Sowing Negi Seeds

Ready to sow your Negi seeds? 

In the below video, Yukiho from the Tokita research station demonstrates how to successfully germinate your Negi seeds using cell trays. We take you step by step through the process of filling the trays, sowing the seeds, covering them, maintaining proper temperature and moisture, and taking care of them after they germinate. 

For written instructions, see below! 

About Negi:

Negi (長ネギ) is a Japanese vegetable commonly used for grilling as well as for garnish. It has a long, white stalk that elongates and is blanched by being covered repeatedly with soil. Negi (or Naga-Negi, "Long Negi") is grown similarly to a leek, but the tops are hollow instead of flat and the flavor is uniquely delicate enough to be used raw.

Shop Negi Seeds or visit our Negi page to learn more. 

Materials: 

• Negi seeds
• Cell trays (128- or 200-cell) 
• Bottom trays with holes (a lightweight shallow tray) 
• Seedling mix (N:P:K 720:1600:330mg/L or ~2:4:1) 
• Covering soil or vermiculite (N:P:K 0:0:0) 
• A teacup or small bowl (for holding seeds)
• A large bowl (for covering the tray with soil)

Filling the trays:

1. Lay three trays next to each other on the ground or on a table. Using something below like a tablecloth or large piece of cardboard will help with clean up. 
2. Pour seedling mix on top.
3. Spread soil across the trays to fill all of the cells. Note: the edges can be difficult to fill, so be sure to focus on filling those. 
4. Level the soil by brushing across the top. You don't have to press hard. 

Sowing:

1. Use the calendar to know when to sow your Negi for when you want to harvest. For example, the variety W5 should be sown in January–February in November–December. You can sow in March for harvest in the following year. 
2. Using four fingers on each hand, press into the cells to make an indentation about 1/4" deep (5mm). 
3. Pour some seed into a teacup or other small bowl. This will make it easier to pick out the number of seeds you want. 
4. Sow 3-4 seeds per cell. (Five seeds per cell is a bit too many so it's best to remove extra seeds.) Yuriko can finish sowing one tray in about 6 minutes. 

Covering with soil:

1. Open the bag of covering soil and pour a generous amount into a large bowl. 
2. Gently sprinkle the soil over the cells to fill them. 
3. Brush extra soil off of the trays. Don't press down too hard while brushing across the top. 

Watering:

1. Place the trays in a place where the roots can get oxygen. In the research greenhouse, they use upside-down trays to make tables for the trays. 
2. For Negi, the more water you give, the better germination you will get. They need a lot of water for uniform germination: 0.5 gallons (1L) per cell tray. Using a hose or watering can, we recommend going over the trays five times to ensure the water penetrates the soil. 

Maintaining temperature and humidity: 

1. Cover the tray with plastic mulch or a plastic lid to maintain the temperature and humidity. (They do not need light to germinate.) 
2. Do not irrigate until germination (~14 days). 
3. Keep the temperature less than 86˚F (30˚C). 
4. Once they have germinated (1/4" tall), remove the plastic mulch or cover. 
5. After removing the cover, water once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Don't soak the plants but also avoid letting them dry out completely until they reach about 5" tall. 

Happy sowing! Do you have any questions? Leave a comment below or contact us directly.