Re: HYB:Seed:Potting:Techniques:101

Betty  --  I'm not sure that stress from root damage in transplanting is a
problem so much as ensuring that the seeds have enough room and drainage to
put down good roots in the first place.  For more than a dozen years, I
planted up to 24 seeds each in 6" x 3 1/4" x 2 1/4"-deep aluminum loaf pans
with holes punched in the bottoms for drainage, leaving them open to the
winter's snows and rains.  Sprouts began in March, were kept moist, and were
fed Miracle Gro every couple of weeks.  Transplanting should have been in
May, but often was in June.  Sprouts were sometimes 5" tall by transplanting
time.  Upon lifting the pans from the ground (they were in a wooden frame
set at well-drained ground level and covered by chicken wire), I often found
roots extending through the 3/16" nail holes into the ground.  These, of
course, were broken off in the process.  Typically, the soil in the pans
would be filled with roots, many interlacing with each other.  4-inch
"strings" of roots were common. These, of course, had to be disentangled and
some broken off in so doing.  Nonetheless, whether the sprout was planted
bare-root or in a little chunk of adhering soil, they ordinarily did fine
and, by winter, many would have multiple increases.  The only special
attention to compensating for transplant stress was in watering them in,
after transplanting, with Miracle Gro.  Based on this experience, I'd say
you could plant individual seeds successfully in egg cartons, if you
controlled the moisture..

The exception to all of the above was last year, as I have mentioned in a
previous message, when excessive rainfall just kept the containers so
saturated that, drainage or no drainage, they damped off.  Meantime,
however, Don Spoon, who is located 2 hours distant, in the mountains, got
about the same rainfall as I did, but suffered no loss.  The only difference
I can see is that his seeds were planted in 2-3-gallon pots.  My guess is
that, although my containers drained,  their shallowness permitted the
excessive rainfall to leach out the nutrients needed by the roots and rot
the roots, which deeper containers would not do.  So, this year I have
planted in deep pots.  We will see.

Griff

zone 7 in Virginia


----- Original Message -----
From: <Autmirislvr@aol.com>
To: <iris@hort.net>
Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2003 9:25 AM
Subject: [iris]HYB:Seed:Potting:Techniques:101


> For those that have "The World of Irises," the chapter on Pollination and
> Seed Growing starts on page 324.  It's been a long time since I've read
this.
>
> My point? Speeding up growth of seedlings.  Mention is made of growing
> seedlings in individual pots to reduce the stress from root damage in
transplanting.
>  I have over 1000 seed and would not consider planting all of them this
way
> due to the time it would require.  However, I have one or two low count
crosses
> that I consider significant enough to give special treatment.  I plan to
> plant those in the Styrofoam cups and see what happens.  Will try to
remember to
> report on the results.
>
> Mike S., I remember that you tried this method and have rejected it. What
> happened? Anyone else tried this?  Report please.
>
> Yesterday, I planted some seedlings that I'd transplanted into individual
> Styrofoam cups.  In most cases, the roots were making circles in the
bottom of
> the cup! Others had barely reached the bottom and I feel I could have just
> thrown them away on the spot!  I have virtually NO transplant shock when
using the
> cups for transplanting.
>
> Betty W. in South-central KY Zone 6
>
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