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Re: [SHADEGARDENS] repotting three leaved seedlings

From: TALLSCAPES <TALLSCAPES@AOL.COM>
Organization: AOL (http://www.aol.com)
Subject:      Re: [SHADEGARDENS] repotting hosta seedlings
To: shadegardens@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU

     Some of early hosta seedlings now have three or more leaves!
     Any special hints on repotting?

     Peter Brandt-Sorheim, Mt. Morris, NY USDA Zone 6
-----
SOWING WITHOUT TRANSPLANTING
Peter?.. I know you are working with streaky 'Let's Streak' seedlings <bwg>
so before I get into transplanting, let me first talk about growing
striated seedlings without transplanting in the first few months of growth;
and which I personally approve of, since this eliminates work involved in
transplanting; and possible, loss of seedlings or slowed growth, as a
direct result of such early transplant.

Let us suppose, one sows seed using cell-packs in trays/flats (the kind you
buy box plants in at Springtime?) and sows thickly enough, so that there
are say four to ten plants per cell after germination. With regard to
whether or not light assists hosta seed germination; whether or not hosta
seed should be surface sown or covered with growing medium; and I know you
did not ask this question Pete.  My opinion goes with the latter method,
and the previous statement "surface sowing" is a myth, someone in Holland
dreamed up <g>

Generally speaking, only a small percentage of the seedlings coming from
streaky-leaf pod-parents are striated at first leaf up; the majority are
usually green leaf; and which, are best snipped out & trashed.  The
objective here is looking for new variegated hybrids, hence the all green
plantlets are eliminated.  Using this procedure: you can see how easy it
could be to end up with a single plant per cell, no transplanting involved
say until the six to eight leaf stage; and of course, this sowing procedure
applies to any seed sowing. Striated seedlings are quite delicate, so why
disturb their first beginnings of life?

TRANSPLANTING:
Some seedling growers are using styrofoam coffee cups (8 ounce) with
bottoms cut out or holes made in bottom, to provide for proper drainage
and/or bottom watering.  These people are having tremendous success using
same.  Cups are fairly deep, allowing for good root development.. enough
said about coffee cups.

I am of the opinion however, that planting a seedling in too large a
container, accomplishes nothing: and for example, putting a three leaf
hosta seedling inside a six inch pot, simply limits the number of seedlings
one can grow under lights.  So does the coffee cup for that matter, so I
use 72-pack cell trays for the initial sowing and/or first transplant.

GROW AS MANY SEEDLINGS AS POSSIBLE TO MATURITY:
In the first year of a hosta seedling's growth, there is not much basis to
decide: "What should I keep verses what should I throw out".  If one is
looking for characteristics like ruffled-leaf edging (piecrust factor?);
red petioles (leaf stem); specific floret and/or scape nature, then it is
almost a must: to grow as many seedlings as possible, onward into maturity,
with "juvenile maturity" being the first flowering point.  The "ruffling"
may not appear until the plant itself has reached it's mature stage; and
this, may even take seven years.

Working for variegated result; is easy in the sense, that one can isolate
the streakies at the first leaf stage.  However, it is not so easy; and say
for example, if one wants to obtain a medio-variegated hosta seedling.  The
last seed to sprout; the smallest & poorest looking seedling in a given
batch, can turn out to be the nicest at maturity.  Selecting hybrid
winners, is not a case of simply saying "ok.. we're at the 3-leaf stage
now" and transplanting the so called "best!".  It is very much a case of
taking as many seedlings as possible into full plant maturity, because each
succeeding year each seedling will look different, as it matures.

There is a lot to be said, in favour of seedling growing without
transplant, as mentioned above i.e. snipping out the plants one does not
want as per streaky & variegated objectives. This method keeps the choosen
few striated candidates undisturbed, in their first few months of growth.

Much can be said about slow potting up i.e. from a small-sized growing
containers into larger & larger; bit by bit,  as the roots develope.
Nobody would dream of planting a 3-leaf hosta seedling into a bushel
basket, and likewise my contention is: a 2-inch square growing cell is
large enough until that plantlet reaches the 6 to 8 leaf stage.  This of
course, provides for 288 plants under a two bulb fluorescent fixture i.e.
four flats/trays placed cross-ways, having a 72-pack in each tray?

Just some thoughts here TALLSCAPES..
hope this helps you decide your next transplant moves

fraternally
Bill Nash
Guelph Ontario Canada Z4

ps... here's a funny for ya
"what evil lurks in the heart of shady gardens.. only the shadow knows"
(Lamont Cranston aka THE SHADOW) ,>)
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