When can I transplant into my cups from jiffy pellets? I tried to remove some pellets from the tray that had sprouts and move them into another tray under the lights. However, it was very difficult to get the pellets out and the seedlings I removed look like they have been to hell and back after the damage I caused. Loose dirt, seedling pointing sideways, two sprouts fell out and I had to try and bury them again by hand with not much luck, as I am pretty sure I killed them both. I decided all the other seedlings can stay in the original tray until I put them in cups. Do I need to wait for the first true leaves or can I pot up as soon as they sprout? I have having a bad start but trying not to get discouraged.
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When to do first transplant
- Thread starter Southern-Pepper
- Start date
I usually wait to transplant until they at least have their first set of leaves fully extended, sometimes until the second set is starting to form. You want to have a good root system in place first. Is your seedling tray under some sort of light right now, or just the other tray? The seedlings need lighting of some sort immediately after sprouting. If you are using the pellets, you should be able to move the whole pellet under the lights without removing the netting and transplanting into the cups.
I use plastic insert trays to start seeds in and have had multiple seeds sprout in the cells. I have seperated the seedlings and repotted into seperate cells without killing them. Just be gentle and they usually come out OK. Hopefully yours will be fine.
Good luck and it will all be worth it when you get the first ripe pods.
jacob
I use plastic insert trays to start seeds in and have had multiple seeds sprout in the cells. I have seperated the seedlings and repotted into seperate cells without killing them. Just be gentle and they usually come out OK. Hopefully yours will be fine.
Good luck and it will all be worth it when you get the first ripe pods.
jacob
i would definitely say wait a bit longer than first sprouting. Like jjs7741 says, the first leaves at minimum to establish a root system.
+1 for not letting a bit of discouragement get in your way. Good luck!
+1 for not letting a bit of discouragement get in your way. Good luck!
Thanks jjs7741, ballzworth. Yes I have them under 2-2tube fluro lights and am about to put up a third because the two light do not completely cover the 72 cells. I think I may have planted many of them too shallow because some of them have long tall legs and did not see light until I pulled them from the cell tray. Another reason I think this is so is because some of them literally grew out of the pellet and fell completely over. I will make sure and plant the annuums deeper and keep them in the cells until transplant time.