Do I have to transplant my seedlings??

Hi,

I have sown 5 trays of seeds. Each tray has 40 cells (about the same size as the plug plants you get online). My question is, do I have to transplant the seedlings when they get their true leaves?
I was hoping to leave them in the cells until I can plant them out in May. I figured that's how they come in the post, so why not!! Most of the cells have 1/2 seeds in, but some (the smaller seeds) have quite a few in (such as impatiens and petunias). They are all coming on well.
If I do need to transplant them, can I not just transplant them into different cells of the same kind (can't see what difference it would make).
If I do not transplant, what will happen...i.e will the plants be weaker/leggy/prone to disease (damping off).

Cheers for advice in advance.

 

It all depends on if they have enough room in the cells for all the little plants to grow and how densly you want them planting.
Mine have been transplanted from smaller cells which I just scattered seeds into then seperated them to one per cell useing the biggest and strongest looking ones to keep on growing.
The ones with 1-2 two in will do alot better than the others which probably would benefit from either removeing the weaker ones or transplanting the lot, I have one pansy per cell in one tray and one petunia per cell in another.

Have they germinated yet or are you asking in advance as it all might me relavent to how many of them germinate? See how they get on.

Hope this helps this is my first year on doing bedding plants from seed so I'm no expert

 

Hi,

pretty much all have germinated and coming on well.

 

Hi Bashy, if they are like the plug you can get (about 2cm across and 3 or so deep) then yes you need to pot them on into bigger pots.

 

Hi,
Here are some pictures of the cells with the seedlings developement so far:

First 10 cells-Geranium, next 10 cells-Poppy, next 20 cells- Sweet pea (trailing):



Propergators:
first 12 cells-Lupin, next 12 cells- Marigold, next 6 cells-Chilli pepper:


Trailing:
First 12 cells-Petunia, next 12 cells-Lobelia, next 6 cells-Impatiens:


Trailing:
first 12 cells-Anigalis, next 12 cells-Tagetus, next 6 cells-Solenopsis (not trailing):


Hope this helps to explain exactly what I have. I have another 5 trays in the greenhouse in the same size cells ;-) (different varieties)

Cheers

 

1 or 2 in a cell will be ok but your trailing ones will need splitting up before they get too big or you'll not be able to get them apart when bigger without damageing the roots and or plants.

 

I'm no expert either! but I would say they are still quite small, therefore personally I would leave them for a while.

When I transplant mine I do so individually into three inch pots and into new compost especially for seedings.