Pricking out! (no puns necessary)

Have we all got trays of little seedlings then? If not, this is not the page for you! Go over the previous blog entries on seed sowing and come and join us when you are ready!

Baby tomato seedlings...no need for christening gifts....they are all called Tom

Now, having produced a fine flush of baby plants, we are ready for the next step; pricking out. You will need a range of pots of similar size (for tomatoes 3cm pots will be ideal although they will probably need further potting on prior to being planted in their final positions or in grow bags or where ever you have chosen for them to reside), multi-purpose compost, labels and a patented seedling extraction device....a pencil will do if you don't have one.

MAKE SURE YOU STERILISE THE POTS! Sorry to shout but I want to make sure you don't go falling at the final hurdle!

Loosely fill your pots with compost and tap them against your work surface. Do not compress the compost as we are trying to encourage root growth without making them work too hard (imagine the difference between a bed with sheets, blankets and hospital corners and one with a duvet....wriggle room is what we need!). Now get your finger in the middle and wiggle it around to create a nest for your little plantlets.

Using your patented seedling extraction device.....or pencil, gently ease your seedlings out of the compost. Try to ensure that you don't damage the roots.

Always handle your seedlings by the leaf not the stem! The stems are not strong enough for manhandling....or womanhandling for that matter. Damage at this stage is an open invitation to invasion from nasties like Phytophera and infection can soon spread. And, particularly in tomatoes, adventitious roots will grow from the stem and handling may damage those root buds. So don't do it.....consider yourself told!

I really should do something with those nails, perhaps a nice shade of black?

 

Pop your little seedling into the hole you created earlier. When the compost settles, you want the leaves to be slightly higher than the surrounding compost. The reasons for this are; firstly those adventitious roots I mentioned (this will help to stabilise the young plant and provide more roots to seek out nutrients) and secondly to prevent the plant from going 'leggy' and snapping in the slightest breeze.

Gently firm the compost around the seedling and water. You may have to do some more rearranging after you have watered. I would not advise using a rose on your watering device (the round thing with all the holes in it) as you may splash compost all over those little food factory leaves.

label your little babies to avoid confusion and pop somewhere warm. Give them a week before starting to harden them off (popping them outside during the day so that they get used to what a big ole nasty world it really is!). Do not start hardening off them if the weather is really cold. This may mean cluttered window sills for a few weeks, but think of all those yummy tomatoes!!

A final word:

Remember! Only pot on the big boys. Cast aside the runts and put them on the compost heap. Harden those hearts! You want to select the strongest, Darwin would be proud!








Another final word: If you are potting on small seedlings like Lobelia, you might want to consider potting on small clusters of the seedlings....I will add some pictures underneath when I get round to doing mine. Now....time for a cuppa?