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seeds have sprouted -- now what?
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Posted by james_va z6/7 VA (My Page) on Mon, Mar 30, 09 at 22:11
| Hi, All,
I have some seeds from the following species:
Picea mariana
Larix sibirica
Larix gmelinii
(and possibly some P. glauca mixed in)
They've begun to sprout (see below; and technically, the sprouts you see sprouted during cold stratification in the refrigerator, though they've grown a bit in the few days they've been in the seed bed). They're in peat, and, though the clear plastic top has been removed for the photos, are covered for most of the day in this little "greenhouse."
My question is this: How can I best care for these guys? I've learned the hard way that you've got to use kid gloves at this early age.
Specifically, should I
a) Stop covering them altogether? (an up-and-coming sprout seems to have withered today, possibly b/c of the intense light/heat)
b) Remove the sprouted ones to their own container(s), leaving the cover on this current container to entice the remaining seeds to sprout?
Or something else?
Also, I've read that peat particulate can be unhealthy to inhale (or not?). I'm keeping these things pretty moist, but given that nothing's ever perfect, is there a risk to having this peat uncovered in the house?
Many thanks,
-James
http://www.google.com/search?q=peat+moss+worker%27s+lung&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1035452
http://books.google.com/books?id=sKgNAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA54&lpg=PA54&dq=peat+lungs&source=bl&ots=-Dg6EB8Bpa&sig=XFx6rYpnWj3dnKzlxLt8jGRlYhA&hl=en&ei=eXrRSaGUDZnUlQf2pomKBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: seeds have sprouted -- now what?
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| Watch the water James. Those will rot in no time and covering them invites more the possibility for rot. Seeds germinating during stratification should be placed in their own cell/pot. Just allow the green to be above the soil by creating a very small divot to drop it in. Definitely don't cover anything unless you're looking for further germination. Provide the seedlings with a small fan for circulation and to control disease. Looks fine. Dax |
RE: seeds have sprouted -- now what?
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| i dont do seeds ... but i do know.. that pure peat holds too much water for most conifers .... do not confuse the need for water.. with the need for humidity .... i would guess your babes would like higher humidity ... but i would guess they may not appreciate how sodden your flat is .... most of this type of thing is done in a humidity controlled greenhouse ... versus a heated home ... perhaps the difference between 30% humidity .. and 70 % humidity ... how that works with your little setup is beyond me ... i think the cover has to be there to raise ambient humidity ... but removed to remove some of the water ... good luck with that ... your concern about the peat matter.. has more to do with opening a dry bag of peat and sticking your head into it... actually if you do it in the house.. you will be dusting peat off all the surfaces.. that is the problem ... i see no issue once water is added to the product ... each particle just becomes too heavy to float in the air at that point ... i just see no problem at this time.. short of being severely allergic somehow or another ... germination is usually the easy part... figuring how to keep them alive is usually harder ... fear your success .. and good luck ken |
RE: seeds have sprouted -- now what?
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| Thanks, guys, for the info. Dax, they are currently soggy with a capital "S", so I've removed the cover and won't water for a bit until I can separate the sprouted from the yet-to-sprout. Ken, I'll noodle on possibly creating a Saran-wrap tent of sorts that keeps humidity in while not watering the soil quite so much. I'll also put them in better media -- the little seed starter kit happened to come with peat pellets, so I figured waste not want not initially, but I've got some Pro Mix (mostly peat, but with some additives for better drainage) as well as bonsai soil (akadama/haydite/pine bark). Not sure if best to mix, but any combination of those has got to be better than all peat. Thanks again, guys. -James |
RE: seeds have sprouted -- now what?
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| for a discussion of potting media .... hit the link ... as for peat pots.. i have half a box bought at bulk ... before i realized how problematic they are ... lol .. been in the garage for 15 years .... dont bother tenting and all that... just put the top on sideways.. so there are openings on the ends.. and a top in the middle ... and get to get some air movement ... or just set the top skewed to one side .... if you get to a point of making your own MEDIA .. its not soil ... target the bonsai mix .... high drainage.. with just a little water holding capacity .. check out the link ... do you recall how light that starter kit was when you bought it ... maybe ounces .... and now.. probably pounds ... that indicates just how much water you have in there ... its a peat swamp ... it is going to have to be back to ounces .. before you water again ... try to wrap your head around that.. lol .. ken |
Here is a link that might be useful: link
RE: seeds have sprouted -- now what?
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| I've grown thousands of blue spruce from seed, learning the hard way and not learning everything yet...I grow all mine outdoors in 4' by 4' boxes, with a screen lid. If you see a sprout that drops over and is rotted thru right at the base, it has damped off which is caused by some sort of bacteria. So I spray with Damp Off periodically. Being too wet will definitely lead to that. Being indoors is even more difficult to control. What I did learn is to get the sprouts into individual cells or plugs as quickly as possible. Trying to separate them at a later stage can be a mess, especially if a few years old and the roots are tangled. Other than that I find not too much bothers the seedlings outdoors, the rabbits don't like spruce. I think a bit of shade helps early on. You get a certain % die anyway, no matter what, but the seed is relatively cheap. I have about 500 now that are 12" plus in 1-gallon pots, and a special low pH mix, all from seed, so I've been happy for that. |
RE: seeds have sprouted -- now what?
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| Thanks, guys. Ken, you'd be proud of me -- I transferred everything that's sprouted into a bonsai mix w/a bit-o-peat. This mix is *much* more free-draining than the peat pellets. hereinontario, thanks for your input. I was actually getting in the board again to ask why two of my sprouts had suddenly fallen over. I'd presume they've had damping off, although they are not gray or fuzzy. The base of the shoot at soil line is thin and shriveled, though. I've read that cinnamon, chamomile tea, and Safer's Insect-Killing Soap (which apparently kills more than insects, and I mention only because I couldn't find your Damp Off product locally and wanted to act fast) are supposed to fight damping off. I am trying all three. Question: I put the seedlings on the patio on warmish, sunny days (above 60F here), but they're mainly indoors, near a heating duct for some low-budget bottom heat. Would putting them outdoors full-time be too much of a shock for them now? We've got a few near-freezing nights forecast here, and it could easily get colder still this time of year. Separately, would you suggest moving the non-sprouted seeds -- which haven't been birthed into climate-control -- outdoors? And out of peat, or still in peat until they hatch? Anything else to consider? Also, I know too damp is bad, but I should still keep this moister than full-grown plants, right? Wrong? Many thanks, guys, -James |
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