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| Well, I got so busy in the spring that I ended up planted really big HOS (think entire milk jug contents in one hunk) and now I'm kind of regretting it. In particular my coneflowers, sweet William, and balloon flowers look like they need to be pulled apart to stretch their legs -- although they look plenty healthy, just crowded. I think they'd probably be bigger too if they weren't so crunched together. Should I wait until fall to pull them apart and replant, or could I do it now if I'm careful to wait for an overcast, coolish day and water well?
Next year I'm separating out those seedlings, time consuming or not! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| I wouldnt do it now, its been hot and dry and while you may get a cooler day, its just as likely to go back tohot and dry. You can thin out and snip off some of them and leave the strongest in place.....safely |
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| I am still planting out many seedlings. Just planted a couple grasses yesterday that had been WS'd in 2008! They've been in the pot ghetto for 3 years. Yikes - they were potbound. But I figured better late than never. And they are warm-season grasses, so now is when they are going to grow! I think you could go ahead and try separating the seedlings, especially if you plant them in partial shade and stay on top of watering daily unless it rains. If they're not thriving in a HOS, they will at least have a chance to grow. I usually plant WS seedlings singly in little groupings or sweeps, sometimes mixing in between other plants. Some seedlings grow ok in hunk, but in my experience most of them like their space. |
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| Wait for cooler weather of early to mid autumn to transplant. Next season, divide your milk jug into smaller portions, like 4ths, 9ths or 12ths, or even smaller--most of my hunks are an inch across or smaller, unless the seedlings are far apart. Also, be realistic about your personal needs and capacities. Try to resist sowing more than you can honestly transplant in your spare time...less is more. T |
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| "Also, be realistic about your personal needs and capacities. Try to resist sowing more than you can honestly transplant in your spare time...less is more." Um, I've been wintersowing - 8? - years, but I keep missing this part. |
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| Yeah, me too Drippy! Soon as I read it I laughed and thought - WSers should have this Trudy quote blown up on a poster or stitched on our gadrening aprons or something!!! |
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| Well, I cheated last evening and separated one hunk of coneflowers -- I couldn't stand it anymore, and there was a nice steady drizzle and cooler temps so I thought I'd give it a shot. I'll wait on the others until early fall. The balloon flowers are ridiculously crowded, but blooming beautifully. Yeah, I'm always overly optimistic about next year's garden in the winter. This was my first year WS and I was honestly not expecting such prolific results! Lesson learned for next year. |
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- Posted by livsauntieshel 6b/7a south PA (My Page) on Thu, Jul 28, 11 at 14:34
I separated my balloon flowers multiple times before they made it into the ground, and they are still growing all over each other. I had 2 open blooms today!
Thanks gardenweed, these are your seeds! |
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| Very pretty balloon flowers, I just Love to see what everyone plants! :) Thank you for sharing! ~Tina Marie |
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- Posted by gardenweed_z6a 5b/6a N CT (My Page) on Fri, Jul 29, 11 at 9:01
| livsauntieshel - thanks for the pic of my grandsprouts!!! I WS Fuji pink balloon flower seeds this year and have 4 pots of healthy seedlings looking for homes. I need more/bigger beds to plant everything I grew via WS last year & this. I've given away several dozen pots of seedlings already but the pot ghetto remains chock full. I think trudi's quote (above) should be posted in the FAQs in large, red, bold font surrounded by flashing asterisks & exclamation points. |
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| I agree that lighter sowing is often more desirable, but I can't resist super heavy sowing. I still have a nice patch of amsonia planted out in the shape of a milk jug bottom. There, the seedlings worked it out themselves. I can't seem to cull, but ma nature steps in and has my back. |
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| Gardenweed..a light went off just a second ago when I read your posted message to livsauntieshel..did you buy the new camera? |
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- Posted by christie_sw_mo Z6 (My Page) on Sun, Feb 19, 12 at 9:31
| Someone posted a link to this youtube video showing a quick way to divide and pot up crowded seedlings and I thought someone might be interested. Of course there's different right ways to do it. Personally, I like to get stuff in the ground but I seem to be having more trouble every year with my seedlings disappearing from slugs and rabbits so this is tempting. And I have to say I'm very envious of all the potting soil you can see stacked under this guys table. How unfair. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Transplanting Video
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| And this is why I posted earlier about my frustration planting tiny seeds, like petunia. :) I have memories of milk jugs that had been left too long and not being able to separate the plants! Planting hunks did not work for me in my area. We get really hot really early, then its no rain for most of the summer. I've learned this year.. to get in there early and separate those seedlings when very young. :) Also anything that grows a tap root, try to plant individually to begin with. |
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