The Thriving Farmer Podcast

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