Raising plants

Raising Plants

Young seedlings need close attention if they are going to thrive. In this lesson, I'll show you how to care for young seedlings and get them ready for the garden.

Potting On

Once your seeds have germinated and your seedlings have grown you might find that they need potting on. This means planting your growing seedling into a bigger pot so that it has more space to grow and develop.

Why Pot On?

• Your seedling may be starting to outgrow its pot and its root system and growth might be limited if you leave it in the same space.
• Your plants will benefit from fresh compost which will contain more nutrients to help them grow.
• Your plant is growing bigger but it is not yet ready to go outside as the weather is not warm enough.
• You might want your plant to get a bit stronger and sturdier so that it can withstand any potential garden pests it might meet once it is planted out.

How to Pot On Tomatoes

Unlike other vegetable plants, tomato plants have tiny hairs along the surface of their stems, all of which have the potential to turn into roots if they make contact with the soil.

Luckily for gardeners, this means that when you pot on your tomato plants you can bury some of the stem to create a stronger and sturdier plant. This is especially useful if your tomato plant is looking a little leggy.

When you are repotting tomatoes it is best to do it when the compost is a bit moist, as then the roots will be more pliable and less likely to break or be damaged.

#### To Repot Your Tomato Plants

1. Invert your pot and gently squeeze it until you can remove the pot from the soil.
2. If you have more than one plant in the same pot, gently tease the plants apart.
3. Fill your new pot with fresh compost to bury some of the stem to create a sturdier plant.
4. Remember to keep your pots labelled so you can keep track of which varieties you are growing and keep the sowing date written on too.
5. Firm the compost down and then water generously.
6. When you pot your plants on, your plants may be feeling a bit stressed so they might look droopy for a day or two before springing back to life.
7. While your plants are recovering, keep them out of direct sunlight.

Potting On Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums are wonderful flowering plants to grow in a vegetable garden as all their parts are edible, from the mildly peppery leaves and flowers to the seed pods which are an excellent caper alternative when pickled.

They are great for pollinators too, and if you have a black fly problem they are a great sacrificial plant if you want to keep them away from your other crops.

To remove your young plants from a module seed tray, simply poke your finger into the underside of the tray and slide your plug plant out.

If any of the roots are looking tightly wound up, then loosen them slightly so they do not continue to grow into the same shape once they are in their new pot.

Yellowing Leaves: A Sign That Your Plants Need to Be Potted On

If your seedlings are well developed in their module then you may notice that some of the new leaves have started to yellow. This is a sign that they have started to run out of nitrogen, so they need to be potted on with fresh compost to get the nutrients they need to continue developing healthily.

Hardening Off Your Plants

Hardening off is the process of acclimatising your plants to outdoor conditions and is particularly necessary for heat-loving plants like tomatoes and nasturtiums which have been grown in a protected space like a greenhouse or a warm home.

If your plants are not acclimatised they can go into shock, which can lead to leaf damage, a loss of vigour or in the worst-case scenario, the death of the plant.

How to Harden Off Your Plants

1. On mild sunny days take your warmth-loving plants such as tomatoes, courgettes, squashes and nasturtiums outdoors. You can either place them in a cold frame (a wooden frame with a glass top) or in a sheltered spot where they won't be disturbed.
2. Increase the length of time they are outside each day, so they can gradually get used to fluctuating temperatures.
3. Do not begin to introduce your plants to the outdoors on stormy or wet days as they will have too big a shock.

Stroking Seedlings

The interaction between your plants and the weather is what makes them grow strong. Plants are used to being knocked about a bit by the wind and the rain and they will grow stronger as a result.

When your seedlings are young, one of the ways that you can mimic this process is by stroking them. This will stimulate the cells and help them to grow stronger and sturdier.

This process will also help you to pay more attention to your seedlings and you will therefore learn more about them and notice if any problems start to occur.