Pricking out seedlings into pots

[mrsbusy]

Hi. I thought the following interesting. I germinated the remains of Outdoor Girl toms - old seed 2014- they all germinated. I pricked out half a dozen into the centre of individual clay pots but had about 30 left over. I pricked those out into larger plastic pots but placed the seedling round the edge of the pot touching the side - about 6/7 in each pot.
the difference in growth is extraordinary. The same compost and environmental etc but the plastic pots have 3 times the growth of the clay pots. The clay pots got more water to stop drying out but the seedlings in those not done nearly so well.
I know to put cuttings round edge of pots but next time I have seedlings will try edge of pot again.
PS any one want any outdoor toms!?

[ameno]

I imagine it's the clay pots to blame, one way or another. Either they are still not getting enough water, despite the extra, or else you are overcompensating and accidentally giving them too much water.

[Jungle Jane]

I read a study a while ago about how roots talk to each other & compete with each other when they’re together like that,singularly planted they don’t have the root communication & don’t need to compete to be tallest. Sounds very similar to what you have there.

[mrsbusy]

I read a study a while ago about how roots talk to each other & compete with each other when they’re together like that,singularly planted they don’t have the root communication & don’t need to compete to be tallest. Sounds very similar to what you have there.

Yes that's an interesting point - we know about trees communicating so why not smaller plants too.

[Martin H]

Yes, that is interesting. It reminds me, years ago I found that young Chrysanthemum plants (rooted cuttings) did better in old-fashioned seed trays than in module trays at the same spacing. I always assumed it was because the compost stayed more uniformly moist, but maybe there was something else going on and the ones in modules just had lonely roots!

[Babru]

Clay pots look lovely but I find them hard to manage. Monty Don seems to use them a lot, and I've never understood why.

[ameno]

Clay pots look lovely but I find them hard to manage. Monty Don seems to use them a lot, and I've never understood why.

It's because he's a TV presenter, so he has to make a show of being environmentally friendly by not using plastic.

[Jungle Jane]

I use a lot of clay pots,it’s how my garden began before growing veg. I’ve never had problems with them,everything gets watered the same & all has been good,clay pots next to the blowaways help to keep them in position on windy days too ,I think they’re good but more expensive to buy. I have noticed when emptying the clay pots the next year,roots get stuck in the porous clay,like wanting to grow into it,the clay can take a lot of water if you hold a pot underwater it bubbles for a very long time soaking up the water,noticed that years ago when I was helping dad make a water feature. The clay pots can hold water as well as the compost but not much,unless soaked for hours.