Propagation: Starting seeds for 2013, Part 2, 3 by Pfg

Pfg wrote:
It looks great, Kathy. I'm sooooo jealous of all your space!

I came home to several Chia pets of seedlings and a few Daturas. Yesterday as soon as I started transplanting I realized I was low on just about everything. By the time I got it all together - seed starting and potting mix and peroxide- and did a few more chores, I had no more time, so today was it.

First of all, adding significant amounts of vermiculite to the mix made a huge difference in the root systems- long, strong and branched, also easy to separate. Here in the city, I'm stuck with HD for supplies, and they only carry MG. At first they only had the Moisture Control Potting Mix, but last time I was able to get the organic, which is normal.

Where I just used vermiculite on top of potting mix, the roots were drowning, much less developed. I thought the Daturas and Petunias wouldn't mind the heavier medium, but they definitely did. In fact, the Black Currant Swirl didn't come up at all yet, I may have to do it again. Today I filled the bottom half of each cell with organic potting mix (taking out the biggest sticks-so annoying!), made a cone-shaped depression and filled the rest of the way with seed-starting mix and vermiculite. They may outgrow the cells too soon, but at least they won't drown.

But I still have the problem of a limited area to work in. I have 3 Nicotianas, 3 Snapdragons and Salvia farinacea Victoria Blue. Oh, and Petunias, the new group of Storm Whites came up. I wanted a fair amount of each, but soon filled everything up. I'm also doing a few of each for DD as hers will be smaller by planting time and this will give her some earlier flowers. I finally planted some in clusters in the cells, or as WS-ers say, HOS (hunk Of Seedlings). Survival of the fittest, lol. If needed I'll thin or separate again later.

We hope to open the house on the 29th, only 8 days away, and I can take all the cool perennials there. That will help a lot. I have soooo much more I want to do!