So, you’ve had great success with germinating your seeds, what do you do now?

Unless you are growing micro greens that can stay in the original seed tray, the likelihood is that you will need to ‘Pot On’ the seedlings into larger pots to allow them to grow on to the ideal size before planting outside in their final position.

This is an important step and allows the seedling to grow a better root system, becoming stronger plants that are more likely to thrive in your garden or vegetable plot. It also gives them a further boost in nutrients as the original growing media will have been depleted by their initial growth

What do I Need?

Seed Trays/Pots – there are many different sizes and materials and you can really choose depending on the specific requirements of your seedlings, either individual pots or cell trays and whether you want to plant the pot into the ground. Most of the time you will be using cell trays, but the number of cells per tray will vary depending on the size of the seedling when its ready to plant out, the bigger the seedling, the bigger the cell.

Growing Media – as for when you first sowed the seed, you can use multi-purpose compost but we would recommend use a more specialist growing media like Levington’s John Innes No 1 compost. This is specifically for young plants and root cuttings, having a carefully balanced mix of nutrients to help boost the initial growth without damaging the delicate roots.

Tools – no further tools are needed other than those you have already used when initially sowing your seeds.

How to plant on your Seedlings

This follows the same first few stages as the process for planting the seeds originally, fill the trays/pots with compost and then tamp it down. Then it becomes a bit more detailed.

1. Before you start to remove your seedlings from their current tray, make sure they have had a good water.

2. Gently shake the tray or tap it on the side to loosen the soil to make it easier to remove the seedling.

3. Using your dibber, or a pencil, gently lift the soil underneath the seedling taking care not to damage the roots. Hold the seedling by the leaves, never by the stem, at this early stage any damage to the leaves will not be terminal to the seedling but if the stem is broken it will not recover.

4. Ease the seedling out from the soil, again being careful not to damage the roots and the stem. Depending on how close together your initial seed sowing was, you may find that you get a small clump of seedlings, if possible, try and gently tease them apart, some root damage may be unavoidable at this stage but should be kept to a minimum.

5. Now you have the seedling out, with your dibber make a suitable planting hole in the compost in the new tray/pot. The hole should be wide enough and deep enough for the seedling to be planted down to its leaves and the roots to spread around the bottom of the hole.

6. Lower the seedling in, again use your dibber to gently push the roots down to the bottom of the hole.

7. Once you have transplanted all of your seedlings, give the tray a gentle shake to close in the planting holes and then give them a good water with your watering can and a fine rose or onto your capillary matting.

8. Continue to monitor the seedlings and water as required.

Remember these are very young plants and are very susceptible to pest and diseases. Keep a close eye on them, especially if you have them outside in a greenhouse, keeping an eye out for slugs and snails.