Moving seedlings

Discussion in 'Citrus' started by aesir22, Dec 12, 2008.

  1. aesir22

    aesir22 Active Member

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    Hi everyone,

    Just a quick question. I planted 24 key lime seedlings into my heated propagator. They had been sent in the post and had been in dry compost for about a week. Strangely, every single one of them germinated in a couple of weeks. I didn't expect even a tenth of them to do so!

    They are about 2 months old now and several inches high. They are still living in the propagator. When would it be reasonable to move them from their current location? I have root trainers to put them into, but I am very conscious of the time of year and the dangers associated with transplanting. I am just worried that by the time spring comes around (end of April over here by the time frosts pass) They will have gotten all of their roots tangled. Any suggestions?

    Thanks in advance :)
     
  2. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    As your young seedlings will be living in protected indoor areas, you can transplant them any day of the year that you desire. There is no need to wait until spring, as they will not be living outside. In my opinion all root trainers accomplish is to train all the roots in one direction --down. - Millet
     
  3. aesir22

    aesir22 Active Member

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    Thanks Millet :) I thought root trainers were recommended because they encourage growth of the fibrous roots we all like? Would you say there is something better I should get for them? I wanted to find containers much deeper than they are wide...is that the right thing to do?
     
  4. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    If I am thinking correctly, what you are referring to as "root trainers" are plastic elongated sleeves with the very bottom open, the internal side walls are smooth with no openings for air root pruning. When a plant is grown to transplanting size, and removed from the trainer, all the roots are pointing down - correct? There is a saying, ---- "A root grows as a bullet goes", meaning a root will always continue to grown in the same direction, unless it runs into an obstruction forcing it to change direction. Check out this web site: www.rootmaker.com
    Millet
     
  5. aesir22

    aesir22 Active Member

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    Do you think they will do more harm than good? They are the only things I have got to hand to be honest lol and I know the only place I can get to at the moment will only have full sized pots - nearest garden center is too far for me to get to without a car! Would they be ok in the root trainers until spring when I can look more into better pots?
     
  6. StarLoc

    StarLoc Active Member

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    For potting up for a lot of plants i have been using plastic bag pots from ebay i get 100 to 200 depending on size for 2 pounds so its a cheap way of planting seeds in small pots they also squish into the propergator as they change shape by squashing them so more fit in, i pop holes over the sides to increase drainage

    Once the size goes up a bit on some i have used the air pruning pots i got on ebay, the company who makes these type of pruning pots has a video about them , unlike the rootrainer pots they have funnel type holes over the sides that make the roots straight

    http://www.superoots.com/airpot_benefits.htm

    I have been using these ones, you can set the base high up in them to reduce volume, the only problem ive had is with a base high up they dont warm on the heater mats correctly so root temperature was lower,so i chopped the bottom off to lower the hight/volume of the pots.
     
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2008
  7. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    StarLoc's system is a better system that root trainers. In fact I have a lot of trees in Root Makers's equivalent to the containers shown in the video that StarLoc provided. However, if root trainers are all that you have, then I guess that is what you will have to use. - Millet
     

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