It is clear on these pictures that these plants are very very small, the leaves do not exceed 1 millimeter.
These plants are not longer than the seeds we can see on the pictures as well.
Here we are at the first stage of the production of stevia from seeds.
First of all, here is the necessary equipment :
- a plastic tray,
- a fluorescent or horticultural lamp,
- a time switch of socket,
- a heating cable,
- some special seedling ground,
- balls of clays,
- some fragments of wintering veil,
- a glass bottle without label.
Simple, isn't it ?
If you do not use a tray equipped for sowing, but a simple plastic tray, choose it with a maximal height included between 15 and 20 centimeters.
Then, drill some holes in the bottom of the tray to evacuate the excess of water, arrange the small fragments of veil of wintering on the holes which you will have drilled to avoid losing your compost by these.
Adjust your warming cable and then fill the bottom of your tub of a layer of balls of clay which you will rinse. It insures a good drainage of the device.
Once that is done, place a layer of about 5 centimeters of ground, spray generously to get the ground wet and compress your ground thanks to the glass bottle.
Switch on your heating cable and find the good regulation to have a ground at approximately 20°C (if you make your sowing inside, you may not use a warming cable although the temperature of the room approaches 20°C).
Place your fluorescent lamps over your sowing tray. It is necessary to foresee a tube each 20 centimeters in width. The light of neon is weak, it must be thus positioned as close as possible of the tray.
Once your installation is realized, you arrange a fine layer of seeds on the ground. Then you recover it of a fine layer of ground to make the seeds disappear. It is then necessary to compress again to favor the contact between seeds and compost.
Finally you spray again with an atomizer not to disorder seeds.
It is necessary to spray daily to maintain a very high rate of humidity in your tray. You can also cover your tray to increase the humidity.
It is finally necessary to bring 16 hours of light to your sowing to put all the chances from your part.
We will make you follow the progress of our production every day thanks to photos.
Good luck !
