Potting-up fussy seedlings

I've got a bunch of more adventurous seeds on the go, which will come to pricking out / potting on before long.

For now one lot have got away ahead of the pack - some seedlings of Crambe cordifolia.

Since potting-up its not going well. First true leaves are drying up, and have made no headway [after a couple of weeks], and a couple have snuffed it :(

My general question (i.e. not specifically related to Crambe cordifolia) is whether I would be better to try to improve drainage of multi purpose compost (go 1/3rd or even 50% Perlite perhaps?) with a view to stopping the compost becoming compacted, and to reduce the effect of watering [when the plants are not actually thirsty]?

Slight risk that they will need water more often, but by the time they get to the next potting-on pot-size they will probably be strong enough to be less influenced by compost-drainage.

Advice welcome, I want to avoid killing off the seedlings that I do manage to get to germinate

 

I agree that trying perlite may help prevent too much compaction. I keep finding tips on a whole range of plants, suggesting that at this time of year, to water much less than what you would during the warmer months, so I would try less water too, from the bottom.

So in summary, yes yes and yes to what you said

 

How about including some of those clay moisture retaining balls to compensate ? Just a thought.

Crambe, is that a sea kale or something from "The Simpsons" ?

 

Thanks guys.

They were germinated with a spell in the fridge and then at room temperature, but were then given a bit of heat before potting-up. Since potting-up they've been in unheated conservatory (although given growing-light at night, but that only gets to about 15C as it is an otherwise Arctic utility corridor).

Growing a large number of plants in the Spring its difficult for me to give them all variety-specific conditions, and to remember what watering regime would suit them best, so my question was "fishing" for a method that would increase their chance of not-snuffing-it !

Likelihood is that I will water them as part of the daily watering routine, and then realise / remember that they weren't supposed to be watered that day :( so I was just wondering if Perlite would give me more "leeway" in getting plants established

I'm with the concept of bottom-watering, but struggling with a practical method of achieving that. I have probably 150 varieties of "somewhat advanced" seed varieties that I am raising ... lets assume 10 pots each, so that's 1,500 pots to be watered ... bottom watering (as I currently would do it) would mean standing the pots in a gravel tray for 10 - 15 minutes and then taking them out to drain, and putting the next batch into the gravel tray ... which would take all day to do 1,500 !

Perhaps I could set up a flood-and-drain system as an alternative? or capillary matting?
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yes, although (dunno why) I've always thought of Sea Kale as being a Brassica-lookalike ??

I think that Crambe cordolfolia looks a bit like Gypsophilla when in flower, and some strapping foliage.

 

Although quite costly from the outset, the method I use seems to work quite well, and will cost nothing extra in the future.

This year, I have invested in approx 50 stewart gravel trays (wilkinson sell these at around 85p i think). These are pretty solid in build, and I'm hoping will last me for a good 10 years (fingers crossed)

When Im pricking out, I generally put all my plants into pots which I purchased last year. The pots are called nursery pots, and are flexible plastic, but hold their shape really well when filled with compost. I managed to get hold of these for 99p per 60 pots, and are virtually indestructable (far better than the normal plastic pot). Where general plastic plant pots become brittle in the sun, these dont.

I will look for them online, as I was only able to find what looked like very old packs, in a now shut down independent garden centre.

Each gravel tray holds 15 of these nursery pots so 50 x 15 = 750 pots in gravel trays. I water a little at a time into each tray until Im happy with the amount given.

Perhaps purchasing a couple of trays a week (soon builds up)? The reason Ive gone into how im set up, is that I am able to control the amount of water given to each set of 15 plants seperate to that of the other trays, should their requirements be different.

 

So if I've understood you correctly you water into the gravel tray? (i.e. to provide bottom watering). That sounds fine, but do you not then have to "drain" them after they've had a drink for, say, 10 minutes?

 

If I am growing plants from seed/small cuttings until they are strong and getting established I always add a third of perlite to the multi purpose compost, stops it compacting down if you are watering in a hurry. Very delicate ones are sprayed round the edge of the pot with a hand sprayer and I use the smallest pots available 2" until they get going. Hope this helps.

Val

 

I invested in covering my greenhouse staging with capillary matting a couple of years ago and I have found this very useful.
I did intend to add drip feed watering but not yet done that (I have the pipework etc) so I just keep the matting wet by watering can .
I think adding perlite to your multi purpose would help with the more adventurous seedlings .. I sometimes use Horticultural grit to open my compost.
I was not familiar with Crambe cordifolia but must admit I like the look of it .

Dave

 

After a couple of minutes, all the water I put in there will be soaked up into the pots, as I only pour in a limited amount from the start. I find this helps prevent overwatering.

Think of it as a saucer under a pot, add water, and watch it all disappear, by being soaked up. I use the trays in a similar way.

 

Thanks for your help chaps. Fingers cross I don't murder very many!

 

I would agree with Gemini. As a principle I always mix one part of sharp sand to two parts of compost to help drainage. Then I would use a spray to provide moisture when the seedlings were very young. Rather than plain water I would use a very dilute solution of a copper compound. I also keep a cover on them for some time to reduce moisture loss.

I am with you, Kristen, about just having one method to treat all seedlings. Life is too short to treat them all differently. I am afraid that once my seedlings have been nurtured to a certain size, they all get watered from above. I do it with a milk bottle with two fingers over the top, and that way you can control the flow quite well. You can also direct it so that you water in a circle round the seedling rather than the seedling itself.

 

I have a Hawes watering can - you can just see a "dribble spout" inside the rear handle. That fits on the spout instead of the rose (when then parks on the same spot inside the rear handle).

Its only plastic (the Rose is brass), far too expensive!, but is properly weighted and does a really good job. The oval rose, pointed upwards, produces a beautifully fine "rain" for small plants etc.

I'm normally a make-do-and-mender, but when the inlaws dog ate my last Hawes can I bought another without a second thought. (Didn't force myself to have the metal one that would last a lifetime though !)

 

I use the same method as Luke , I use the Sankey gravel trays from Wilkos - far cheaper than the B n Q ones - and water from the bottom . You do have to check the amount of water you put in the tray otherwise the seed trays will wick up water until they are sodden. I just fill the gravel tray channels and cover the flat portion to about 1/4" , 6mm . This will water two half size seed trays.
I use perlite to add to my seed compost , but it will get a bit expensive to add it to the compost when pricking out . Wilkos sell 10 litres of perlite at £3 odd , so a 30% mix for pricking out = a lot of £'s.
Now you can use sharp sand ,but is B and Q sharp sand OK to use or will it have salt in it I have used it in the past but always had this doubt at the back of my mind

 

Thanks, I think I will use Gravel Trays (of which I have plenty ) as a dunking-mechanism. My pots are on pot-carriers, so its not hard to dunk and then remove 20-at-a-time - just got to remember to come back 10 mintues later ...

My last batch of Perlite etc came from JFC Monroe
http://www.jfcmonro.co.uk/

100L of Perlite for a tenner, and 100L of Vermiculite for £12 - £13

or maybe 3-Counties Hydroponics
http://www.3ch.co.uk/

30L of Perlite for a £6.24, and 30L of Vermiculite for £6.02

2' / 60cm Garland gravel trays (good, robust, quality) were £ 6.12

Can't remmeber, but you might have to bulk-up and order to make the carriage cost "palatable" :thumb: I bought a job-lot of tree ties and some "tape" for my plant-typing-gun, so I can forget about having to buy any more for several years ...