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What next with wintersown plants?

Liz
9 years ago

I'm not sure what to do next with my little seedlings. Some have only a couple of leaves, and I'm going to leave those in jugs until they are bigger. But the other plants are 1"-2" high. I don't want to put them out in the garden yet, partially because I have nowhere to put them! I was planning a butterfly bed, but it was lasagna bed and it is not rotted enough for planting yet. Besides, they are so small I am afraid if set them in the open garden deer and woodchucks might eat them. My backup plan is to put them in my self watering planters. I have four of these planters, they are each about 18" x 30"and I am not planning on using them for tomatoes this year.(I lost my tomatoes to late blight the past few years and I am tired of it.)

Has anyone done something similar? I am sure that if I just pot them up individually into 4 inch pots they will dry out at some point and all my work will be for nothing.

Also, I am planning a vacation for 10 days at the beginning of June and I think the plants will do much better in the boxes. I have someone who will be coming in to dog and cat sit, and she can easily fill the reservoirs in the big planters.
Liz

Comments (4)

  • docmom_gw
    9 years ago

    If you don't have a bed for them, the planters sound like a perfect option. First year perennials spend most of their energy developing roots to sustain themselves through drought and winter. So, I would try to get them into the ground as soon as is reasonable. Remember, seedlings in the wild start out tiny, and they survive. Good luck and enjoy your vacation.

    Martha

  • Liz
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I have A. Incarnata, A. Tuberosa, Monarda fistulosa, Monarda punctata, and Agastache foeniculum ready to transplant. Can I put them about 4 inches apart, or is that too close? Will they sustain a lot of transplant shock later when they are put into the garden? It occurred to me that another alternative would be to pot them and sink them into the ground to keep them moist. Might that be a better option?
    Liz

  • Leafhead
    9 years ago

    Liz,
    Depending upon your variety of Milkweed, woodchucks and deer avoid species such as A. incarnata, tuberosa and syriaca. Planting these in the ground is your best option. If you have a lot of seedlings, enough will survive to maturity and both host caterpillars and provide seed.

    What a lovely selection of nectar transplants :)
    I would plant your new transplants at least 18" on center, or they are likely to grow large and crowd each other out.
    Once you plant your Tuberosa, it should stay put. Tuberosas don't like to be dug and moved.

    John

  • bernergrrl
    9 years ago

    You could always pot them up and then place in a bin or some kind of container with some water at the bottom. Enough for them to get by a day or so and have your house sitter look after them in there--figure out what the optimum water is for them depending on the container and sun exposure and your potting medium.

    The A. tuberosa which can be more drought tolerant could go either in a different container/bin or perhaps be placed up on something so that once the water level is down they go for longer without water than the others.

    I tend to plant things close together when they are seedlings--many don't survive anyway, and with many natives their roots tend to go vertically down very deep. I feel too that the ones that survive were probably the strongest. Having the plants close together gives lots of protection to the butterflies/pollinators too and shades the soil. The Monarda will spread, so that should be given room, and they are easy to transplant.

    High quality prairies are often determined by the types of plants as well as #of species per square foot or yard (I forget what measurement length).

    Have fun with your new plants! I also sowed way too much; thought I would have no problem giving them away, but it's hard to do that when you've put a lot into them. :)