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seeds sprouted, now what??

16 years ago

Hi, I am new to this winter sowing and started several containers of various flower seeds. They are growing!!!! I am so excited. I just love it when I can pretty much ignore something and it flourishes! Question is, now what do I do? should I transplant them into a bigger container? They are in milk jugs and will probably get crowded soon. Some of the plants are slightly over an inch high.

I am really worried that once I start to mess with them, they will die. (that's usually what happened to seeds I start indoors) Thanks for any help..

Maryj

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Comments (5)

tiffy_z5_6_can
16 years ago
Mary,
These are totally different than what you started indoors in the past. These seedlings are strong little buggers which don't need to be coddled.

Got plans for them in the gardens? Go ahead and transplant. They will appear to just sit there for a little while, but then they will take off. While they are 'sitting there' they will just be getting used to their surroundings in the soil.

If your intention was to plant them in larger containers before placing them in the gardens, then you can do that too.

I do both all depending on the plant. All annuals go straight into the gardens and some perennials. One reason I might hold back and pot up some perennials is to see their blooming colour before placing them out. Since a lot of seeds I get are from cross-pollinated gardens, I might get a lot of a colour I already have, but then one or two of the colours I don't and so I give away the 'repeats' and plant all the colours I was looking for in my gardens.

Have fun filling your gardens!
kqcrna
16 years ago
Mary: I don't "pot up" anything. Everything goes right from jug to the ground.

What are they? Perennials? Hardy annuals? Tender? Are you still getting below freezing temperatures? I would think that in much of Texas you should be pretty much frost free by now.

Anything hardy to your zone should be able to take the cold just fine, and same for hardy annuals. Tender things like zinnias might need some protection from freezing.

It would help a lot if you tell us what plants they are.

Karen
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Thanks, guys. Ken, you'd be proud of me -- I transferred everything that's sprouted into a bonsai mix w/a bit-o-peat. This mix is *much* more free-draining than the peat pellets. hereinontario, thanks for your input. I was actually getting in the board again to ask why two of my sprouts had suddenly fallen over. I'd presume they've had damping off, although they are not gray or fuzzy. The base of the shoot at soil line is thin and shriveled, though. I've read that cinnamon, chamomile tea, and Safer's Insect-Killing Soap (which apparently kills more than insects, and I mention only because I couldn't find your Damp Off product locally and wanted to act fast) are supposed to fight damping off. I am trying all three. Question: I put the seedlings on the patio on warmish, sunny days (above 60F here), but they're mainly indoors, near a heating duct for some low-budget bottom heat. Would putting them outdoors full-time be too much of a shock for them now? We've got a few near-freezing nights forecast here, and it could easily get colder still this time of year. Separately, would you suggest moving the non-sprouted seeds -- which haven't been birthed into climate-control -- outdoors? And out of peat, or still in peat until they hatch? Anything else to consider? Also, I know too damp is bad, but I should still keep this moister than full-grown plants, right? Wrong? Many thanks, guys, -James
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Keep potting up as they grow until shortly before first frost is expected. In the fall sink the pot into the soil, cut the plant back after frost and cover the entire plant with 4-6 inches of shredded leaves or other mulch. I have over wintered seed grown hardy hibiscus several times. In late April/early May (z4, probably earlier for your zone) remove the mulch. If the plant is still quite small I leave it in the pot in the ground and plant in the fall (of the second year). Sometimes the plant will even bloom in the pot before it can be planted. You might get away with little or no mulch in your zone. If you have several mulch one and leave one unmulched to see what works for you.
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carrie630
16 years ago
Mary: Are you familiar with HOS - hunk of seedlings?
Maybe when you sowed your seeds indoors, you didn't put a lot in one container - so you may be feeling as though you should weed out the seedlings around to make the roots stronger (?).

We take hunks of seeds and dirt from one container and plant them out. You can plant out each one individually but that's so much work and time consuming. For example, when I sow Rose Campion seeds, I don't want 300 seedlings - but instead I make several huge chunks/clumps out of the many seedlings in one container.

Hope that was clear. (It's early...)lol

Carrie
maryj21
Original Author
16 years ago
The plants are zinnia, larspur, iceplant and one other, can't think of it at this moment. I'm in north Tx (near the OK border) and we just had 8 inches of snow this week!! I think that was record breaking, but the kids loved it! Anyway, I'm thinking we may still have several weeks of probable frost. Think I should just leave them in the jugs til the end of the month, then set them into the ground?? I just have to say, this winter sowing is so cool - I think next year I'll really have to plant MORE. :)
Mary
carrie630
16 years ago
I separate my zinnia seedlings - I never HOS them. I do HOS the larkspur and iceplant.

I would protect the zinnia from any freezes, but the other two are fine.

What kind of zinnias did you sow? I easily separate profusions - they handle so well.

Carrie

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