Thinning Out And Transplanting
Source:
What Shall We Do Now?: Five Hundred Games And Pastimes
Category:
GARDENING
Begin to thin out the seedlings very soon after they appear, and be
very careful not to pull up too many. It is easiest to thin out when
the soil is wet. When the seedlings are two inches high only those
which you wish to keep should be left in. It is not very easy to say
exactly how much room to leave the different plants, but plants which
will be six inches high should be about three inches apart; those
which will be one foot high about six inches, and so on. Godetia,
nasturtium, love-in-a-mist, sweet-pea, cornflower, and larkspur
seedlings can be transplanted when about two inches high, if you find
you want them where they have not been sown. To do this water the
ground well first, and then pull the seedlings out so gently that none
of their tiny fibrous roots are snapped; and, if possible, bring away
a little earth with each. Re-plant them as quickly as you can, making
for each a little hole big enough for the roots to spread out in. Hold
the seedling in position, and fill in with very moist earth; or else,
after you have made the hole, fill it up with water, then put back
some of the earth and stir it up into a sort of paste, and put the
seedling in this, filling up the hole with the rest of the earth.
Seedlings that have been transplanted must be kept moist until they
have taken a good start, and if possible they should be shaded with a
branch of evergreen, for they droop very quickly in the heat.
All seedlings must be watered gently and often. If you notice how
quickly the sun dries the surface of the ground, you will see how
necessary it is to keep the ground moist until the roots get bigger
and go down deep into the earth.
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Weeds And Seedlings
Previous:
Preparations For Sowing
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