Saturday 23 May 2009

Help Needed - Green Fingers

Those of you that know me well will also know that shamefully I am useless when it comes to plants, I know I like them but that is as far as my green fingers go.
I wanted to grow some Poppies so with seeds in hand and a propergater I set to growing my own.
Now comes the complicated bit. I know I have to transfer each little shoot into an egg box looking planter but:
exactly when do I do that?
also do I need to take the lid off the propergater now?
below is some pictures of the shoots as they are now and one has a 1 pence piece next to the shoots so you can see how big they are.
Come on you green fingered lot, leave a comment and help me out.



7 comments:

Eunice said...

You need to wait untill your little plant grows its second two leaves,then lift gently with one of the first leaves and plantinto your propagator,water and wait. Eunice

Jean said...

If your propagator has a slider in the top to let some air in, now is the time to open it. If not just lift the lid a couple of times a day to let some air in and moisture out. I would wait a little while to repot, but not necessarily until the next leaves come - just until the first two leaves are about the size of your little fingernail - then fill your egg box, ease your plant out from underneath (spoon handle is good) and lift gently by the leaf. Make a hole in the compost (pencil point will work fine), drop the roots in and gently firm. Put in a light place, windowsill but not south facing, keep watered - probably need to do this each evening as the egg spaces do not hold a lot of compost.
You will need to pot on in a couple of weeks.

lisa said...

Hi Jak

Looks like you've already had good advice, but I'll add mine anyway!!!!
I would agree with Eunice. You need to leave them to grow at least another set of leaves before transplanting, but I would take the propergator lid off completely now they are through otherwise they can get leggy.
Poppies don't like to be moved too often, they tend to rebel! so once you've potted them on and they've grown get them in the garden asap and they'll look fab. You can just sprinkle the seeds straight onto some raked garden soil outside and they'll grow away happily. I love poppies, they are one of my favourites so make sure you post some piccies when they flower.
Good Luck

Lisax

Anonymous said...

Jak just keep them moisened for mow. After the second leaves have grown carefully lift each out and pot ready to grow big enough to be planted out. To 'prick out, dip a pencil in, push under the little plant and lever it out. Push a pencil into the new pot for the hole, put plant in up to the first leaves and tap pot down to shake the soil around it. Water them in, let them drain and dont let them dry out altogether. They love well drained soil in full sun and really shine out. Enjoy.
cassie xx

Marion O'B said...

Hi Jak, cannot add anymore to what has been said except TAKE THE LID OFF NOW or they could get damping off disease which will make them wither and die
Maz O'B

Wellnifty said...

Hi Jak, can't give you any better advice than the other ladies already have, but I just scattered the seeds over the border in loose soil where I wanted them to grow,then thinned them out, and they came up just fine. If you leave the seed heads on they will self seed where ever the wind blows the seeds,almost like a weed, if you dead head they will keep producing the flowers longer. I've had lovely ones in the past, beautiful & huge oriental poppies, lovely orange welsh poppies,and the common red poppy, but they began to take over my small garden by self seeding everywhere, the only ones I have left now are the orange welsh poppy, which are rampant but lovely.,(I had to stop the others seeding as they were taking over)these flower here from early March till the first frost, providing you keep dead heading them but they still come back every year, where ever they want to, unless you take the seeds and try and scatter them where you want them to come up, so I am constantly pulling them out of paving etc, but that because we are usually away all summer and they don't get dead headed when we are not around, as soon as I get home I deadhead them and they start to flower again. I wouldn't be without them.
If you would like some seeds, PM me and I'll send you some when the seeds have dried.

Chris xx

Unknown said...

Jak
Just throw the seeds down and give them two chances...they either will grow...or they wont. Im one of those gardeners that does the you either will or wont method and for some reason everything i have done in the garden has taken, less fuss more flowers, bit like card maing the more you fuss and keep adding the end result might not be as good, always knowing when not to is the best way to go.....I think....good luck...Ann xx