Seeds have sprouted- now what?!

[Psm73]

Since this is my very first time attempting a garden, I'm clueless. The kids (OK, I was, too) were thrilled that our seeds we planted in our little peatpots on Monday have sprouted and are growing like crazy.

 

Question: Now what? :confused: We planted 2-3 seeds in each pot and they all seem to be sprouting. Do we trim the extras down to the soil or just gently pluck them up?

 

My friend said to keep the healthiest looking one. Huh??? They all look the same to me. :001_smile:

 

Any help you can offer this very novice gardener is extremely appreciated.

[Anita in NC]

It depends on what you have planted in each pot. Things like cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, squash, etc. the bigger kinds of plants - I would only have one plant per pot, just gently pull out any extras.

 

If it is something like basil, chives, parsley, etc. the smaller types of plants - you can keep two or three plants per pot. Depending on the size of the pot.

 

What I do is I plant one seed per cell and plant extra cells, that way if the extras come up I can give them away to friends.

 

I have my seedlings under a grow light right now (or a sunny window would work). When they get bigger you will either need to transfer them to a bigger pots until they are ready to plant in the garden.

 

This is my second year with a garden and it is a learning experience. Check some basic books out the library and they will help.

 

:thumbup: Good job!

[chai]

This is only my second year planting seeds indoors, but I've read a lot about it. I usually plant one seed per pot as well, but this year, I wasn't sure how well my seeds would germinate so for some plants I did more than one. The experts say that you should snip off one of the plants--don't pull. You could damage the plant that is remaining.

[Psm73]

Thank you both. I appreciate the help. (I obviously need it!) :tongue_smilie:

[elise1mds]

From one extreme newbie gardener to another, I think you're brave for starting your own seeds! I don't have that much confidence yet, so I'll be shelling out the big bucks and buying plants from a local nursery.

[Doran]

Since this is my very first time attempting a garden, I'm clueless. The kids (OK, I was, too) were thrilled that our seeds we planted in our little peatpots on Monday have sprouted and are growing like crazy.

 

Question: Now what? :confused: We planted 2-3 seeds in each pot and they all seem to be sprouting. Do we trim the extras down to the soil or just gently pluck them up?

 

My friend said to keep the healthiest looking one. Huh??? They all look the same to me. :001_smile:

 

Any help you can offer this very novice gardener is extremely appreciated.

 

 

 

One of the most difficult aspects of growing seedlings indoors is making sure they get enough sunlight so that the plants don't get leggy and weak. Now that the seeds have sprouted, it is critical to get them in a full sun window (do this in stages, a little bit more each day, if they have been in a different location so as not to burn the tender plants). Depending on what you're sprouting, some things might even be able to be set out on a deck or patio.

 

It is best to snip, not pull the seedlings because it's easy to dislodge the neighbor seedlings. But, I generally wait a good while to do this because I want to be sure the seedlings are all going to survive before I take any of them out. There's no harm in them crowding each other out yet, and this way you give them more time to mature before you choose.

 

Be warned: peat pots dry out quickly. It might be best to keep your pots in a shallow pan and water from the bottom to be sure you don't wash out your tender new plants and also to insure they get enough water.

 

Have fun!