HI----not sure where to ask this but with lots of active seed people watching this forum i thought i would try here---i bought some euphorbia summer icicle seeds and after reading all germination info i could find i found these euphorbia seeds dont like their roots didturbed and any seed should be planted in deep plugs----what do they mean plugs--not those little one inch tall by half inch wide seed starting plugs surely would they--the only plugs im familiar with ---surely something with touchy roots wouldnt start out in a seed plug in the first place would they---what size seed starter is acceptable--can you get by with a 72 cell seed starter or what is the minimum---anyone know ---i would really appreciate some informatio--this info was in hardy plants .com has great plant and germination information with each seed--if i remember right and was the only indication i found about them having touchy roots ---it also said you could plant them in the ground but i was wondering if they would produce viable seed in my zone four if not started inside early--anyone know that---thanks lots for the enjoyable winter seed swapping---be blessed--stevo
seeking-germinating-tips-euphorbia-summer icicle seeds-
Stevo,
What that means is that if you directly sow your seed in your beds outside...make sure that is where you want them to be because they don't like to be lifted out and moved once they germinate and put down roots there. Those little plugs (like the Jiffy7 Peat Pots) expand and become larger once you pour water into those Jiffy7 domed Greenhouse trays. I use them and I do the following: After my seed has germinating and begun to grow and are now transplanting size, I harden them off by taking them outside in that Jiffy7 Greenhouse tray they are in and I put them on my patio in a safe place in the shade. I bring them back inside at night and continue to take them outside to that patio area in the shade for about 4-5 days. When I am ready to plant them into the ground, I dig my hole and cultivate a ways aroung the plug hole to give the roots room to spread out. I hold that little plug in my hand and I slowly remove the netting from around it. It may not be necessary to remove that netting, but I just think the roots will spread out quicker if they aren't held back by it.
Just be warned that these plants throw their seed pretty far around them and you will probably get volunteers that you may need to pull later. If you don't want that to happen, you can snip the seed heads or bag them to collect the seed. I find it just as easy to just pull up the volunteers that came from self-seeding.
Good luck with them,
Nana3