veg seed planting?

[newgrower1]

Hi,

As I am very new to this planting/growing veg I have a question for my next seed planting session. This year I went along my merrily little way planting my veg seeds ( curly kale, carrots, red onions, cauliflowers, cabbage, chillis, tomatoes, psb) in seed trays. they grew lovely and are big enough to plant into the ground. however, I find it hard to seperate roots etc as I used large seed trays rather than seperate ones. (because someone at garden centre told me this was fine)

Has anyone got any tips for when I try and get them out of trays to plant, and is it most definetly better to use seperate pots when planting so you do not get this problem??

Some of the curly kale laeves started to go yellow around the bottom and i am sure its because they were too tightly packed into the trays and didnt have enogh room, poor little things, can iI save these and if i plant them will they still grow??

[kiwirach]

Hi newgrower1, i'm not alot more experienced than you, and the more experienced gurus on here will add their (better) bit i'm sure....

For your seedlings, i'd go slowly and carefully trying to seperate them. you may loose a couple to broken roots, but if they are tightly packed in, thats probably ok.
i would definately think about using modules in your seed tray for next year....it's much easier in my opinion.

As for the curly kale, i'm not really sure if its save-able, but i'd be tempted to bung them in the ground anyway, and then see how they go....spacing them well...maybe removing some of the yellow leaves, and watch and wait!.

Good luck, it's so satisfying growing your own food.

[Two_Sheds]

any tips for when I try and get them out of trays ... is it most definetly better to use seperate pots when planting...?

You already know the answer to that
Yes, separate pots are much easier to use. I never ever use seed trays. For pricking out/separating soak the tray in water for about 15 mins, it will be much easier

[rustylady]

The only thing I use seed trays for is standing separate small pots in to keep them tidy and make it easier to water by standing the whole thing in a tray. Most of my sowing is done in celltrays.

[newgrower1]

great thanks guys,

Will plant the kale and see if it gets a second life!! lol. and will use seperate cells from now on.

Ta!

[Shadylane]

A veteran on our site uses trays for cabbage and lettuce at least. I know this cause he gave me a load of spares recently. The lettuce which had to be eased apart is doing great and contray to the rules which say lettuce doesn't like to be transplanted is doing great.

Last year he gave us a load of cabbage. He sows the entire packet in one seed tray. They also did great. Most stuff, especially tomatoes and chillies are easier if you put them in small pots, wait until they fill them with their roots then pot on/transplant. Carrots need to be sown direct though. And onions (assuming they're from seed) are easier - as I have discovered this year - if you sow 3 or 4 per module then plant each module out as one clump and let the onions push apart as they grow.

[newgrower1]

great, tahnks shadylane,

i have planted and fingers are crossed???

[Nykied]

I did all mine in module trays. I thought everyone else did them in one big seed tray and then pricked them out. I thought I was being really lazy, but now I'm reassured ;o)

[Helgalush]

Hi just to say I sowed my carrots in modules before I came on here and found out it was not a good idea...but they have survived the transplanting and are thriving now, but I treated them extremely carefully.

I dont know if others will correct me on this but mine have been planted fairly close together as well, so I think they might be ok grown close together - in which case it might be ok keep it as one 'block' of seedlings when you plant?

I'll let other Grapes comment on that though as this is my first growing season!!

[Shadylane]

With carrots it's not just a case of whether they survive the transplant but the fact that their roots will be all sorts of shapes because they've been messed with. A bit of forking isn't the end of the world though. I think you can grow them close together and harvest the small ones as they grow, giving the rest more space to get bigger.

[Helgalush]

With carrots it's not just a case of whether they survive the transplant but the fact that their roots will be all sorts of shapes because they've been messed with. A bit of forking isn't the end of the world though. I think you can grow them close together and harvest the small ones as they grow, giving the rest more space to get bigger.

Thank you

[Shadylane]

No probs

[Two_Sheds]

contray to the rules which say lettuce doesn't like to be transplanted

I've never heard that before; I always transplant lettuce. It's the only way to get a crop in high summer when temps are too high on the plot for sowing direct (instead sow them in the shade in modules at home)

With carrots... their roots will be all sorts of shapes because they've been messed with.

Indeedy.
Helgalush, let us know if you get funny shaped (forked) carrots or if they ended up OK from the transplanting

[Shadylane]

I've never heard that before; I always transplant lettuce. It's the only way to get a crop in high summer when temps are too high on the plot for sowing direct (instead sow them in the shade in modules at home)

Hmm I'm sure I heard it somewhere. Though it was probably me mum

EDIT actually thinking about it it wasn't transplanting modules that I heard was iffy but transplanting thinnings - ie disturbing the roots. The thing that surprised me about this tray of seedlings that the old guy gave me, was that I had to tease them apart disturbing the roots quite massively and they didn't seem to mind a bit.