Transplanting Germinated Seeds from Paper Towel to Soil

[Grace Brosofsky]

I germinated pigweed seeds (in the amaranth family) using the paper towel method (see attached pictures) for an experiment. Do they look ready to be transplanted to pots? Also, any advice on how to transplant them without causing damage, how to place them in soil, what kind of soil to use etc.? Answering just one of these questions would be appreciated

 

[ChanellG]

Grace, I can't see your image for some reason, but you an transplant the seeds as soon as they sprout. Just be careful not to damage any root "tail" sticking out. If the seeds are small you might want to use a tweezer to pick them up.

Because they have already sprouted, you can use regular potting soil but it really depends on where the plants will live. If they are going in the ground in the garden, I would plant them in little peat cups and keep them protected from pests until the plants grow a bit. Then you can plant the entire cup in ground later and it will help lessen the transplant shock.

 

[CanadianLori]

Chanell is giving good advice.

Welcome to the forum Grace!

 

[Grace Brosofsky]

Thanks for your advice!

 

[Corzhens]

Grace, I can't see your image for some reason, but you an transplant the seeds as soon as they sprout. Just be careful not to damage any root "tail" sticking out. If the seeds are small you might want to use a tweezer to pick them up.

Because they have already sprouted, you can use regular potting soil but it really depends on where the plants will live. If they are going in the ground in the garden, I would plant them in little peat cups and keep them protected from pests until the plants grow a bit. Then you can plant the entire cup in ground later and it will help lessen the transplant shock.

I agree with that line that says transplant it when it sprouts. When we plant seeds, whether vegetables, plants or even trees, we make a sort of seed bed. And when the seeds are breaking, we put it in soft plastic pots for growing into a sapling and for later transplanting to the ground. The sprouted seeds in the pots is meant to protect the young plant from excessive heat or rain because you can move the pots.