QUARTER 2 – Module 6 – Week 6

Produce Vegetable Crops

LESSON: Produce Vegetables

Module 6: Growing seedlings

Content Standard Performance Standards

The learner demonstrates The learner independently takes care

understanding in care and and manages seedlings in accordance
management of seedlings. with the standard procedures specified
in the Vegetable Production Manual
(VPM).

Demonstrating care and

Lesson 4
management of seedlings

Introduction

This lesson deals with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes in

demonstrating care and management of seedlings.

Learning Competencies/Objectives

This lesson has the following learning competencies/objectives:

1. Pricking
2. Thinning
3. Hardening
PRE-/DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT

Lesson 4 - Demonstrating care and management of seedlings

Direction: Read and understand very well the questions. Select the best
answer by writing only the letter in your test note book.

1. Pricking is a practice in seedling production to produce uniform size of

seedlings. Which is not a practice in pricking?

a. Pricking is the transfer of seedlings to another seed

box, seed bed, or individual plastic bags.

b. Seedlings to be pricked are taken from a thinly

populated seed box or seed bed.

c. A dibble is used to separate individual seedlings in

order not to damage delicate roots.

d. Pricking is practiced when the seedlings have already

two developed true leaves.

2. Before seedlings are transplanted to their permanent places to

continue their growth and development they must be prepared to avoid
stress in the open field. What is the practice of exposing gradually the
seedlings to sunlight to acclimatize them?

a. Thinning
b. Roguing
c. Pricking
d. Hardening
3. Which of the following is the factor which least affects the growth of
vegetable seedlings and transplants?

a. Soil requirements
b. Water requirements
c. Nutrient requirements
 d. Climatic requirements
4. Which is not a practice of thinning?
a. Moisten the seed box or seed bed a few hours before
thinning.

b. Throw the seedlings being pulled out or bury them into the
soil.

c. Incorporate into the soil uprooted unhealthy and

diseaseinfected seedlings.

d. Remove the weak, unhealthy and poor-looking seedlings

and press back firmly the disturbed soil with hands
immediately.

5. Which of the following should not be done in pricking?

a. Hold the seedling on their true leaves and place the
root system in the hole previously prepared in the
new planting medium.

b. Set the seedlings even if the roots are curled.

c. Press the soil firmly around the roots after setting
them.
d. Water the new transplants gently and thoroughly.

KNOW

Activity 1- Round Robin

1. Pass three pieces of bond paper where the 3 activities are

written. Each group must provide one idea each. The
 number of students per group equals the number of solicited
ideas.

Group 1 -How do animals take care of their young? How about human
beings?
Group 2 - How do we take good care of seedlings?
Group 3 - Have you raised some seedlings? How did they grow?

Care and management of seedlings

When seedlings are already growing, water them in the morning and
not very late in the afternoon. If two watering are necessary each day,
they should done in the early morning and mid-afternoon. Watering late
in the afternoon causes the soil surface to remain moist overnight, a
condition favoring development of fungi causing root diseases
particularly damping-off.

• If the soil is not fertilized, a soluble fertilizer (ammonium sulfate)

at the rate of one tablespoon per gallon of water is gently
drenched on the seedlings as a starter solution. It is important
that after applying the starter solution, fresh water must be
applied immediately to wash-off fertilizer residues adhered to the
foliage which may cause burning of the foliage (Bautista and
Mabesa (1977).

• Expose the seedlings to the morning sun not later than eight
o’clock everyday. The length of exposure depends upon the
resistance of the seedlings to heat. First exposure of seedlings to
morning sun is one hour then extended every day until whole day
exposure. Exposure or hardening of seedlings is done a week
before transplanting to acclimatize them and to reduce stress
during transplanting.
• Protect the seedlings from excessive heat or strong rain by
placing them under a temporary shed, in the nursery, or in the
greenhouse.

• If dumping-off develops, remove immediately the infected

seedlings with the soil surrounding them. Burn the disease
infected seedlings and soil to avoid further spread of the disease.
To control dumping-off, apply fungicide on the affected areas.

Pricking of seedlings
In cases where seedlings in seed boxes or seed beds are thickly
populated, pricking must be done when the seedlings have at least
two developed true leaves. This is done by transferring individual
seedling to another seed box, seed bed, seed tray, or individual
plastic bag. In pricking, use a dibbler or dibble in taking out the
healthiest looking seedlings underneath their roots while taking care
not to damage the delicate roots. Hold the seedling on their true
leaves and place the root system in the hole previously prepared in
the new planting medium without curling their roots. Then press the
soil firmly around the roots.

Water the new transplants gently and thoroughly.

Student s of the Jones Rural School pricking

A teacher of the Jones Rural School vegetable seedlings in polyethylyne plastic bags
pricking seedlings in seedtrays
 Hardening of Seedlings

INGO (2005), explains that it is important to harden the seedlings before

transplanting them to the field. This is done by gradually exposing the
seedlings one week before transplanting. Seedlings raised under
shaded areas should be exposed to full morning sunlight for the first
day. Then gradually increase the time of exposure in full sunlight each
day for a week until the seedlings could withstand full sunlight the whole
day without wilting or burning the leaves. Likewise, seedlings should
also be protected from stray animals and strong winds to prevent
damage of the leaves and stems.
Bautista and Mabesa (1977) explained that hardening can be
done in several ways and should be started 7-10 days before
transplanting. One way is to expose gradually the seedlings to full
sunlight and to withhold water to make the plant wilt temporarily but not
allowing it to lapse into a state of permanent wilting. Withholding of
water slows plant growth and causes physiological and morphological
changes resulting to thicker, less succulent, and harder plant tissues,
hence less water is transpired. Another method of hardening recently
employed is pre-sowing hardening. In this method, the seeds are
soaked in water and removed 6 hours before the radicle emerged.

Then they are air-dried for 48 hours before sowing.

Thinning and Rogueing

Some crops possess small seeds that are difficult to broadcast in the
field. They can be sown along a shallow drill and later on excess
seedlings can be pulled out leaving the healthy seedlings about 5 cm
apart. This is called thinning. Meanwhile, the process of pulling out
disease infected or damaged seedlings is called rogueing.

Thinning is the process of reducing the number of seedlings in the seed bed
or seed box. This should be done as follows:
 • Moisten the seed box or seed bed a few hours
before thinning.
• Remove the weak, unhealthy and poor-looking
seedlings.
Immediately press back firmly the disturbed soil with hands.
• Throw the seedlings being pulled out or bury them
into the soil. Thinning accelerates the free circulation of air which
makes the seedlings sturdier and healthier. If the right amount or
quality of seeds is sown evenly, there is no need for thinning.

PROCESS

Activity 2.

This time you are going to do something different from your

previous activities. For the mean time you will be working alone.
Compose a short poem with two (2) stanzas about the seedlings. Select
your own title.

Write your poem on one whole sheet of white bond paper and submit it to
your teacher.

REFLECT AND UNDERSTAND

Activity 3.
 Copy in your notebook the chart below. What other activities must you
do to maintain the growth of the seedlings? Write your ideas in the big
box and the reasons in the lines opposite each box.

1.

2.

3.

4.

TRANSFER

Activity 4. Let’s Get Physical

1. In the previous activities you sowed seedlings in different

ways. Observe your seedlings. Perform care and
management of seedlings like thinning, pricking, and
hardening.

2. Practice Tender Loving Care (TLC) as you perform the

activities.
 Summative assessment

This time let us find out how much you have learned.

Direction: Read and understand very well the questions. Select the best
answer by writing only the letter in your test note book.

1. Pricking is a practice in seedling production to produce uniform size of

seedlings. Which is not a practice in pricking?

a. Pricking is the transfer of seedlings to another seed box,

seed bed or individual plastic bags.

b. Seedlings to be pricked are taken from a thinly

populated seed box or seed bed.

c. A dibble is used to separate individual seedlings in order

not to damage delicate roots.
d. Pricking is practiced when the seedlings have already
two developed true leaves.

2. Before seedlings are transplanted to their permanent places to

continue their growth and development they must be prepared to avoid
stress in the open field. What is the practice of exposing gradually the
seedlings to sunlight to acclimatize them?

a. Thinning
b. Rogueing
c. Pricking
d. Hardening
3. Which of the following is the factor which least affects the growth of
vegetable seedlings and transplants?

a. Soil requirement
b. Water requirement
 c. Nutrient requirement
d. climatic requirements
4. Which is not a practice of thinning?
a. Moisten the seed box or seed bed a few hours before thinning.

b. Throw the seedlings being pulled out or bury them into the soil.

c. Incorporate into the soil uprooted unhealthy and disease

infected seedlings.

d. Remove the weak, unhealthy, and poor-looking seedlings and

press back firmly the disturbed soil with hands immediately.

5. Which of the following should not be done in pricking?

a. Hold the seedling on their true leaves and place the root system in the
hole previously prepared in the new planting medium.

b. Set the seedlings even if the roots are curled.

c. Press the soil firmly around the roots after setting them.
d. Water the new transplants gently and thoroughly.

Congratulations! You have successfully passed the

assessment. You will be facing more exciting and challenging
activities in the next module. So get ready.

Summary/Feedback

Vegetables play a very important role in the dietary requirements of

human beings and in the environment as well.

To produce quality seedlings, a lot of things are to be considered such

as the growing media, seed selection, seed testing, seedling
management, the tools, materials, and other facilities needed to
produce them.
 References

Anon. 2011. Agricultural Ventures Series 1. Volume 1: M.L. Antonio Enterprise,

Manila, Philippines.

Bautista, O. K. and R.C.Mabesa. 1977. Planting Vegetable Crops. In:

Vegetable Production. University of the Philippines at Los Banos,
College of Agriculture, College, Laguna, Philippines.

Calacala, C. 1977. Lectures Notes in Agronomy 11. Nueva Vizcaya State

Institute
Of Technology, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines.

INGO. 2005. Resource Manual on Integrated Production and Pest

Management (IPPM) in Vegetables. World Education (INGO)
Philippines, Inc., 2999 National Road, Anos, Los Banos, Laguna,
Philippines.

http://extension.umass.edu/floriculture/fact-sheets/growing-
vegetabletransplants-and-bedding-plants-media-nutrition-planting-
culturepest#nutrient. Retrieved March 2, 2014.

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/tomato.html. Retrieved March 3, 2014.

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/potato.html. Retrieved March 3, 2014.