When to prick out seedlings?

[peachmonster]

Hi,

I'm a bit confused about the right time to prick seedlings out of the pot/ tray I sowed them in and putting them into individual pots. In some places I have read that you should wait until the first pair of true leaves has appeared and elsewhere other people just say you should prick them out as soon as they are large enough to handle.

I've got some chilli and sweet pepper seeds which I sowed 5 to a pot and they've nnow got their seed leaves fully developed, and they are technically large enough to handle. what do other grapes do??

[Kristen]

I read that "first true leaves" is the right time, but the only time I've waiting that long is when something has got neglected. I've never done a side-by-side test.

I use John Innes Seed Compost for my seeds. Its very fine, so even when the seedling just has one tiny root there is little chance of me damaging it (well ... unless I am cack-handed!). Perhaps with rougher compost there is more risk of root damage and that would matter less to a more developed plant?

Although, I may be over thinking it, but if the seedling has more extensive roots I would expect more damage as teasing the seedlings apart becomes more of an issue.

I use a pencil to tease the seedlings out of the seed tray, and only hold them by their seed-leaves.

I bury all seedlings up to the seed leaves when pricking out (although I'm more cautious with Cucumbers / Courgettes as they hate getting their stems wet - but they are much larger seedlings anyway.

[Two_Sheds]

I hate pricking out, so I just sow thinly

[Kristen]

I'm mean. I hate thinning Particularly "6 seeds for 3 quid" varieties

[zazen999]

I don't really prick out - if I've got a few in a small pot, I tip it out when there are at least 2 true leaves, and then pot them on as deep as I can. For early sowings, I'll take the biggest into a new pot of it's own, and put the rest in one pot, the next size up from the original small pot. The others can wait until it warms up and I have space in the greenhouse.

[Kristen]

Oh dear! I'm clearly WAY too geeky

I put all my seeds neatly in rows in my 1/4-size seed trays - pushing them into place with a pencil.

I'll get my coat now ...

[taff]

I usually sow two or three seeds tomato/chilli/aubergines to one large module, then prick out either when the first true leaves start showing, or when they're a bit more developed.
There's more than enough space for the root systems to deveop and for them to grow quite large before I prick them out.
A lot easier too, than trying to handle tiny plants because I'm a bit hamfisted sometimes.

[Alison]

I sow all my smallish seeds such as chillies, peppers, aubergines and tomatoes in individual pots which are about 1.5" across newspaper ones. They're fine in there until they've formed their first true leaves and I can see that they're doing OK then I simply put the whole newspaper pot in a 3" pot and sink upto the first leaves as necessary. That way I don't ever have to prick out and never run the risk of damaging the plant as I'm handling the whole pot. Also as the pots are individual I can remove from the propogator as soon as they surface.

[Barbarah]

I usually wait until the first true leaves have developed that way it is easy to lift them without touching the stem or the roots. Any longer though and you risk the roots becoming tangled.
Barbarah