Over by the rock steps by the greenhouse. Hated those shrubs had to cut them back all the time because they get my pants wet every time I went down the stairs.

Oh Julia, when I read your last sentence, a line came to my mind
"And I always thought you were getting your pants wet!"
Sorry... I'm silly

But really, I am also interested in a technique... I also have millions of seedlings.

Silly but interesting, you are, Calin!

Glad you are taking care of the problem of wetting your pants, Julia...

Hi!

I'm sorry I have missed this thread and there were people waiting for me to comment.

I let the seedlings develop at least several sets of true leaves before trying to row them out. When I approach rowing out a pot, I find that I can pull out small portions of the encrusted surface of the potting mix and then begin teasing out the seedlings from it, sometimes breaking potting mix crust into sections and then placing that semp + crust right in the rows in the seedling bed. In that way, the seedlings are not totally bare-root when they go into their new home. I generally start with the seedlings that are most separated from their neighbors in a pot and that work my way into the more congested clumps. The best time to do this is when it is drizzling rain as the seedlings never miss a beat and start growing rapidly. The neighbors I'm sure think I'm crazy as I'm leaning over the bed getting soaked and doing what seems to be doing nothing as you can't see that ANYTHING has been rowed out from 5' away! I also water the seedlings even if it is raining. That also causes the neighbors to shae their head. The soil in which they are transplanted should be wet but not soupy/ muddy.

I give the seedlings some Quick Start fertilizer every two weeks for the first several months. That treatment seems to get the seedlings off and growing well. Many of the plants produce increase by the end of the season. I use some gravel between the rows of seedlings to suppress weed growth and prevent splashing of soil onto the seedlings.

If you are a bit scared about tackling the transplanting of seedlings, don't do the whole pot at once, especially if there are LOTS in that pot. In the special crosses I'm really careful as to how I row them out. I'll be extra careful of the 'Fuego' x 'Killer' group, for example.

Good luck all. It's so great to have people crossing semps again! I think Greg may be the next one to start. it is such fun to see how each cross develops. Yesterday I discovered a new 'Weirdo' type in one of my crosses. Hadn't seen one in many years!

Kevin

Thanks for the tips Kevin but read your post 36 hours later (I am out of town ) after I slogged thru the 2 winter sow jugs to plant. Of course I did everything opposite of what you advised but cross your fingers for me that I get some that stay alive.

Crossing my fingers for you Bev.
It looks like the Oddity cross seedlings are dying, not thriving, like the other crosses.

Sorry to hear I guess that's what this is all about - trial and error!

Lynn,

You might have to give the Oddity seedlings some TLC to get them through this.

Of course you are going to laugh at the gizzillion seedlings I have in pots. Thank goodness I have 144 sq. feet of bed space to use to row them out. I'm betting i use every inch!

First batch of chowder came out great. That's almost 2 gallons of chowder! I'll make another 2 tomorrow morning but couldn't face any more clams tonight! The shrimp are assembled into casseroles so all I'll have to do us slip them under the broiler and we're ready to eat!

Wish the whole clinic group was going to be here.

Kevin

I wish they could all be there Kevin. It is such a great group.

The other seedlings all seem to be doing well, just seems as though the Oddity cross seedlings are rather week and sad. I am trying to take very good care of them.

I took some photos of bee seedlings from 2 years ago. Some are looking interesting. I haven't fertilized any of them so they are very tiny. You can see by comparing them with the chicken grit top dressing. It appears some are semps and also some heuffelii.

Very cool Lynn!
There is some really neat stuff going on with those.

Very cool!

Thank you Greg and J.C.
Time will tell if they will amount to anything special.

Some lovely colours starting to come through!

Love some of those with the green edging. Go Lynn!!!!!!

The green edged one are what catches my eye at this point in time.

Wow Lynn - nice job! They're doing great! That 2nd to last one has an unusual color pattern on it.

Thank you Chris. I just saw that it is starting to produce an offset.
The rosette is so tiny, it surprises me that it is going to be a parent.