When do I repot seedlings?

[Phillybonker]

When do I repot seedlings from peat pots into larger pots? (They are one week old)

And should I cut the peat pots open so the roots can spread?

 

[bluter]

those peat pots are trouble. they often bottle the roots and stunt the plant.

i'd jump on it now and move them out of those pots. you need to get those leggy stems buried or you're gonna have a big die off due to damping.

you got enough there to go into re-forestation. what's the plan ?

 

[Phillybonker]

those peat pots are trouble. they often bottle the roots and stunt the plant.

i'd jump on it now and move them out of those pots. you need to get those leggy stems buried or you're gonna have a big die off due to damping.

you got enough there to go into re-forestation. what's the plan ?

What do you mean by bottle the roots?, do you mean root bound?

I thought they were a bit stretchy, left them in the shade too long when germinating, I should have moved them into the sun as soon as they broke the surface. Should I bury half the stems?

What is damping?

I suffer heavy losses when growing so I come with big numbers.

 

[bluter]

What do you mean by bottle the roots?, do you mean root bound?

essentially yes. they kinda mess with the tap root as well. they often don't break down before damaging the tap if you transplant them by just burying the pots. or the pot doesn't break down before they're root bound and stunted.

I thought they were a bit stretchy, left them in the shade too long when germinating, I should have moved them into the sun as soon as they broke the surface. Should I bury half the stems?

yes they need to be transplanted with the stems supported. normally i'd wait for another node or two but they need help soon.

What is damping?

the seedling stretches too much and the stem gets damp at the soil level, shrivels shut, and the plant chokes to death. happens when they are leggy or the soil too damp, or a combination.

I suffer heavy losses when growing so I come with big numbers.

is it a guerrilla ? i used to lose a number on those. too old for it all now.

 

[Phillybonker]

essentially yes. they kinda mess with the tap root as well. they often don't break down before damaging the tap if you transplant them by just burying the pots. or the pot doesn't break down before they're root bound and stunted.

I'll get onto it tomorrow, I'll transplant into larger pots and bury half the stems. I'll try to carefully cut the peat pots away.

the seedling stretches too much and the stem gets damp at the soil level, shrivels shut, and the plant chokes to death. happens when they are leggy or the soil too damp, or a combination.

I didn't know that.

is it a guerrilla ? i used to lose a number on those. too old for it all now.

Yep it's a guerrilla grow. Animals, flooding, high winds, rippers, Police, botrytis, all contributing to my past losses. It's tough out there.

 

[Nunyabiz]

Agree with Bluter
Peat pots no good.
I would only use solo cups filled to the brim with seedling soil and transplant into final pot once second set of leaves start to hang over the rim of cup which is usually around day 7.

 

[Phillybonker]

Agree with Bluter
Peat pots no good.
I would only use solo cups filled to the brim with seedling soil and transplant into final pot once second set of leaves start to hang over the rim of cup which is usually around day 7.

I just put autos into peat pots two days ago, I'm not expecting them to pop for another few days, what do you reckon I should do?, repot as soon as I see the first set of leaves?

 

[Nunyabiz]

Id probably just pull the peat pot off and transfer the whole thing into a solo cup before the seed pops.

 

[Phillybonker]

Id probably just pull the peat pot off and transfer the whole thing into a solo cup before the seed pops.

I'll practice removing peat pots first, I've got plenty of redundant peat pots to practice on because a lot of seeds didn't pop.

 

[seaofgreen18]

I'll get onto it tomorrow, I'll transplant into larger pots and bury half the stems. I'll try to carefully cut the peat pots away.

I didn't know that.

Yep it's a guerrilla grow. Animals, flooding, high winds, rippers, Police, botrytis, all contributing to my past losses. It's tough out there.

I know the feeling from years Past ,I know what you are going through about the guerilla

 

[SmokingWings]

And should I cut the peat pots open so the roots can spread?

The way I see it, most people treat these peat pots the wrong way. They think of this organic pot as being the same as a plastic pot and use it that way. This means that they end up with problems that some have mentioned either in this thread or in others on the board.

I used peat pots years ago and had most of the same problems. The best way to use them is to keep them wet the entire time that there is a seed or seedling in it. The soil inside has to be moist and not soaking wet but the outside or peat part itself has to be wet.

Within two or three weeks the peat has started to break apart and the whole thing can be buried in a larger plastic pot or in a small hole dug in the garden. By this time there might already be small feeder roots poking through the sides and it is possible that the tap root is ready to poke through the bottom. The pot itself is ready to crumble apart so it has to be handled gently.

But, If I kept the peat pot dry to avoid it breaking apart before I was ready then there were the problems that others have mentioned. And sticking a dry peat pot into the garden soil means another 2 to 3 weeks waiting for the pot to break apart while the plant is actively growing and trying to push roots through a dry material unless that area is kept wet by frequent rains or watering.

I experimented for a couple of years and moved on to other methods of starting seeds and transplanting the seedlings which have worked really well.

 

[Azimuth]

What is damping?

Damping Off disease is a pathogenic soil fungus and is commonly found in soils that are too wet. Seedlings, with their very narrow stem, can rot off at ground level in this condition.

One common way around the issue is to provide air movement across the top of the soil. The one I like best though is worm castings. I add a thin top coat of castings when I plant seeds, and water with a casting extract (castings in water left to break down a bit but no active aeration like with a tea).

The beneficial microbes in the castings deal with the fungus so damping off is no longer an issue.

 

[Roy Growin]

Try standing few in a tray of water
The pot should absorb the water and soften
It's compressed peat, just like a coco brick so needs to be expanded

 

[seaofgreen18]

Howdy I I start with the rapid rooter i don't care for the peat pots to long to biodegrade check out my journey on the Herbie's beans journal its a different method not saying any better or worse than anyone else just a different way

 

[seaofgreen18]

I just started it Monday

 

[Phillybonker]

The way I see it, most people treat these peat pots the wrong way. They think of this organic pot as being the same as a plastic pot and use it that way. This means that they end up with problems that some have mentioned either in this thread or in others on the board.

I used peat pots years ago and had most of the same problems. The best way to use them is to keep them wet the entire time that there is a seed or seedling in it. The soil inside has to be moist and not soaking wet but the outside or peat part itself has to be wet.

Within two or three weeks the peat has started to break apart and the whole thing can be buried in a larger plastic pot or in a small hole dug in the garden. By this time there might already be small feeder roots poking through the sides and it is possible that the tap root is ready to poke through the bottom. The pot itself is ready to crumble apart so it has to be handled gently.

But, If I kept the peat pot dry to avoid it breaking apart before I was ready then there were the problems that others have mentioned. And sticking a dry peat pot into the garden soil means another 2 to 3 weeks waiting for the pot to break apart while the plant is actively growing and trying to push roots through a dry material unless that area is kept wet by frequent rains or watering.

I experimented for a couple of years and moved on to other methods of starting seeds and transplanting the seedlings which have worked really well.

Yep lessoned learned for next season, don't use peat pots. Hard lesson and a mistake I don't get to correct for another 12 months when next grow season starts.

 

[Phillybonker]

Damping Off disease is a pathogenic soil fungus and is commonly found in soils that are too wet. Seedlings, with their very narrow stem, can rot off at ground level in this condition.

One common way around the issue is to provide air movement across the top of the soil. The one I like best though is worm castings. I add a thin top coat of castings when I plant seeds, and water with a casting extract (castings in water left to break down a bit but no active aeration like with a tea).

The beneficial microbes in the castings deal with the fungus so damping off is no longer an issue.

Good tip, Thanks

 

[Phillybonker]

Try standing few in a tray of water
The pot should absorb the water and soften
It's compressed peat, just like a coco brick so needs to be expanded

I germinated out in the bush, the pots had to deal with the rain so if anything the pots are too wet.

 

[SmokingWings]

I germinated out in the bush, the pots had to deal with the rain so if anything the pots are too wet.

Which is why the sides of the peat pots are easy to pull off. They probably are saturated or close to it from the rain water.

Something to think about for next year. Why plant the seeds in little pots of any kind?

Why not take the seeds with you on one of your early trips into the wild. Find several nice spots, prepare the soil in a good area, maybe 18 inches by 18 inches, and plant a few seeds in each spot. Go back a week or two later and check them. If the temperatures have been right then the soil will be warm and it will be wet if there was enough rains. Proper conditions and the seeds will germinate. Once they have gotten any size to them you can transplant from there to already prepared spots in the area. One plant here and one plant there.

Separate each spot you are preparing from the others. If the police or rippers find one spot they only get a few plants. If the other spots are not to close by they could remain hidden till harvest time. Plus it helps avoid having to explain why you are walking around with a bunch of small plants in small pots and carrying a shovel at the same time.