8/9/2019 (Gardening) Producing Transplants at Home

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8/9/2019 (Gardening) Producing Transplants at Home

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Constructing Coldframes and  Hotbeds, FS 246 (Oregon State Univer-sity, Corvallis, reprinted 1996). Nocharge.

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when the soil temperature rises to160°F). Remove the pan, cool the soil,and either use the soil or store it in cleanplastic bags until needed.

Planting and germinating seeds

Fill the desired container with thepasteurized soil mix. Place seeds so eachhas room to develop its first leaves and

so you will have enough room totransplant the seedling with a minimumof damage. Generally, a 4-inch flowerpot can be seeded with 18 to 20 averagesized seeds. Cover the seeds with about1 ⁄ 4 inch of soil mix. Very small seedsshould be covered only lightly. Labelthe pot and place it in a plastic bag, orcover the pot with a sheet of newspaperor plastic film. If you use peat pellets(Figure 1), place them in warm wateruntil they expand fully. Then insert twoor three seeds 1 ⁄ 4 inch deep in each unit.Place the peat pellets in a pan, and place

the pan in a plastic bag, or cover it withpaper or film. Tie the plastic bag somoisture cannot escape. You will notneed to water until the seedlings appear.

Keep the seeded container at roomtemperature (68–70°F) until the seedssprout. Check the germinating seedsdaily. Cabbage seeds sprout quickly;peppers may take nearly 2 weeks. Assoon as most of the seeds have germi-nated and the plants have emerged,remove the bag or cover and expose theplants to full sunlight if possible.

Seedling developmentAfter germination, place the con-

tainer where the night temperatures willbe near 55°F and day temperatures near70°F. The seedlings should receive fullsunlight every day, all day. Unlessfertilizer was mixed into the soilmedium, you will need to fertilizeweekly to produce a healthy, huskytransplant. Use a water-soluble fertilizerat manufacturer’s suggested rates.

Weak, spindly plants are caused byone or more of the following: insuffi-cient light, day or night temperatures toohigh, or not enough fertilizer. If condi-tions indoors are too difficult forseedling production, consider building acoldframe or hotbed (see FS 246,Constructing Coldframes and Hotbeds).

First transplantingWhen seeds have germinated and theseedlings have formed their first trueleaf , the plants should be separated.Carefully loosen the soil around theroots with a knife blade and lift the plantalong with the soil that hangs onto itsroots. Plant each seedling in its own3-inch pot, or space seedlings 2 inchesapart in a seedling flat.

Growth and hardening

Seedling growth, once the seedlingsare given space, depends on uniformwatering and feeding and at least12 hours of sunlight daily. Make surethe area has sufficient ventilation tokeep foliage fungus diseases in check.Slight, but continuous, air movement isthe key to avoiding disease at this stage.

About 10 days before transplanting ormoving the plants outdoors, change theplants’ environment to give them coolertemperatures and slightly less water.Protect the plants from freezing andwind at all times. The final product youtransplant to the garden should be adark green, stocky plant. The daybefore transplanting outdoors, waterthe plants with a soluble fertilizer.When setting plants outdoors,give protection againstdrying winds, and waterthe soil thoroughly tomake sure the roots arein good contact withthe soil.

This publication was produced and distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Extension work 

is a cooperative program of Oregon State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Oregon counties.

Oregon State University Extension Service offers educational programs, activities, and materials—without regard to race, color,

religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, and disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran

status—as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of 

the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Oregon State University Extension Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Revised April 1993. Reprinted January 2000.

Figure 1.—Pellets expand when soaked, forming individual units for

starting seeds or cuttings.