Friday, 19 August 2016

Pricking Out And Pot Washing


Seed Trays Full Of Seedlings
An unseasonal low pressure front affected today's weather resulting in a day of rain and, therefore,  wet weather jobs for the garden team. Tidying tool sheds, vehicle maintenance, greenhouse work and pot washing, all jobs suitable for keeping dry.

Pricking Out
The greenhouse work consisted of pricking out some of the trays of seedlings, seeds that were sown last month, see blog entry 15th July 2016 'Eleven Half Trays And Six Shallow Pots'. Eight of the eleven half trays of seeds have grown sufficiently, the first pair of true leaves have emerged so are ready for pricking out. Using the tapered end of the plant label, the tiny seedlings were gently eased out of the seed compost, holding them by the seed leaves and transplanting them in to individual pots of multipurpose compost. Placed in to trays the seedlings were taken in to the much cooler Peach Glasshouse where they will remain until it is time to re pot them all in to the next size pots.

Sweet William Seedlings
The seedlings pricked out today were Matthiola incana 'Pillow Talk' (Stocks), Dianthus barbatus 'Bouquet Rose Magic' (Sweet William), Wallflower 'Sunset Primrose', 'Sunset Orange' and 'Sunset Bronze', Schizanthus x wisetonensis 'Dr Badger's Mix and 'Angel's Wings Mix' (Butterfly Flower) and Lupinus polyphyllus 'Noble Maiden' (Lupin).

Seedlings
Once the pricking out was complete it was time to start preparing for the cuttings that will be taken in September, the requirement, clean shallow pots. With a trug full of warm soapy water, a bucket of cold water and a cloth each pot was washed, rinsed and left to dry over the weekend. A stack of five dozen pots are now ready for the hundreds of cuttings that will soon accommodate them.  

Washed Pots


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