Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Tree seedlings or transplants - what's the difference?

Collapse

X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
  • #1

    Tree seedlings or transplants - what's the difference?

    I've decided to plant an edible hedge in our garden, and am currently choosing between 2 suppliers. There is one thing which I'm completely confused about, though. What is the difference between a tree seedling, and a tree transplant? Both are about 90cm tall.

    I tried to Google it, and I even found a table somewhere, but I was as confused by the technical jargon at the end of it as I was when I began it Oh dear. One day I'll get the hang of this gardening lark. At least I'm having fun learning along the way

    I think my real question is, which will give me the fastest return? I'd like them to start fruiting sooner rather than later, and a few extra £'s at this end would be worth it for that.

    Thanks
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Not 100% on this, but.

    A seedling will be what is also called a "whip", a plant that looks like a single stick with roots at one end, it will have been sown, or the cutting inserted, in a close spaced row and grown to the point at which it was dug up and sent to you.

    A tree transplant will be a whip that after being dug up was replanted at the nursery with a bit more space and grown on a bit to look more like a tree. i.e. It will have side branches.

    Whips will get moving quicker as there is less of a setback to them from being dug up and moved. Less plant for the damaged roots to support.
    Always thank people who have helped you immediately, as they may not be around to thank later.
    Visit my blog at http://podsplot.blogspot.com/ - Updated 18th October 2009
    I support http://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/

    Comment

    • #3
      Some tree nurseries will lift small seedlings as part of a large order, and put the surplus back in the soil somewhere else, perhaps with the roots cut short to help them grow faster. This would count as a transplant I think, but to be honest in the nursery where I worked they were all called seedling because they all grew from seeds !
      Could it be that the transplants the suppliers are talking of have been "layered" - taken from bushes which have had branches bent down and fastened to the soil until they develop roots and a secondary leader (upright stem) ?
      If both seedlings and transplants are 90cm, I cannot see what other difference there can be really. At that stage they are hardly going to bush out that much I would have thought, although it depends on the species...
      There's no point reading history if you don't use the lessons it teaches.

      Head-hunted member of the Nutter's Club - can I get my cranium back please ?

      Comment

      • #4
        Thanks, guys. Sounds like it won't really make any difference, then, and I'll go with the cheapest (who is the seedlings).

        Comment

        Previous template Next

        Latest Topics

        Collapse
        View All

        Recent Blog Posts

        Collapse
        View All
        Working...
        X