	60 - 75	10 - 12	25 - 30
Tomato	20 - 25	50 - 60	10 - 15	30 - 40