REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

Department of Education
PUBLIC TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL
HIGH SCHOOLS

COMPETENCY-BASED
LEARNING MATERIAL
THIRD YEAR

HORTICULTURE NC II
Unit of Competency: PRODUCE VEGETABLE CROPS
Module No. 3 Module Title: GROWING OF SEEDLINGS

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 MODULE III

QUALIFICATION TITLE : HORTICULTURE NCII

UNIT OF COMPETENCY : PRODUCE VEGETABLE
CROPS
MODULE TITLE : GROWING OF SEEDLNGS
NOMINAL DURATION : 60 HOURS

WHAT IS THIS MODULE ABOUT?

This module covers the knowledge, skills and attitudes in selecting

good quality seeds, seed testing, soil components, soil sterilization,
sowing of seeds and proper management of seedlings.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

After completing this module, you should be able to:

1. select quality seeds;
2. prepare growing media and sow seeds;
3. demonstrate care and management of seedlings; and
4. appreciate the art of growing seedlings.

WHAT DO YOU ALREADY KNOW?

Let’s find out how much you already know about growing of
vegetable seeds and seedlings. Select the best answer by writing the
letter only in your test notebook.

1. The fertilized and ripened ovule refers to-----------------.

a. flower
b. fruit
c. plant
d. seed

2. The primary function of a seed is-----------------.

a. for food
b. for commercial purposes
c. for reproduction
d. all of the above

3. What is the % germination of the 100 sees tested if there are 91

seeds germinated?
a. 85%
b. 88%
c. 91%
d. 100%

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4. If you secure seeds to plant, see to it that-------------.
a. the seeds are attractive
b. the variety is adapted to the locality
c. the quality of the product is given consideration
d. b and c

5. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a good seed?

a. clean, free from mixtures and damage
b. free from seed borne diseases and insects
c. immature seeds
d. true-to-type and viable

6. The operation involved in determining whether or not seeds are

viable, free from diseases and injuries or their combination refers
to------------------.
a. seed germination
b. seed testing
c. seed treatment
d. seed selection

7. Which of the following components of the growing media is best

suited for vegetable production?
a. equal parts of garden soil, sieved sand, compost and sawdust
or rice hull
b. equal parts of coco coir, garden soil, rice hull and animal
manure
c. equal parts of animal manure, compost, sieved sand and
coco coir
d. all of the above

8. A method of soil sterilization which is NOT environmentally friendly

is-----------------.
a. biofumigation
b. chemical treatment
c. heat treatment
d. solarization

9. Which one is NOT true about pricking?

a. Pricking is the transfer of young seedlings to another seed
box, seed bed or individual plastic bags.
b. Seedlings to be pricked are taken from thinly populated seed
box or seed bed.
c. A dibble is used to separate and ease out the seedlings in
order not to damage delicate roots.
d. Pricking is practiced when the two true leaves have already
developed.

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10. The practice of exposing gradually the seedlings to sunlight to
acclimatize them refers to---------------------.
a. hardening off
b. pricking out
c. roguing
d. thinning

11. The process of pulling out disease infected or damaged seedlings

is----------------.
a. hardening off
b. pricking out
c. roguing
d. thinning

12. The following are methods of seed testing EXCEPT:

a. actually germinating the seeds
b. breaking the seed coat
c. using better storage facilities
d. floating in water

13. Why do some seeds fail to germinate?

a. The seeds are in their dormant stage.
b. The seed coat is thick and hard.
c. The seeds are immature and have dead embryo.
d. All of the above.

14. Which of the following is NOT a special treatment for some

seeds in order to germinate?
a. heating
b. winnowing
c. cracking the seed coat
d. using better storage facilities

15. It refers to an essential establishment of a garden where

plants are propagated and nursed preparatory to planting.
a. garden shed
b. nursery
c. orchard
d. seed bed

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LESSON 1

SELECT QUALITY SEEDS

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ABOUT?

This lesson deals with the selection of quality seeds, ways to secure
quality seeds for planting, purposes and methods of seed testing, reasons
why some seeds fail to germinate, seed treatment and determining the
percentage germination of the seeds.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. secure and select quality seeds ;
2. perform seed testing and seed treatment;
3. determine the percentage of germination of seeds; and
4. recognize the value of seed selection, seed testing and seed
treatment.

LET US STUDY

Let us Define

Seed - a fertilized and ripened ovule which may develop into a plant by
germination.
Seed testing - the operation involved in determining whether or not
seeds are viable, free from diseases, injuries and foreign
matters or their combination.
Germination - the development of the seed into a young plant.
Dormancy - a period in which a plant has no active growth in response
to harsh environmental conditions. It also refers to the rest
period of seeds.

Securing Seeds

There are two ways of securing the seeds to be planted:

1. You can buy seeds from seed stores in your town or order from
reliable seed producers in the city.

2. You can also produce your seeds to plant.

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Factors to Consider in Securing your Seeds to Plant.

 Quality of the product

 Adaptation of seeds to ones locality.

Advantages of Producing your own Seeds

 Supply of seeds for your farm is always made available.

 Higher percentage of germination is assured.
 Improvement of quality and quantity of the produce is possible.

Disadvantages of Producing your Seeds

 Seed growing is an exacting work.

 It competes with the normal work in the nursery.
 It calls for knowledge of the principles of plant breeding.
 It calls for keen observation.
 It requires close application of details.

Farmers are very much aware that the quality of seeds affects the
yield of crops but still many are using low quality seeds. This is because
of the inability of some farmers to secure good quality seeds. Good
quality seeds should possess the following characteristics:

 Damage free –seeds that do not possess cracks, holes and are not
broken
 True- to-type - seeds that carry the desirable characteristics of the
parents
 Viable – seeds that germinate and able to survive until the stored
food in the cotyledon is consumed up to the time it can support
itself by absorbing plant food nutrients from the soil through their
root system
 Free from mixtures – seeds that are free from weed seeds and other
foreign matters.
 Free from seed borne diseases
 Properly developed – The size of seeds depends upon the amount of
food stored in it. It is important that the seeds are large, plump
and well developed. If the seeds are small and wrinkled, they may
not contain enough stored food for their initial growth that is why
crops that grow from poorly developed seeds are stunted during the
early stages of growth and never recover sufficiently to produce
normal plants.

After selecting your seeds, you must also test the viability of your
seeds.
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 Nearly 50% of the local farmers who engage in small-scale
vegetable growing save their own seeds for next planting season. This can
be done provided that the seeds are still viable during the planting
season. To be sure that the seeds are viable, you have to conduct seed
testing and compute for the % germination.

Seed Testing

Purposes of Seed Testing

 Discover whether or not the seed is true to its name, except as to

variety.
 Ascertain whether or not it has been intentionally adulterated.
 Remove the relative proportions of inert material and of foreign
seed.
 Disclose the presence of noxious or other weed seeds.
 Find out the percentage of seed germination
 Find out the amount of seeds needed to plant in a given area.
 Economize labor and expenses in re-planting.
 Obtain a uniform stand of crops.

Methods of Seed Testing

 Floating in water. For example in rice, before the rice grains are
sown in the field, farmers usually submerge the seeds in a
container of water to test the seeds. All floating seeds are thrown
away for they are empty and are not going to germinate. This
method is also true to vegetable seeds.

 Breaking the seed coat. This method is practiced to seeds that

have hard seed coat.

 Winnowing. If you winnow, all the seeds that are blown away or
carried away by the wind are empty.

 Germinating the seeds using the following methods:

a. rag doll
b. seed box
c. petri dish/plate

Seed Germination

External conditions required in the germination of seeds

 Viability or vitality. The seed must be viable with a good alive

embryo. Immature and unhealthy seeds produce weak and
unhealthy plants.

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  Proper amount of moisture. The soil must be moist. Soil must
contain sufficient quantity of moisture necessary for germination.
The seed absorbs moisture which cause, all the parts to soften and
swell to burst its covering and allow the embryo to come out. If the
soil is too dry the seed could hardly absorb water to hasten its
germination.

 Proper degree of temperature and amount of light.

 Suitability of the soil.

Why do some seeds fail to germinate?

 The seeds are in their dormant stage.

 The seed coat is thick and hard.
 The seeds are immature.
 The seeds have dead embryo.
 The ground is too dry
 The weather is too cold

Special treatment for some seeds in order to germinate

 By cracking the seed coat. If the seed has thick and hard seed coat,
crack or file it to allow water and oxygen to get inside the seed. In
cracking the seed, care should be observed so as not to injure the
flesh of the seed which will be the source of infection and rotting
that will cause the seed to decay.

 By heating. If the seed is in a dormant stage, heat it a little. By

heating it up, the embryo becomes active as it starts to grow. Over
heating is also dangerous as it will kill the embryo.

 By better storage facilities. The death of the seed embryo due to

faulty storage facilities may be prevented by the use of better one
where seeds are kept up until planting time.

When a seed begins to germinate, the root is the first part to grow.
It becomes well established before the other parts of the embryo
emerge above the surface of the soil so that the seedlings may not be
easily dislodged from its position and the parts which are soon to be
exposed to the drying influence of the sun and wind and may
continually be supplied with water from the soil. The seed must be
covered with fine soil more or less as thick as the seed itself.

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Determining the Percentage of Germination of Seeds

Below are the rules in computing the % of germination of seeds

Rule 1: If you test 100 seeds, the number of seeds germinated equals
the percentage germination of the seeds.

Example: You tested 100 seeds of eggplant using the rag doll method, 85
seeds germinated. The % of germination of the seeds then is 85%.

Rule 2. If you test less than or more than 100 seeds use the formula
below in computing the % of germination of the seeds.

Example: Mr. X tested 125 seeds of hybrid tomato and 105 germinated.
What is the % of germination of the tomato seeds?

No. of seeds germinated

%germination = _________________________ x 100

No. of seeds tested

105
= x 100
125

10500
= 125

% Germination = 84 %

Rule 3. If you found out that the % of germination of your seeds is below
80, you need to adjust your seed bulk. Use the formula below in
adjusting the seed bulk.

Amount of seeds needed

Adjusted amount of seed = _________________________ x 100

% germination
Example:

You needed 200 seedlings to plant your garden. You found out that
your seeds have only 75 % germination. How many seeds will you sow?

Let: X = the number of seeds to sow or your adjusted seeds

200
X = ___________ X 100
75
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 111
= __________ X 100
75

= 266.6 or 267 seeds

LET US REMEMBER

It is important to select good quality seeds to attain quantity and

quality harvest. Likewise, it is also necessary to test your seeds before
planting them to economize time, labor and expenses.

When seeds fail to germinate, treat them to break their dormancy

period and to hasten seed germination.

HOW MUCH HAVE YOU LEARNED?

A. Filling the blanks. Fill in the blanks by writing a word or group

of words to complete the sentence. Write your answers in your quiz
notebook.

1. The fertilized and ripened ovule which may develop into a young
plant is _____________________.

2. ____________refers to the rest period of seeds.

3. The operation involved whether or not the seeds are viable, clean,
free from diseases and mixture refers to ___________________.

4. An immature plant inside the seed which consists of the radicle

and the plumule is ________________.

5. In germination, the ________________ is the first one to come out in

the seed when planted in the soil.

B. Modified true or false. Write true if the statement is correct and

if it is wrong, change the underlined word or group of words to make
the statement correct.

1. Farmers can plant only seeds purchased from reliable seed stores.

2. Good quality seeds are those that are not viable, clean, true-to-type
and free from seed borne diseases.

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 3. Seed treatment is performed to determine the viability, cleanliness
and the percentage of germination of the seeds.

4. Seeds fail to germinate if these are immature.

5. To hasten the germination of seeds with thick and hard seed coats,
we can perform special seed treatment like cracking the seed coat.

LET US APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

1. Let us test your mathematical ability. Compute for the germination

percentage of the following.

Mr. Juan Dela Cruz tested 150 seeds of his long purple eggplant
and there are 110 seeds which germinated. What is the % germination of
his eggplant seeds? Is there a need for Mr. Dela Cruz to adjust his
seeds to sow? If yes, then compute for the amount of seeds he will sow to
meet the 150 seedlings that he needs in his garden.

2. Get a bulk of seeds from your teacher for you to perform seed
selection.

Perform the following:

a. Separate the seeds having the following characteristics:
 Seeds which are plump and mature
 Seeds with holes
 Seeds with cracks
 Insect infested seeds
 Disease infected seeds
 Seeds which are wrinkled and immature

b. Remove foreign materials or matters such as weed seeds,

crushed leaves and stems, small stones, etc. Present your work
to your teacher for evaluation.

2. Read and analyze the situation. Then answer the question briefly.
Situation:
You have money to buy certified seeds to plant in your field but
here comes a friend producing seeds willing to give you free seeds
enough to plant your field. The seed bulk he is giving you free is not
yet certified. Weed seeds, crushed leaves and stems are still present
there. Which do you prefer and why?

The knowledge you gained from the lesson will lead you to a more
challenging task in the next topic.

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Have you ever tried preparing your growing media and sow your seeds
here? If not yet, it is high time for you to know and to do.

RESOURCES

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 vegetable seeds
seed bed
seed box
polyethylene plastic bags
germinating tray
rag
Petri dish
pail
water

REFERENCES

Asuncion, Jr. Ramon G.; Elementary Agriculture: Saint

Mary’s Publishing: 1983.
Asuncion, Jr. Ramon G.; Introduction to Tropical Crop
Production: First Edition Saint Mary’s Publishing.
1976.
Asuncion, Jr. Ramon G. and Castro, U. D.; Producing
Quality Seeds the Easy Way: Saint Mary’s Publishing:
Sta Cruz, Manila. 1977.
Asuncion, Jr. Ramon. D. et.al.; Technology and Home
Economics 1 Agricultural Arts: Abiva Publishing
House, Inc.: Quezon City. 1991
Asuncion, Jr. Ramon D. at.al.: Technology and Home
Economics 2 Agricultural Arts: Abiva Publishing
House, Inc: Quezon City. 1991
Cheah Kok Kheong, et.al.; Modern Agriculture for Tropical
Schools: Oxford University Press: 1979
Mendiola, N. B.; Principles of Crop Production. United
Circulation, Inc.: Malabon, Rizal. 1959
Resource Manual on Integrated Production and Pest
Management (IPPM) in Vegetables: World Education
(INGO) Philippines, Inc.; Laguna, Philippines: March
2005
Reyes, P. L.; “Lecture Notes on Field Crop Production”
GAUF., Victoneta Park, Malabon, Metro Manila.
Rivera, Aquilino R.; Home and School Vegetable Gardening:
Grace Printing, Inc.: Laoag City. 1988
Ware, George W. and J.P. McCollum; Producing Vegetables
Crops: Second Ed., Interlino Printing Co., Inc.:
Quezon City 1975

12
LESSON 2

PREPARE THE GROWING MEDIA AND SOW SEEDS

WHAT IS THIS LESSON ABOUT?

This lesson covers the components of the growing media for vegetable
crops, sow seeds and soil sterilization.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. gather and mix thoroughly the components of the growing media;
2. give the importance of soil sterilization;
3. sow seeds; and
4. appreciate the value of prevention through cleanliness and sanitation.

LET US STUDY

Let us Define

Soil sterilization - the process of subjecting the soil to heat or chemicals

to kill micro organisms and other bacteria.
Sanitation - an activity that reduces the spread of pathogen inoculums,
such as removal and destruction of infected plant parts,
cleaning of tools and field equipment.
Shed - a roof used to protect seedlings and other plants.
Seed beds - especially prepared plots where seeds are germinated.
Seed box - a box filled with soil or growing media where the seeds are
germinated.

The best soil for general nursery purposes is a friable loam, rich in
humus with a proper percentage of clay. In cases that these are not available,
the growing media can be prepared by thoroughly mixing the following
components:

13
  1 part garden soil
 1 part sieved sand
 1 part compost
 1 part sawdust or rice hull

These soil components are thoroughly mixed together and will be placed
in seed boxes, plastic bags, seed trays or germinating trays or to the seed beds.

To ensure the safety of seedlings from soil borne diseases, sterilize the
growing media. Sterilized soil safeguards the seedlings from the attack of
damping-off which commonly destroy young seedlings in seed boxes or seed
beds.

Methods of Soil Sterilization

1. Burning organic materials on the soil

A common method of soil sterilization is heating up the soil. The high

temperature will cause the death of many micro-organisms, including
pathogens on the top of the soil and insect pests with soil-dwelling stages such
as cut worms.

2. Pouring boiling water to the soil

3. Solarization

Solarization as a method of soil sterilization uses the sun to heat the

soil. Solarization can control soil borne diseases, weed seeds and some
nematodes including root knot nematodes.

To solarize soil, the soil is covered with clear polyethylene or plastic

sheets. The best time is during the hot season, where there is plenty of sun.
The sun heats up the soil through the plastic and the plastic sheet keeps the
heat inside the soil. The sheets should be left in the field for 4 weeks.

4. Biofumigation

Soil borne pests and pathogens can be suppressed by chemical

compounds that are released during decomposition of certain crops. This is
called biofumigation. The chemical compounds that kill or suppress pathogens
are principally isothiocyanates. Those crops with biofumigation potentials are
used as rotation crop, a companion or a green manure crop.

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5. Chemical treatment

Treat the soil with chemicals like Formaldehyde, 1 tablespoon per 1

gallon of water. However, the use of chemicals is not environmentally friendly
because chemicals may kill not only destructive micro-organisms but also the
beneficial ones.

Preparing the Seed Beds/Seed Boxes

In large scale planting, the vegetable seedlings are raised in outdoor seed
beds instead of seed boxes. In this system, the seedlings maybe raised
economically. The seed bed should be carefully prepared by spading and raking
to pulverize the soil. Improvement may be made by adding the prepared
growing media.

A 1 X 10 square meter seed bed is good enough. It is 5 to 10 cm above

the level of the ground

You are through preparing your growing media. The next activity you
will do is to propagate your plants.

Sowing Seeds

Sowing is the most important operation in crop production. The seed

must be placed at a required depth in a moist soil so as to get optimum
condition for its germination.

Too shallow sowing results in thin germination due to inadequate soil

moisture at topsoil layer. Similarly, if the seeds are sown very deep in the soil,
the young seedlings may not be able to push their shoots above through thick
soil layer. Seed must be sown at proper depth and should be properly covered
with soil so as to get adequate moisture for its germination.

If you are planning to produce seedlings for backyard garden, it is

convenient to sow the seeds in seed boxes, plastic cups, fruit juice containers,
small polyethylene bags or germinating trays.

However, if you intend to plant in commercial scale, it is logical to sow

the seeds in seed beds because one hectare of solanaceous crops requires
52,000 to 68,000 seedlings which need 10 plots measuring 1 X 10 square
meters.

15
Steps in Sowing Seeds in Seed Boxes and Seed Beds

1. Moisten the soil media.

2. Sow the seeds in rows or broadcast evenly and thinly. Broadcasting is

less satisfactory than sowing the seeds in rows a few centimeters apart
unless pricking is to be done. Broadcasting of seeds, however, is not
advisable because of the following reasons:

 The air circulation between the plants is not sufficient.

 Seedlings dry less quickly, and such a condition is favorable for
the growth of fungi.
 Weeds are harder to control.
 It is hard to produce stocky seedlings because the seeds are not
properly covered with soil.

3. Cover the seeds with thin layer of fine soil sufficient enough to cover the
fine seeds.

4. Press down firmly the whole surface of the seed box or seed bed with a
flat board to ensure compact surface.

5. Water the seed beds/seed boxes using a sprinkler with fine holes or
water hose with fine spray.

LET US REMEMBER

Seed bed preparation and management are the most important factors
in the success of any vegetable planting. The seed bed must be smooth and
weed free because weeds will compete with seedlings for nutrients, water and
sunlight. A smooth clump-free seed bed will guarantee firm contact between
the soil and seed, thus enhancing seed germination.

To prevent soil borne diseases, the soil must be sterilized.

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HOW MUCH HAVE YOU LEARNED

Matching type: Match Column A to Column B. Write only the LETTER of your
answer in your test notebook.

COLUMN A COLUMN B
1. seed beds a. any activity that reduces the spread of
pathogen inoculums, such as removal and
destruction of infected plant parts, cleaning
of tools and equipment.
2. growing media b. the process of subjecting the soil to heat and
chemicals to kill micro organisms and other
bacteria.
3. soil sterilization c. prepared garden plots primarily for
production of seedlings.
4. sowing seeds d. compose of equal parts of garden sieved
sand, compost and saw dust or rice hull.
5. sanitation e. the placing and depositing of seeds in a moist
soil for good seed germination.
f. a box filled with soil or growing media where
seeds are germinated.

LET US APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

Prepare your seed box measuring 1 X1 square meter and 6 inches deep.
Use any material available. Recycle if it is needed. Place the thoroughly mixed
growing media inside your seed box. After which, sterilize your growing media
by pouring boiling water into it.

If your teacher is around, she/he will observe you perform the activity
and may ask you some questions. If the teacher is out, she/he will ask you
questions later on how you did the activity.
Always remember that the success of growing seedlings depends upon
the growing media. Prepare your growing media by following the proper way
and correct proportions.

RESOURCES
saw dust
rice hull
garden soil
sieved sand
shovel
wheelbarrow
seed box
polyethylene plastic bags

17
 seed bed

REFERENCES

Asuncion, Jr. Ramon G.; Elementary Agriculture: Saint Mary’s Publishing:

1983.
Asuncion, Jr. Ramon G.; Introduction to Tropical Crop Production: First
Edition Saint Mary’s Publishing. 1976.
Asuncion, Jr. Ramon G. and Castro, U. D.; Producing Quality Seeds the Easy
Way: Saint Mary’s Publishing: Sta Cruz, Manila. 1977.
Asuncion, Jr. Ramon. D. et.al.; Technology and Home Economics 1
Agricultural Arts: Abiva Publishing House, Inc.: Quezon City. 1991
Asuncion, Jr. Ramon D. at.al.: Technology and Home Economics 2 Agricultural
Arts: Abiva Publishing House, Inc: Quezon City. 1991
Cheah Kok Kheong, et.al.; Modern Agriculture for Tropical Schools: Oxford
University Press: 1979
Mendiola, N. B.; Principles of Crop Production. United Circulation, Inc.:
Malabon, Rizal. 1959
Resource Manual on Integrated Production and Pest Management (IPPM) in
Vegetables: World Education (INGO) Philippines, Inc.; Laguna,
Philippines: March 2005
Reyes, P. L.; “Lecture Notes on Field Crop Production” GAUF., Victoneta Park,
Malabon, Metro Manila.
Rivera, Aquilino R.; Home and School Vegetable Gardening: Grace Printing,
Inc.: Laoag City. 1988
Ware, George W. and J.P. McCollum; Producing Vegetables Crops: Second Ed.,
Interlino Printing Co., Inc.: Quezon City 1975

18
LESSON 3

DEMONSTRATE CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF SEEDLINGS

WHAT IS THE LESSON ABOUT?

This lesson focuses on the care and management of seedlings. It

specifically deals on care of germinating seeds, pricking, hardening off,
thinning and roguing.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. identify what care and management you can give to the germinating
seeds and growing seedlings;
2. perform pricking, hardening, thinning and rouging; and
3. develop diligence, patience and industry.

LET US STUDY

Let us Define

Hardening - the practice of gradually exposing the seedlings to full

sunlight at least a week before transplanting.
Pricking - the transferring of young seedlings when the seedlings have
already developed the first two true leaves from thickly populated
seed bed or seed box.
Thinning - the process of reducing the number of seedlings in the seed
box or seed bed that are thickly populated.
Roguing - the removal of diseased or heavily damaged seedlings.

Seeds even have their own food supply to start them off at least until
they can extend roots and draw food and water from the soil.

Before sowing water the seed beds, seed boxes, and trays to give the
seeds a good start. There after, these should be watered at least once a day.
The seedlings should also be fertilized as the case maybe, sprayed to control
insect pests and diseases and remove weeds whenever necessary.

19
Care of Germinating Seedlings

 Protect the seeds sown in seed beds from ants by spraying insecticides
which drive away ants. In the case of seed boxes, let the legs of the seed
boxes stand in cans filled with water and little petroleum to prevent the
ants from reaching the seed boxes.
 Seed boxes should be placed under the shade and should be provided
will temporary shelter.
 Regulate watering. Too much or too little of it may prevent germination.

Care of Seedlings

 When seedlings are already growing, water them once with 3-4
tablespoons of ammonium sulfate dissolved in sprinkler of water.
 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.
 Protect the seedlings from excessive heat or strong rain.
 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.

Pricking

In cases where seedling in seed boxes or seed beds is thickly populated,

practice pricking out. This is done by transferring young seedlings (when the
firsts two true leaves have already developed) to another seed box or seed bed
on individual plastic bags.

The rule in pricking is never handle the plants by their stems which
bruise easily, but always by their seed leaves. Others use a sharpened wood or
a metal device called dibble to separate and ease out the seedlings, taking care
not to damage the delicate roots.

Hardening Off

It will be necessary to harden off your seedlings before transplanting

them into the garden beds. This is accomplished by placing the seedlings
outside in a sheltered location. At this point the seedlings are very tender and
could easily be broken by wind and rain. Start out by placing the seedlings in

20
full morning sunlight for one hour. Increase the time in full sunlight gradually
adding time each day. Protect your seedlings from wind and animals to prevent
breakage of the tender vegetation. Within a week your seedlings should be able
to withstand full sunlight the whole day without wilting or burning the tender
leaves.

Thinning and Roguing

Some plants with tiny seeds are delicate. They can be sown along a
shallow drill and later some 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 roguing

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. Press
back firmly the disturbed soil with hands immediately.
 Throw the seedlings being pulled out or burry them into the soil.

Value of Thinning

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.

LET US REMEMBER

The success of producing good quality seedlings depends on how you

managed your nursery work specifically on how you prepared your growing
media, how you sowed your seeds and how you took good care and managed
the seedlings.

HOW MUCH HAVE YOU LEARNED?

A. True or False. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if it is

wrong. Write your answer in your quiz notebook.

1. An establishment where seedlings are propagated and nursed prior to

21
 planting them in the field is the nursery.

2. The nursery should be totally shaded to protect the seedlings from heat of
the sun and beat of the rain.

3. A good nursery must also have a room for the tools/farm implements and
equipment to be kept or stored when they are not in use.

4. It is important to sterilize the growing media to ensure the seedlings from

soil borne diseases.

5. The nursery should be arranged properly so as to have aesthetic beauty and

ease of work.

B. Filling the blanks. Fill in the blanks with a word or group of words to
complete the sentence.
1. The development of a seed into a young plant is _______________.
2. Exposing the seedlings gradually to sunlight a week before transplanting
is called_________________________.
3. When seedlings have developed the first two true leaves in a thickly
populated seed bed or seed box, they could be _____________________ to
another seed bed or seed box.
4. The removal of disease infected and heavily damaged seedlings is
called________.
5. If a farmer raises seedlings to plant a hectare of land, it is advisable to
sow the seeds in the _________________.

LET US APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

1. Go to the municipal nursery and ask permission from the nursery man to let
you observe their nursery work especially the care of seedlings. Interview the
nursery man if he practiced the different care and management of seedlings
listed in the table below. Rate them according to what you have learned by
putting a check mark in the spaces provided for.
Practices in the care and Poor Fair Good Excellent
management of seedlings (5) (4) (2) (1)
1. Watering at least once a
day
2. Pricking
3. Thinning
4. Roguing
5. Hardening off

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2. Perform the practices listed in the above table in your own seed box. Your
teacher will evaluate your work upon accomplishing it. The teacher will use the
same table in rating your work.

RESOURCES

seed beds with seedlings

seed boxes with seedlings
seed beds
seed boxes
polyethylene plastic bags

REFERENCES

Asuncion, Jr. Ramon G.; Elementary Agriculture: Saint Mary’s Publishing:

1983.
Asuncion, Jr. Ramon G.; Introduction to Tropical Crop Production: First
Edition Saint Mary’s Publishing. 1976.
Asuncion, Jr. Ramon G. and Castro, U. D.; Producing Quality Seeds the Easy
Way: Saint Mary’s Publishing: Sta Cruz, Manila. 1977.
Asuncion, Jr. Ramon. D. et.al.; Technology and Home Economics 1
Agricultural Arts: Abiva Publishing House, Inc.: Quezon City. 1991
Asuncion, Jr. Ramon D. at.al.: Technology and Home Economics 2 Agricultural
Arts: Abiva Publishing House, Inc: Quezon City. 1991
Cheah Kok Kheong, at.al.; Modern Agriculture for Tropical Schools: Oxford
University Press: 1979
Mendiola, N. B.; Principles of Crop Production. United Circulation, Inc.:
Malabon, Rizal. 1959
Resource Manual on Integrated Production and Pest Management (IPPM) in
Vegetables: World Education (INGO) Philippines, Inc.; Laguna,
Philippines: March 2005
Reyes, P. L.; “Lecture Notes on Field Crop Production” GAUF., Victoneta Park,
Malabon, Metro Manila.
Rivera, Aquilino R.; Home and School Vegetable Gardening: Grace Printing,
Inc.: Laoag City. 1988
Ware, George W. and J.P. McCollum; Producing Vegetables Crops: Second Ed.,
Interlino Printing Co., Inc.: Quezon City 1977

23
Y3 MODULE 3 ANSWER KEY

PRE-TEST LESSON 1 LESSON 2

1. D 11. C A. 1. C
2. C 12. C 1. SEED 2. D
3. C 13. D 2. DORMAN SEED 3. B
4. A 14. D 3. SEED TESTING 4. E
5. C 15. B 4. EMBRIO 5. A
6. B 5. ROOT OR RADICAL
7. A B. LESSON 3
8. B 1. NOT ONLY A. 1. TRUE
9. B 2. ARE 2. TRUE
10. A 3. SEED TESTING 3. TRUE
4. TRUE 4. TRUE
5. TRUE 5. TRUE
B. 1. GERMINATION
2. HARVENING
3. PRICKED
4. ROGUING
5. SEEDBEDS

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS PAGE
MODULE 3. Growing of seedlings……………………....... 1

What is this module about?.................................. 1

What will you learn?............................................. 1
What do you already know?.................................. 1

LESSON 1. Select quality seeds………………………....... 4

What is this lesson about?................................... 4

What will you learn?............................................ 4
Let us study......................................................... 4
Let us remember.................................................. 9
How much have you learned................................ 9
Let us apply what you have learned..................... 10
Resources............................................................ 11
References........................................................... 11

LESSON 2. Prepare the growing media of sow seeds.... 12

What is this lesson about?.................................... 12

What will you learn?............................................. 12
Let us study.......................................................... 12
Let us remember................................................... 15
How much have you learned................................. 16
Let us apply what you have learned...................... 16
Resources............................................................. 16
References............................................................ 17

LESSON 3. Demonstrate care and management

of seedlings……………………….................... 18

What is this lesson about?..................................... 18

What will you learn?.............................................. 18
Let us study........................................................... 18
Let us remember................................................... 20
How much have you learned.................................. 20

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Let us apply what you have learned....................... 21
Resources.............................................................. 22
References............................................................. 22
How much have you learned from the module…….. 23

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