Seedlings advice

Hi guys, well its that time of year with seedlings taking over the house

and had a few questions I could use some help with

one new veg i'm trying this year is bulb fennel. I'm planting in indoors to get it an early start in canada. I'm amazed how leggy it is as a seedling i've read lots of mixed information on it. but wondered if anyone had experience of growing these great tasting veg?

The other main question I have is when do you typically pot up to 3" pots from seedling trays? I have a mix of toms, peppers, and brassicas growing at the moment and their first set of true leaves are coming out.

Finally LEEKS. I so struggle with the onion family. I love leeks and am trying again this year to grow them. 2nd year. After poor results last year I am growing them in an old ice cream tub as a group as seedlings. the plan being not to disturb them much until i have to plant out doors. but the tips are getting white almost as if they are drying out. any tips on getting leeks a healthy start?

thanks

 

Seedlings can be as difficult as teen-agers. You just think everything is under control and zip, they are off causing you anxiety!
Bulb fennel: I have found that mine gets leggy, but as soon as it hits garden soil it bulks up. We grow ours in fall/winter because it bolts in our summer heat. I don't know if the difference in seasons has anything to do with its growth habit.
Up-potting seedlings: Generally, up-potting is done when the second set of true leaves appear. At that point the seedling has enough roots to withstand the stress of moving, and it's receiving nourishment through its leaves, also.
Leeks: We don't grow them, so I can't offer an opinion there.

 

Give your leeks a little bit of a haircut, Take an inch or so off the top. Get them to field soon. They can go into pretty cold wet soil.

 

I just trimmed my onions down to about 2 inches. I saved seed from my own. Onions planted in 2009 and left in the ground came up in 2010 and went to seed heads. I kept plenty of seeds and they're growing beautifully. Please tell me they will produce onions?

 

Thanks guys.

yep will see about the fennel bolting in the summer. I have feeling it will with the heat of montreal. But will see. Might plant some out for fall harvest.
Also nice to hear they get leggy in pots thats how mine look.

Ok thanks for the explanation on the 2nd set of leafs method i wondered where that came from and makes sense on the roots.


thanks for the advice on the leeks will give it a go.

 

They'll give onions. If you started with hybrid seed you may see some variability.

You may have just started on learning how to dehybridize plants.

If you have enough onion, save out 10-12 of your best and replant them this fall.

 

Coppice,

do you do the haircut the once for leeks?
Or is there another point when you trim them back?

 

Leek, onion I wanna get out into feild as soon as I can.

Once planted to feild side dress them with compost or alfalfa pellets after about 30 days in feild.

June water if its drouthy, July stop watering and let what ever you have got ripen.

I do cut out most scapes on Garlic, but thats about it for giving allium *just a little trim*

 

Thanks for the help guys.

I gave the leeks a hair cut and they started to fatten up and look a lot more healthy.

the other seedlings are looking great this year, been using a heat mat for the toms and peppers and i think its paying off.

Currently got one set of true leaves, i.e. 1 leaf either side of the stem. I need to wait till i have a second pair before i pot up to 3" right?

Do you guys go from 3" to 5" before putting in the ground? or do you try and keep at 3"

i'm sure its not that simple a question. but thought i would ask.

 

Tomatoes I up-pot twice--first to a 3" pot and then to 5" or larger, depending on the variety (the Sungolds grow fast, so I go from a 3" to a quart). Eggplants, it depends on how soon I can get them in the ground. Last year was so wet I couldn't work the garden so I up-potted twice. This year they went into the ground from a 3" pot.
Peppers the same as eggplant. I put my Cal-Wonders into the ground from a 3" pot, and the Gypsy, which grows faster, into a 5" pot before planting.
Glad your seedlings are doing so well!

 

Thanks for the great advice.

Do you keep an eye on the roots for deciding when to go from the 3 to the 5"? Or is there another method using number of leaves?

 

Judging when to go from 3" to 5" pots is a matter of "guess and by golly" for me. When the plant looks big enough to be up-potted, I do it. By the time a plant has been in a 3" for a couple of weeks or three, and grown, moving it prematurely to a 5" won't hurt.
I don't go by root structure because that involves disturbing the plant too much, I think.
Plants are naturally tough, and want to live. I try to leave my seedlings on their own as much as possible, just providing water and organic fertilizer after they get their second set of true leaves, and that at half-strength.

 

Thats great thanks

I reckon 1 more week and they will be ready to come out of the trays.

So by may they might be ready for potting up, ready to go outside late may.

Should hopefully create better stem and leaf structure than last year. Where I think all the energy went into roots.

 

Well the seedlings are doing a lot better this year than last. using the 3" certainly helped.

Need a bit more advice though.

Chillies. I have had these on a heated mat under a tray cloche to keep the moisture and heat trapped in.


Chilli advice ( photo / image / picture from Danjensen's Garden )

The problem i am seeing is white patches forming on the leaves. I have a feeling that they need some feed. probably due to the fact the soil has stayed nice and moist. So i haven't been feeding as much as i should. Any advice on other reasons?


My toms. Must admit the sungolds are looking very impressive. And would highly recommend them to anyone new to growing toms.


tomato plants ( photo / image / picture from Danjensen's Garden )

Currently have them in 3" pots just wondering from the pics if you think i should pot on to 5" ? I'm planning on planting them upto the first seedling leaves when i do to try and get a good root ball going before planting out. Thanks for the advice guys

 

Hi Danjensen, try propping the lid/cloche open alittle to let out some the humidity. the spots probably wont be anything to worry about , but you might try spraying them with the baking soda mixture, just to be on the safe side. If they are in a window and get sun on them it could be heat damage(thats what the spots look like to me).