What size transplant pot?? (Platycodon/ balloon flower)

18 years ago

Hello,

I have asked a bunch of recent questions here because I am setting up to germinate and grow Platycodon 'Sentimental Blue' from seed inside.

After germination (I am using the BioDome and sponges), I will place the seedlings under flourescent lights (4x40-W), still within the germination tray with sponges for 2 or so weeks. I will then transplant to seedling containers with Miracle Grow potting mix, and maintain in those pots for about 2 months until ready to bring outside.

How big should my seedling pots be? I have found some small square plastic pots, not yet purchased, with sizes as follows: (a) 3.5' x 3.5' (b) 3.5' x 5', (c) 4' x 5', and (d) 4' x 6'

I wish to leave the seedlings in their transplant pots until they go outside, but do not know about the root growth of this plant (several here and sources say the roots are very sensitive, with long tap root). If I use the deeper pots as above, can I still bottom water with these? Or would I need even larger seedling pots than those indicated?

After intial transplant to seeling pots, the seedlings will remain inside for at least 2 months under the lights. I plan on 1-2 plant per pot.

Thanks,

growitnow

zone7, Virgnia

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Comments (8)

marilenav1
18 years ago
Platycodon is not very fast growing in it's first year. I think the 3.5" x 3.5" is more than adequate for 2 months. They are not sensitive to transplanting.
morz8 - Washington Coast
18 years ago
They are not difficult to transplant from container to ground...established plants may resent transplanting due to the long tap-like roots.

ALL of my perennials go into what is called a 4x5...the actual measurement of the pot is 3 1/2" wide x 5" deep...to allow for best root development. I'll even sow perennial seeds in this depth pot, and often find hellebore seedlings for example have extended roots to the pot bottom in just a very few weeks and before being transplanted to individual pots.
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A word of caution about moving balloon flower--according to the information I've read they have a taproot and it's possible mature plants may resent transplanting. roxanna - I'm in north central CT a couple miles south of the MA state line so a trade is definitely a possibility. Seed harvesting is addictive so I could also offer you some Stokes aster/Stokesia laevis seeds. Do you already grow Polemonium/Jacob's ladder? It's a great blue in late spring. The Stokes aster blooms in mid-summer but also offers a stunning blue contrast to daylilies. Another blue I would never be without is Baptisia australis/false indigo which blooms in late May where I am and is not only blue, it's tall. The blooms last for weeks and the seedpods that form are distinctive. I'm running out of space in my beds thanks to winter sowing + my own maturing perennials but I appreciate the offer of plants. My seed-grown plants were all grown via the winter sowing method. I filled my perennial beds with plants in just 3 years' time by trading seeds here on the GW Seed Exchange & harvesting seeds from my own perennials. It's lots more fun than the whole lights/heat setup. Check it out when you have time. I'll be more than happy to answer your questions if you decide to give it a try. Oh, in case you have doubts about the winter sowing method--I grew apple, pear & ornamental dogwood trees via winter sowing and they're as tall as I am this year. Also grew spirea, St. John's wort & other flowering shrubs. Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing website
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Hi Liz, Congratulations on your ability to grow citrus in your condo - they certainly seem to love your conditions, as is evident by their fruit yield, so by all means continue with your regimen! I don't see your pics from the Dropbox link. If you try Photobucket, you can hover over the picture and just copy and paste the html link into the body of your GW message. When you 'Preview Message', you should see your photo (just as we will). You ask a very interesting question about the appropriate time to uproot your citrus. One certainly should do so if you see actual decline in your tree's vigor, but you'll probably want to re-pot before you've reached this stage. And, as you are using a standard potting mix that's been amended with bark and perlite, I would argue that you're getting soil compaction with the resulting/dreaded perched water table (unless you've added a wick to the drain holes). So you're probably at just past prime time to re-pot - remember that for plants in a 511 mix, it's recommended to re-pot every couple or so years; therefore, your less free-draining mix will probably require more frequent changing (might now be a good time to consider re-potting into the gritty mix(?), as you'll be able to leave in the free-draining mix for 3-5 years or so). In regards to when to re-pot, I would recommend doing this just before your citrus are in a growth spurt. I wouldn't worry too much about whether you have fruit/flowers while doing this; especially for the Meyer, you'll probably have fruit of varying degree on the tree year-round, so this is unavoidable. Finally, I recall reading that you don't want to 'pot up' into too large a container, which could have the problem of retaining too much moisture. I suspect your tree isn't too large, so you should be able to get away with using an 18" diameter pot. And if you root prune every time you re-pot, you can get away with using the same sized container (this is how bonsai hobbyist can continue using the same small-sized pots indefinitely). Best of luck! Tim
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fredw10
18 years ago
I didn't realize Platycodon was Baloon Flower until I looked it up on the web. What I read suggested planting in the fall, transplanting in 3.5in pots then planting out doors. Also read about not really blooming well until second or third year. Apparently it disappears in the winter so you need to remember exactly where it was planted to avoid damaging it in spring cleanup. Just put Platycodon in google and you will learn all about it.
roxy77
18 years ago
I just repotted mine this weekend, they had been in their original peat pots since mid Jan. (when I sowed them) and are now only about an inch and a half tall, maybe two with one set of true leaves. The roots are about as long as the plants, maybe a wee bit longer. I actually transplanted several into one 4 inch pot just for lack of pots.

They seem to have survived the transplant well and seem to be slow growers. I plan on keeping them in the GH till they gain a bit more size.

Not sure if that helps, but good luck.

Does anyone know when I will start seeing a bit more growth/size?
michelelee
18 years ago
roxy, when did they germinate? That seems to be pretty slow. Have you given them fertilizer?
roxy77
18 years ago
Michelelee, it took a while for them to germinate. I want to say I sowed them around Jan10-15 and they popped up the first week in Feb, I thought they weren't going to germinate at all. I've fertilized all my seedlings with a miracle grow at about half strength.

I am noticing some growth but in small increments so I don't think they've damped off or anything. I said they were an inch and a half but after checking them out last night they are probably closer to 2.5 inches. Still with only one set of true leaves. Did I screw up somewhere?

Oh I hope not, these are the plants I've been wanting for so long. In fact I sowed two packets of seeds just to make sure I got some. The second pack is just now popping up so if I've ruined the first ones I can hopefully save the second ones.
growitnow
Original Author
18 years ago
morz8,

You indicate your transplant pots are 5" deep. How do you water seedlings? Just curious because of the consistent indication to bottom water with seedlings - is 5" too deep to do so? Perhaps you top water and that works for you..

Anyone care to offer suggestions for how deep a transplant pot might be "too deep", to bottom water?

Thanks,

growitnow
morz8 - Washington Coast
18 years ago
growitnow, I do top water my pots with the 'rainfall' type rose on my watering can; over a sink with the pots in the mesh-type trays to drain a few minutes before being returned to their shelves. Bottom watering would be much too time consuming for me. I do make sure I have good air circulation, and don't find it to be a problem.

What size transplant pot?? (Platycodon/ balloon flower)

Comments (8)

marilenav1

morz8 - Washington Coast

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morz8 - Washington Coast

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What size transplant pot?? (Platycodon/ balloon flower)

Comments (8)

marilenav1

morz8 - Washington Coast

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fredw10

roxy77

michelelee

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morz8 - Washington Coast

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