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JayPoc
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- Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
- Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b
When to separate seedlings from community pots
I've usually in the past started two seeds per cell and culled the weaker of the two. I do know that many of you start multiple seeds per cell and then separate at some point. When is best to do it? The majority of mine are just putting out the first set of true leaves. Some are REALLY close together, so I wonder if I should even try with those. thoughts on these two issues? Thanks, as always!
It depends on what you are planting. Some things have very delicate roots and don't like transplanting, but it can be done carefully. I transplant dill, parsley, papaya, and beets from community pots into single pots. I will lose some but most will survive. Tomatoes are easy to separate and even if you tease them apart, as long as you have some roots they usually come back, cucumber, melons, kale, most herbs, onions, cabbages, chard, lettuce, and peppers can be transplanted after they have true leaves. You want to wait until they have strong stems but not so long that they end up stunting. I use 3.5 inch pots mostly for both community pots and the first transplants.
It is easier to take the plants out of the 3.5 inch pots by watering them well first and then removing them from the pot and teasing the seedlings apart. The small and spindly, I usually put two in a pot ( I should throw them away, but I just can't do that as long as there is life in them), the rest get potted up individually in their own pot.
I will put 10-15 seeds in a pot. Too many and the losses increase from competition. Sometimes the plants will cull themselves. Some things like green onions take a lot of seeds anyway so I use one packet for 4 pots. When the green onions come out, I can usually divide each pot into about 4 sections and I plant them out that way. With leeks, I will wait until they are larger as I will plant them out individually.
It is easier to take the plants out of the 3.5 inch pots by watering them well first and then removing them from the pot and teasing the seedlings apart. The small and spindly, I usually put two in a pot ( I should throw them away, but I just can't do that as long as there is life in them), the rest get potted up individually in their own pot.
I will put 10-15 seeds in a pot. Too many and the losses increase from competition. Sometimes the plants will cull themselves. Some things like green onions take a lot of seeds anyway so I use one packet for 4 pots. When the green onions come out, I can usually divide each pot into about 4 sections and I plant them out that way. With leeks, I will wait until they are larger as I will plant them out individually.
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sweetiepie
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- Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:18 pm
- Location: York, ND (Zone 3b)
I just saw on the web about taking the plants out of the cell and putting the cell in a bowl of water and the dirt falls away and the roots are easily untangled in the water. I did this a couple days ago with peppers and it worked great. So far there appears to be no damage to the roots. I had poor germination test so I had planted a little thickly and of course they must of all came up in the dirt.
I don't use pots or cells to start seed. Most of my indoor starts begin in boxes from the bakery. They hold about 1 1/2" of soil. That seems about right for tomatoes.
If I had a "large enterprise," and large greenhouse to match
, I would use 20-row seedling flats like the ones sold by Johnny's (LINK). They would hold about the same amount of soil, a standard flat is 2" deep.
I posted a couple of pictures of seedlings in the bakery's "cookie boxes" on Lakngulf's 2015 tomato starts thread. Here's one with tomato seedlings just emerging.
Here are the tomatoes about 3 days after being moved to 4-packs. They won't likely stop there since most will be moved from there to 3 1/2" pots before showing up in the garden.
Steve
If I had a "large enterprise," and large greenhouse to match
, I would use 20-row seedling flats like the ones sold by Johnny's (LINK). They would hold about the same amount of soil, a standard flat is 2" deep.I posted a couple of pictures of seedlings in the bakery's "cookie boxes" on Lakngulf's 2015 tomato starts thread. Here's one with tomato seedlings just emerging.
Those tomato plants look very healthy digitS'
I normally just start one seed per compartment and transplant when the second set of leaves come along. If I do manage to get more than one per compartment I use a steak knife and gently separate, and more to 4 inch peat pots. Matter of fact I need to be out in the greenhouse now doing that with some tomatoes and peppers.
I normally just start one seed per compartment and transplant when the second set of leaves come along. If I do manage to get more than one per compartment I use a steak knife and gently separate, and more to 4 inch peat pots. Matter of fact I need to be out in the greenhouse now doing that with some tomatoes and peppers.
Here are some that I had to move this morning ... well, didn't have to but it seemed like it was time. I'd already stalled a couple of days because of their uneven start. They were a little crowded by the plants that were removed first and so, a little leggy. But maybe, you can get an idea of when I think those true leaves are about right for a tomato seedling's first move.
Steve
basil seedlings there to the left
