esikasvatus

Esikasvatus is the production of young plants in a controlled environment, typically a greenhouse or climate-controlled room, with the aim of providing transplant-ready seedlings or plugs for field crops, gardens, or nursery stock. It covers stages from sowing or rooting to early vegetative growth and hardening off before sale or transplantation.

In practice, esikasvatus includes seeding or taking cuttings, germination or rooting under controlled temperatures and humidity, and growing the seedlings in trays, plugs, or containers using substrate mixes such as peat-based media, coco coir, or rockwool. Lighting, temperature, and irrigation are carefully managed to promote uniform growth and vigour. Fertilization is tailored to the crop and growth stage, often using balanced or crop-specific nutrition. Water management emphasizes avoiding damping-off diseases and ensuring steady moisture without waterlogging.

A key step is hardening off, where environmental conditions are gradually adjusted to mimic outdoor or final production conditions, reducing transplant shock and improving establishment. Esikasvatus is commonly used for vegetables (for example lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, cabbage), herbs, ornamental plants, and forestry or landscape seedlings. It enables year-round production, extends the growing season in regions with short summers, and improves uniformity of plant size and quality at transplantation.

Challenges include energy costs and environmental control, especially in northern climates; botrytis and other diseases can affect seedlings; excessive or insufficient light can cause etiolation or weak growth. Modern esikasvatus often relies on climate control, supplemental lighting, and, in some cases, soilless or hydroponic systems to improve efficiency and resource use.