Transplanting going wrong

[newgardengirl]

Aaaargh!

Yesterday I tranplanted my basil into a different pot and now all the individual basil plants have fallen over and I can't get them to stand upright again!

I do have more basil growing but I feel like I've ruined it all.

I've learnt to plant cauliflowers individually now because of root disturbance problems, but what about herbs?

[gingerhev]

Basil

Hi NGG, basil needs good light levels to grow on well and healthily it's a bit early yet, also if planted too early or transplanted it can suffer from 'damping off' which is afungal infection that rots the stems.

I tend to plant the seeds very thinly into the final growing pot in late april leaving them undisturbed, so far this has been very successful - lots of trial and error though!!!

Hope this is helpful

[smallblueplanet]

Basil seedlings aren't fond of being transplanted, their roots don't like being disturbed. But it also seems early in terms of light and heat?

[Cutecumber]

I've only just sown basil - if you have some seed left, sow some more now. It is very tender and isn't usually started until things warm up.

I don't know what you were hoping to do with yours - mine grow indoors, mostly, in five inch pots. It means I can sow direct - say eight or ten seeds - and get a pot full without having to prick them out. If they are to go outside, I would sow individually into cells.

[Paulottie]

I've learnt to plant cauliflowers individually now because of root disturbance problems, but what about herbs?[/QUOTE]

I guess that depends on space NGG- One small pot takes little room! and most things can be 'pricked out.' Wait till you have two proper leaves and then hold the seedling by a seed leaf, tease it out with a pencil -try not to snap roots (it helps if compost is not to wet) immediately make a hole in the sterilized compost of clean pot with your pencil and gently ease in & firm. Water by standing it in a bath for 10 mins.(not drenching it from the top.)

Damping off usually takes a few days if it is going to happen. You can use cheshunt compount but in my experiance prevention is better than cure. hygiene is impotant as with all babies.

[Two_Sheds]

To be honest, I can't be bothered with pricking out, thinning out or transplanting... I just sow stuff at the 'correct' distance in the first place

[rustylady]

Whenever you prick out or transplant something, please remember you've given it quite a shock. You may have broken a few roots. The plants will recover, but they need to be treated gently while they do. Make sure the compost is moist (not waterlogged) and leave in the shade for a couple of days while they recover. Newly transplanted seedlings plus hot sunshine equals plant death (the leaves lose more moisture than the roots can replace)

[lyndap]

I cheat.Buy a tub of basil from asda for 65p(the one supposed to be grown on window ledge)later this month,then take out of package,stand in warm water,gently ease whole thing apart,and pot up individual stems into pots of compost and grow on in greenhouse until warm enough to grow outside.(you can usually set 24+ healthy plants this way!)

[TonyF]

newgardengirl, think you may have been a bit early in your pricking out.

That's what I used to do in the UK Lyndap because it was cheap and economical.

Currently have three 4" pots sprouting a packet of Genovese basil seeds between them and two others sprouting Greek basil (the smaller leaved variety, good for stopping flys coming into the house) and I'm going to use those and the parsley pots on the same principle, let them grow until they're 3" high or so and then prick them out, sometime next month probably.