Re: What am I doing wrong?

Thanks everyone for the variety of responses.  I guess I should have been
clearer with my original post, please forgive me as I was writing out of
frustration of having lost yet more babies to the dreaded transplant demon.

Okay, I am talking about all kinds of plants started from seed (veg and
perennial) as well as soft wood cuttings, mostly of perennials.  I start my
cuttings in perlite or vermiculite/peat/perlite mixture (the only water
started plant I have ever been successful with is curly willow which would
start in a gutter if it had any water in it!).  The problems occur when I
pot on, not when I transplant into the ground.  Example, I did cuttings of
the california native monkey flower, diplacus (formerly mimulus) that is
native to the foothills around my house here in southern California.  I
started several dozen cuttings in pure perlite.  They rooted like crazy --
roots were even coming out of the bottom of the pots. I potted them on into
a mixture of garden soil and perlite (pretty light) and promptly least at
least 70% of them.   Same goes for tomato seedlings when I start my summer
veg garden.  lots of plants germinate and get to be good sized, but when I
pot them on, I loose them.  I've lost salvias this way (from cuttings) as
well.

Any suggestions?

Nan


>Nan,
>
>I always figure to lose some seedling/cutting transplants - it's the
>nature of the game.  But, *exactly* what do you do when you
>transplant?  Are you transplanting into pots or the ground?  If pots,
>what is the potting mix you use?  I find a really well draining mix
>is essential - like I add a good deal of grit to my normal home made
>potting compost.  Are you fertilizing when you transplant?  If so,
>with what?  New transplants can benefit from a *very* weak solution
>of seaweed emulsion or manure tea...but not a lot of fertilizer until
>their roots get going.
>
>Tell us just what you do....when in the 'seedling' process it is
>(like how old are they?) - what are you transplanting from?  flats?
>pots?   or how well rooted are the cuttings and when are you doing it
>- like spring, winter?  Give us details and maybe we can help you
>sort it out as you shouldn't be losing most of your transplants.
>
>Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
>mtalt@clark.net
>Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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>
>
>
>----------
>> From: Nan Sterman <nsterman@mindsovermatter.com>
>> Date: Sunday, February 13, 2000 4:29 PM
>>
>> Hiya - I have an ongoing problem with cuttings and seedlings.  I am
>pretty
>> successful in getting cuttings and seedlings to start.  They do
>fine until
>> I transplant them.  I loose them after the transplating.  Or maybe
>I expect
>> too much.  I've tried different potting mixes, different
>> temperature/humidity regimes.  I don't pull on stems of new
>seedlings...  I
>> put a layer of granite (or perlite) on the surface of pots of
>cuttings and
>> sterile sand on the surface of new seedlings.   I'm at a loss.  Any
>help
>> anyone?
>>
>> Nan
>
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Nan Sterman
San Diego County California
Sunset zone 24, USDA hardiness zone 10b or 11

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