When do i transplant seedlings

Lift each seedling carefully, only ever handling them by their leaves, never the delicate stems. Carefully feed the roots right down into the hole then gently firm the seedling in.

You can bury some of the stem if the seedlings are looking a little leggy and drawn. This will help to support them. Trays with smaller plugs suit most salad crops, especially if they will be transplanted promptly within three or four weeks of sowing.

Larger plugs suit bigger, hungrier seedlings such as those of the brassica cabbage family. They grow fast and may need to be potted on once again before they are transplanted into their final growing positions.

Water seedlings to keep the potting mix moist, but be careful not to overwater. This will help keep the air inside moving, and reduce the risk of disease and molds. You can help encourage stronger seedlings in preparation for the move by occasionally running your hand gently over the seedlings.

Plant seedlings out while they are still quite young if outdoor conditions allow - sometimes as soon as three to four weeks after sowing. Our Garden Planner can help you work out when is the best time to transplant outdoors.

Check out the green bars in your Plant List for a range of recommended dates for your location. Now that your young plants are in the ground, learn about their care for the rest of the season! Find more information on planting. From selecting the right gardening spot to choosing the best vegetables to watering the right way, our Almanac gardening experts are excited to teach gardening to everyone.

My dad taught me that a small "tent" made of leafy twigs helps shade tender seedlings and protect from harsh, drying winds. Leave the twigs in place about a week. Gives them a chance to get adapted to the soil and put their roots in. I use this method for tomato, pepper, sweet potato and other transplants. Then move to a larger pot after the small pot shows roots at the bottom. Some plants are exceptions - if they resent disturbance or are root crops like carrots where the main root needs to be left undisturbed.

My max for a seedling is a 4" pot, then usually to ground or final destination. In your case if you are going to have several plants in a Large pot, I would direct sow and thin to desired spacing, unless the large pot needs to be outside and you want to sow inside etc.

What a great post! So many people are dipping their toes into Veg gardening and seed starting pots. Best pumpkins and squash we ever had came when the seeds hadn't germinated in their little pots, so in disgust I took them out to an area we call No Man's Land and just dumped the lot.

Seeds and dirt just helter skelter. Guess what germinated, grew like mad, and gave us so much produce we set boxes along the road with "Free" signs posted. Lots of fun, so -- I happily agree with Jeff.

No Molly coddling! I have gone through all this trouble several times I water to keep uniformly moist crucial I start very early When I set out my cukes, melons, zukes and tomatoes I plant each one inside its own little green house. I take the kitchen catcher garbage bags and slit each one and using some sticks that are as long as the bags , use the sticks to hold the bags around the plants.

The tops remain open so that when temperature rises it won't cook the plants. This way works great in areas of winds that are destructive on new plants and can be left on while plants grow and folded down or cut off at a later time. I bought the Almanac. I want to grow an indoor lemon tree, I have good seeds. I also want to grow an indoor Avocado tree. I see schedules for veggies, not citrus or avocado. Am I correct that the next above ground time will be approx the 13thth?

The best days to plant above-ground crops is in "the light of the Moon", between a new and a full Moon. The Moon will be full on Sept. You can plant the seeds any time before the full Moon date. The very best days are Sept. In the best days to plant calendar, is this to plant the seeds or actual seedling plants? We plant mostly seeds so I wasn't sure how to apply these dates. The planting by the Moon calendar is for planting outside.

If cold weather persists outdoors, transplanting may be delayed by weeks. And even with the light, space, and environment described above, most seedlings will eventually out-grow their root space.

Most plants are not bothered by potting on, but it should be done with great care not to damage the delicate root system, and without bruising the leaves and stem. Handling seedlings by the root ball is often safest. Refer to specific instructions about each type of plant in question. This prevents the seedling from having its roots disturbed, and they will eventually penetrate the pot as it biodegrades in the soil. Soil Blockers are a fantastic alternative for small farms or nurseries, or wherever large numbers of seedlings need to wait for transplanting.

The question of when to transplant seedlings is absolutely tied to regionality. The last average frost date in a given region is a very general tool for estimating how many weeks later is appropriate for transplanting. A basic plan can be used by employing our Regional Planting Charts , but it takes careful management to get this right. These can all cause transplant stress, so hardening off is a key step to success. I like to think of the indoor seedling stage as an artificial holding area.

We want the seedlings to be at their peak possible health once we transplant them. Only when they actually get transplanted do we put them to work. After transplanting is the real time to help these plants accomplish their goal, to mature, and to produce the leaves and fruits that make all this work worth while. Product has been added to your wishlist. You can view your wishlist by creating or login account.