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seeds Separating tiny seedlings...Shock?...photo

Roguejim

Roguejim

I want to separate the two seedlings below.  They are growing from a peat pellet.  My plan is to remove the pellet w/seedlings from the cup, submerge just the pellet in warm water until it disintegrates.  I will help it along by gently picking at it with a toothpick until the seedlings are exposed.  Does this sound like a good method?  Also, will these tiny seedlings go into shock when put into a solo cup/potting soil?
 

 
 
 
i grew mine in seed starting soil and cups last year . wet them down hour or so before separating and had no problems at all . never lost a one . just separated with my fingers gently .
 
You've described the best method anyone has going, with one difference. With plants as young as those the roots may untangle themselves with gentle swishing - no toothpick needed. 
 
When you move them to larger containers, use seed-starting mix, as they're still too young for full-up potting soil. Potting soil has fertilizer mixed in, and that can burn your babies. One of two  things I wonder about his how yellow the leaves appear - are they that yellow in person or is it just the pic? If it's just the pic, no problem, but if they're that yellow likely you are keeping them too wet. Along the same lines, the second thing I wonder is about the brown cast to the top of the pellet. If you didn't somehow put that there (like by using some fertilizer) then it's likely the start of fungus - also a sign that they're too wet, and also a sign that you should remove them from the pellet a.s.a.p.
 
When you repot them make sure to start with damp soil. Use something long and somewhat narrow to dig a hole into the soil - a chopstick is a good size for this as you can just push it down then stir a bit to widen the hole just a tad. You'll want to dig down at least as deep as the roots are - you need to attempt to put the roots in without getting them bunched/knotted up. Still tamp the soil down once they're in. If you get a fan on them that will help dry out the soil surface, which will help prevent fungus from growing. Since you haven't had a fan on them before, make sure it's gentle to start with - use reflection if you don't have an oscillating fan with a slow setting. Once they acclimate to the breeze you can up the speed.
 
geeme said:
You've described the best method anyone has going, with one difference. With plants as young as those the roots may untangle themselves with gentle swishing - no toothpick needed. 
 
When you move them to larger containers, use seed-starting mix, as they're still too young for full-up potting soil. Potting soil has fertilizer mixed in, and that can burn your babies. One of two  things I wonder about his how yellow the leaves appear - are they that yellow in person or is it just the pic? If it's just the pic, no problem, but if they're that yellow likely you are keeping them too wet. Along the same lines, the second thing I wonder is about the brown cast to the top of the pellet. If you didn't somehow put that there (like by using some fertilizer) then it's likely the start of fungus - also a sign that they're too wet, and also a sign that you should remove them from the pellet a.s.a.p.
 
When you repot them make sure to start with damp soil. Use something long and somewhat narrow to dig a hole into the soil - a chopstick is a good size for this as you can just push it down then stir a bit to widen the hole just a tad. You'll want to dig down at least as deep as the roots are - you need to attempt to put the roots in without getting them bunched/knotted up. Still tamp the soil down once they're in. If you get a fan on them that will help dry out the soil surface, which will help prevent fungus from growing. Since you haven't had a fan on them before, make sure it's gentle to start with - use reflection if you don't have an oscillating fan with a slow setting. Once they acclimate to the breeze you can up the speed.
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Thanks!  I'll address some of your remarks.
Good, or bad, I've never used seed starting mix.  When the sprouts hit about 1" tall in the pellet, I remove the bottom 1/3 of the pellet, and put the remaining pellet/sprout into the Solo cup w/potting soil. 
 
I'll have to double check the yellowish leaves.  You are likely correct about over watering...my achilles heel..
 
The brown cast is on the surface of the perlite.  I get it every year from the HPS light hitting any bit of water on the surface.  Algae, or fungus?  It's never been a concern.  And no, I don't bottom water.  Never had a single case of damping off.  Also, all plants are under a fan once they hit the Solo cups.
 
Like I said, good, or bad, this is my method.
 
EDIT:  I've been thinking about the seed starter recommendation with the Jiffy pellets, so, I'm going to start another posting and see if I am alone in using potting soil.  It should be interesting.
 
I think geeme is saying that since you are taking your babies out of the pellet their new roots will be exposed to anything so better to put into starter mix to protect the youngins. If you were keeping in the pellets then the roots are still protected from burn till acclimated to new soil. I could be understanding it wrong.
 
Spicytigger said:
I think geeme is saying that since you are taking your babies out of the pellet their new roots will be exposed to anything so better to put into starter mix to protect the youngins. If you were keeping in the pellets then the roots are still protected from burn till acclimated to new soil. I could be understanding it wrong.
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You might be right on that. In any event, I did the deed. I guess I'll find out.
 
Immediately after separating and plantng them, I would keep the leaves moist by spraying them. Keep them moist for a few hours. Don't let the leaves dry out.
 
I literally put my peat pellets under a tap and wash everything off the roots before planting into soil. I wash the peat off no matter if I'm dealing with one or multiple seedlings in the pellet. Have not had any problems.
 
nzchili said:
I literally put my peat pellets under a tap and wash everything off the roots before planting into soil. I wash the peat off no matter if I'm dealing with one or multiple seedlings in the pellet. Have not had any problems.
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Wow, now that's a first.  I think these little seedlings are tougher than we think.
 
Roguejim said:
Wow, now that's a first.  I think these little seedlings are tougher than we think.
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Yep they look like this after being washed before transplant. I have had issues with roots not moving into the rest of the growing medium (even with netting removed) which is why I now do this

babyprimo_zps66ecd07f.jpg
 
You guys must have a severe seed shortage. I start two or three seeds in every solo cup then just clip off the two that didn't grow as well, after they're significantly larger than that. What is the value of a seed versus all the extra work??
 
In my case it's now illegal to import seeds into nz. So what we have now is all we are guaranteed to have. (There are exceptions and things do still make it in sometimes but not guaranteed.) If I only had 10 seeds of a rare species/ cool hybrid. I would try my best to have as many sprouts as possible survive to maturity so I could save seeds from the best / most true ones. I would not be so stingy once I had a mature plant that I could get seeds off. As far as I'm concerned they are my only chance at that variety until I manage to grow it out. So I treat them like so.
 
I normally clip off the smaller ones, as Dave2000 suggests, but in this case, some of my seeds didn't germinate(yet), so, I'm separating certain ones that did.

nzchili said:
Yep they look like this after being washed before transplant. I have had issues with roots not moving into the rest of the growing medium (even with netting removed) which is why I now do this

babyprimo_zps66ecd07f.jpg
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I wanted to say that I tried this method the other day with two separate Solo cups, and it works flawlessly.  I don't think this method can be improved upon.  Thanks for the tip!
 
I second nzchili's comment on removing the seedlings from the pellets by soaking and then washing under a tap. I have also had issues in the past with the roots not penetrating the Jiffy pellet mesh once transplanting into soil. As mentioned, us Kiwi growers are now struggling to get seeds into the country and so we need to use what we have very carefully. I would rather have extra plants to give away if not needed than take a chance on losing some i really wanted.
 
willard3 said:
I don't see any reason to separate them, either.Plant them together.
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Because one plant in a pot is better than two. And because two smaller pots are cheaper than one large pot.
 
 
nzchili said:
In my case it's now illegal to import seeds into nz. So what we have now is all we are guaranteed to have. (There are exceptions and things do still make it in sometimes but not guaranteed.) If I only had 10 seeds of a rare species/ cool hybrid. I would try my best to have as many sprouts as possible survive to maturity so I could save seeds from the best / most true ones. I would not be so stingy once I had a mature plant that I could get seeds off. As far as I'm concerned they are my only chance at that variety until I manage to grow it out. So I treat them like so.
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But if they're that rare or valuable, wouldn't you sew only one seed per starter pot?
 
Why separate them so young? I usually let mine grow a little if I'm going to separate them just so they have a little more backbone when I go to mess with them. I'm like Dave though, I generally just snip the others and let the one grow. I understand your situation though.
 
Dave2000 said:
 

But if they're that rare or valuable, wouldn't you sew only one seed per starter pot?
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i used to do that, but then i ended up with lots of pellets with nothing sprouted..and then i never want to give up on them and keep watering them for months lol..(and taking up space in my cupboard)
now i just do 2 or 3 and put the pellet on the windowsill when the first one in a pellet sprouts.
I wash the peat off either way and have good success (not damaging the seedlings) so its not any extra work for me
 
^and the reason i do it so young is because i only like the pellets for germing..
They arnt really an ideal growing medium IMO..but i do like them for germing as they are small and convenient and work for me as i put my pellets in a closed container in my hot water cupboard. I cant do it or get as many different ones in there with a seed starter tray or small pots.
 
Hey its just what works for me. Is it the most efficient thing to do? No way. But I treat this thing like a hobby, I like doing it and I have no problem spending a little extra time doing it how I want to do it. Trying different things and finding what works for you is part of the fun. This works for me.  ;)
 
Just another point i forgot to mention. [SIZE=13.63636302948px] many of the plants i care the most about making it to maturity are unstable crosses.. [/SIZE]I always get that "what if" going through my head when cutting down a small plant.  Im always thinking "this could be the one!".  S[SIZE=13.63636302948px]peed of growth/vigor is just not something i care very much about. It can grow as slow as it wants if it turns out gnarly!  [/SIZE]
 
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