Covering seeds outside?
 

I have to leave the garden alone for a long while today. I sowed a bunch of different seeds in my raised bed. What would be best to cover them with to keep them moist while I'm away?

you might lay a board down on the row, as long as you dont think they will germinate today.

Painters plastic. Its cheap and the plants can push it up when they germinate. Works like a humidity dome also.

Yep, I agree. I use the painter's plastic too. You can get like 10 X 10 sheets for a buck a piece at the dollar store. Will keep the moisture in.

I wonder how seeds germinated before the advent of agriculture?

If it were me, I'd give them a drink of water and go away. They'll either grow or not.

You might also try a single layer of burlap.

[QUOTE=joseph;456220]I wonder how seeds germinated before the advent of agriculture?

If it were me, I'd give them a drink of water and go away. They'll either grow or not.[/QUOTE]

I agree. Water them in nicely and you should be fine until this evening or even the next day. I direct sow a lot of things into my garden and never cover things. Even in summer heat I drench early and again in the evening, works just fine.

I have never covered anything I direct sowed in my life.
The very most I have done is put overhead sprays on a timer to go off in the morning while I was gone for days at a time.

What are you direct sowing?

Worth

I just happened to notice that you in Las Vegas. Are your temps so high that you would dry out that quickly? If not, than I would agree to not cover, just water good.

If your temps are super hot already and you cover with plastic, which works, you may just fry your seed.

[QUOTE=Starlight;456237]I just happened to notice that you in Las Vegas. Are your temps so high that you would dry out that quickly? If not, than I would agree to not cover, just water good.

If your temps are super hot already and you cover with plastic, which works, you may just fry your seed.[/QUOTE]

Cloudy today and sunny for the rest of the week

Temps in the 80's later this week and in the high 50's low 60's at night.

With the sun out under clear plastic I agree it would toast the seeds.
Worth

Yeah luckily its cloudy today. I'll just soak em good and leave em.

Worth I sowed carrots, beats, sunflowers, melons, squash, pole beans, bush beans, chard, chilantro, romaine and some okra for good measure.

I'm not sure I'd put plastic over them. They might roast if the sun comes out. I think I would do nothing before I resorted to plastic.

Just sow and go. I took a chance on some early seeding about a month back before a rain and left them alone. They've been through a few freezes, heavy rains and some warm weather and they're doing fine.

Some seeds germinate better if they get wet then dry. I never cover mine, even though I was in AZ until the past year. For things like lettuce, I plant in part-shade in AZ to extend growing season.

I cover my carrots with a board, here in southern California. Our usual lack of humidity and full sun will dry out the top layer of mulch/soil pretty quickly, and it's just easier to cover them than to have half not germinate/die because the soil dried to the point that they couldn't break through. The other things on your list I wouldn't worry about as much (although I tend to start my lettuce indoors, it just starts better for me). I would assume NV is similar weather-wise.