296. Sam Tilton on Growing Strong, High-Yield Greenhouse Transplants

What goes into cultivating healthy, high-yield transplants that take off instead of struggling when transferred to the field? Find out from Sam Tilton, the organizer of the annual Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day. After earning his Master’s degree in Horticulture from Michigan State, Sam has worked many roles in vegetable farming from tool development to teaching on sustainable horticulture. Earlier in the year, he joined the Growing Farmers 2024 Vegetable Summit as one of our guest speakers on weed control. Tune in to hear why Sam recommends transplants over direct seeding, and what methods he uses to ensure that transplants are healthy and strong before moving to the field. Episode Highlights: Why Transplants?: What are transplants and why would a farmer want them over direct seeding? [3:39] Scheduling: What should a transplant schedule look like? [9:54] Seed Preservation: How are seeds handled in the process? [13:08] Germ Testing: Does Sam do any individual germ testing? [16:36] Seed Mix: What is Sam’s advice for seed starting mix? [18:29] Trays: What does Sam use to contain the seeds? [26:31] Germination: What is Sam’s approach to germination conditions? [32:39] Airflow: What is the importance of airflow and how can you optimize it? [41:38] Field Prep: What are Sam’s thoughts on field prep and transplanting techniques? [55:57]   Join the upcoming event: This year's Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day, organized by Sam Tilton, is September 11th in Lafayette Indiana at Purdue University! Listen to the episode for more details. This is THE event to see weeding tools and machinery for farms of all sizes for vegetables and row crops (hand tools, two-wheel tractors, up to camera-guided row crop cultivators). The event includes a trade show, educational sessions, and field demonstrations. Click here to register!   About the Guest: Sam Oschwald Tilton helps farmers improve their weed management and works with technical support groups to give hands-on trainings and develop educational resources, through his business Glacial Drift Enterprises. Sam lives in Minneapolis and enjoys gardening with the neighborhood. If you want to talk to Sam about farm systems, please email him - [email protected].    The Thriving Farmer Podcast Team would like to thank our amazing sponsor! Do you have more tasks on your farm than you have time? Stop interruptions and focus on what matters most. Delegate repetitive duties in your tunnel to Orisha. Sleep better, knowing that they’ll call you if anything goes wrong in your greenhouse. Be sure to check out their ebook with helpful tips to reduce your workload and simplify your days on the farm. Download the ebook here. Learn more about Orisha, including their popular leasing options with no upfront costs on orisha.io