How & When To Transplant Seedlings From Seed Trays | Garden In Minutes® (2024)

FAQs

How & When To Transplant Seedlings From Seed Trays | Garden In Minutes®? ›

As a general guide, after your seeds germinate they can grow in smaller (1.5″ cell trays) for about 2-3 weeks, in larger 2″ trays they can grow in them for about 3-4 weeks before needing to be transplanted. When it's time to transplant, wet your seedling tray soil & your garden's soil. This makes the soil stickier.

Seedlings otherwise can become root-bound if not given adequate space for the roots. Typically, after sowing the seeds, the cell trays are used for around 3-4 weeks before transplanting occurs - whether it be to an outdoor plot or into a larger container.

Seedlings should be at least 2-3 inches tall before transplanting and should have their two "true leaves."

Typically, your seeds will stay in their seed tray for 4-6 weeks. After this period, you will either need to transplant the new seedlings into larger pots or transplant them outside. Check your seed instructions and pay attention to your frost dates before transplanting young plants outside.

It's important to avoid transplanting seedlings too early, as this can lead to shock and stunted growth. Similarly, waiting too long to transplant can result in the seedlings becoming root-bound, which can limit their growth and health.

When it's time to transplant, wet your seedling tray soil & your garden's soil. This makes the soil stickier. It holds together better when removing the seedling from the tray & when making a hole in the soil in your garden bed for the plant to go into.

You'll know they're ready if their cotyledons are turning yellow, they've already grown 1 or 2 sets of true leaves, or their roots are growing through the drainage hole in their seed tray.

If possible, transplant on a warm, overcast day in the early morning. This gives the plants a chance to settle into the soil without being instantly exposed to the intense midday sun. Check soil moisture. Test to see if your soil is too wet or too dry to dig.

But you also can't leave your seedlings in their egg cartons for too long, waiting for the weather to heat up. Seedlings should be moved to the garden once the roots reach the bottom of the tray, but before they start to grow into a circle. Circling roots will make your plants unstable and stifle their growth.

When to remove seed tray cover? ›

Once the seeds germinate, remove the plastic wrap or humidity dome immediately and get them the light they need!

Generally, vegetable seedlings require watering every 1-2 days. It's essential to check the soil moisture; it should be moist but not waterlogged. In hotter or drier climates, or under intense grow lights, you may need to water more frequently.

The general rule of thumb is that when a seedling has 3 – 4 true leaves, it is large enough to plant out in the garden (after it has been hardened off).

Some of these plants have delicate roots systems and don't do well in the transplant process, such as spinach, beets, and carrots. Others like radishes, beans, peas, and beets quickly germinate from seed. A benefit of direct sowing is the selection of seed varieties.

A plant suffers from transplant shock when the root can't adapt to the new environment. This prevents it from taking in the nutrients it needs, causing it to be weak and fragile for a length of time that can last from just two weeks to up to five years!

But you also can't leave your seedlings in their egg cartons for too long, waiting for the weather to heat up. Seedlings should be moved to the garden once the roots reach the bottom of the tray, but before they start to grow into a circle.

Domes are really only used on the trays until the seeds germinate, which for some varieties may be as few as a few days. Once your plants have popped up, they need lots of air and light. Left on too long, domes can kill seedlings.

After 6 to 8 weeks under the grow lights, many of the seedlings need to be repotted into larger containers to ensure continued healthy growth until it's time to move them into the garden.

When You Should Separate Seedlings. Seedlings should be separated and replanted into individual pots after they have received their first sets of true leaves. The cotyledon (or first set of leaves) forms once the seeds germinate. The cotyledon leaves help the plant to sprout by breaking open the seed coat.