WS seedlings, not all have been planted out yet

I clump-transplanted many of my wintersown seedlings directly into the garden, with varying results. I think that the tiny seedlings just don't get enough attention from me out there, and I have better luck when I transplant into cell packs and let them get a little bigger before planting out. Of course, that's an extra step that takes time, and the flats take up more space than the little WS containers did!

Here's a photo of several flats of dianthus, gaillardia, etc that are waiting to be planted out. Most have about filled their little cells with roots, so I may be transplanting them this afternoon.

There are some pretty big seedlings now in about half of my columbine containers... I think they will need to be divided and/or planted out pretty soon.

way to go Jill. Everything looks great. I certainly believe that there is no right or wrong with w/s'ing. If it works...

I don't know what I did wrong but I never got much top growth. When I popped them out of containers there was ok root growth but almost no tops. I wondered if part of it was due to cool night time temps. We sit down in a low spot in the woods and the cool air pools at night. I always have a harder time getting hot weather plants going until summer nights get consistently hotter. On the other hand I wonder if I had too little soil in the containers. I have basil plants that have never come out of the single leaf stage and they were sown in March and April. Those are getting scrapped and re-seeded now directly.

I had a great time doing the WS though - what a great way to pass the winter months.

Planting little clumps into cell packs is definitely a way to get your WS seedlings to cover more ground when you plant them out... at least, any clumps that small that I've tried to plant out directly don't make it, even though I know a single seedling that nature plants can survive just fine.

I got a couple of flats of dianthus and sea thrift planted out last evening, and the rain shower watered them in nicely for me. They are still not in their permanant home... I am using a new bed as a nursery area, and I planted them along the front, near a soaker hose. I want to let them grow into substantial clumps and then move them to other areas.

As Anita said, whatever works, works! For me, larger/older plants just survive better in my garden.

alyrics, I have some strawflower seedlings that had great roots but were less than an inch tall when I planted them out 3 weeks ago. They are still the same height. I transplanted them directly into the garden from their WS container, and I had to mark them carefully to be sure not to step on them. Other WS seedlings (like saponaria & malva) are getting nice & big. I have no explanation for the difference... some of the ones that are still tiny were among the first to sprout.

Finally planted the rest of my seedlings (W/S and otherwise) yesterday. Actually, have a few amaranth left that will be back-up for my containers. But the planting is done for now!

More than enough rain, planted out everything, fertillized & Messengered.
What do I do with myself? Deal with the bugs or start perennial seeds?

Oops, forgot about the weeds.

Here's one of the Armenia maritima (Sea Thrift) seedlings that's been planted out after being up-potted for a bit (I used 48 cell sheet pots for these and for the dianthus seedlings).

These seedlings were left over after I clump-transplanted a couple of 6-packs, so I just stuck the 3 remaining little clumps directly into the garden, where they've done just fine! They are even blooming, so they're ahead of the ones that were potted up before planting out (although I do think I see some buds forming on the others). I don't know exactly what they are, as the trade packet was simply labeled "Pinks."

Hmmm, and as I examine the picture more closely, I'm not so sure there aren't some little weedling sprouts right in there with the seedlings... LOL... I'll have to take care of that!

Dianthus?

Yes, I think it's some sort of dianthus, but I'm not sure what kind! These seedlings don't look like the cheddar pinks or maiden pinks (D. deltoides) that I grew out... maybe they could be China pinks?

Jill: All your WS seedlings look great! Don't worry if you haven't planted everything out yet....I haven't either! Some of my larger growing plants I repotted into 1 gallon containers, like the Daturas. Since it is getting so hot & humid in our area, I think I'm going to hold off planting out the rest until there is a break in the weather or in early Fall.

Did you check in the Plant Files for the different varieties of Dianthus?

I did check PF, and that's where I got the notion they could be China Pinks. It's hard to tell scale on the photos, though, and the foliage generally isn't the focus of people's flower pics, LOL. Whatever they are, they are pretty, and I am betting that they are perennial (they also don't look like my Sweet William start).

I've got some datura also, but I started mine inside under the lights (chicken!). They've been out for a month now, and they're putting on some growth in their deep 2 inch pots. They will probably need transplanting soon... Hahahaha, I think I have such a stack of big empty pots on the deck now, but I'll bet they will fill up fast, especially when my daylilies from Rainbow Hill arrive!

I had some Datura the w/s nicely, but when I was sick and in bed, they dried out and I couldn't revive them.....sniff...pout!

I'm sorry to hear that, Anita! I've lost a few things this year by not being able to get out & water when I had migraines (photosensitivity doesn't mix with sunny days), and it's doubly frustrating! I put out 36 cucumber starts, and I think I have maybe 4 surviving plants... :-(

The great thing about wintersowing is that it doesn't take as much effort & attention as starting seeds under lights, so I can be a teeny bit more pragmatic about losses.

BTW, you should see the Wheatstraw Celosia seedlings that have popped up all over, including in every container that was on the deck last year... they sure "wintersowed" themselves quite freely! The bright pink color on the stems & leaves is so cute that they're a little harder for me to pull up than most unwanted seedlings, but I am being ruthless, LOL.

I'm guessing that you had it growing last year??

LOL... oh, yes! The description I found said it would be 18 inches tall, so I put one kind ('Flamingo Flower') in my railing planters and another kind ('Pink Candles') along the edge of the walkway around the side bed... They grew 3-4 ft. tall!! They bloomed beautifully, and they set prolific amounts of seed. I sent a bunch of seed with spring seed BE's and still have tons left, which obviously there's no need for me to plant, LOL. LMK if you want some!

critterologist - you sure have a LOT of seedlings! Looking good!

Anitabryk2 - I WSed datura ('Ballerina Yellow') last year; sown kind of late, it was kind of an afterthought in last year's garden. Germinated and grew fine, but no flowers. When it got buggy and tacky looking, I cut it down to a stump and had every intention of tossing it. But it started branching out and putting out new leaves, so I brought it inside for the winter - in the dining area, near the light coming in the patio door, very little water. Didn't look so hot, but it lived. This spring, I gave the plant to a friend of mine, and you should see it! I want to take it back!

Short moral to a long story - you can sow some more datura seeds now; probably would not bloom before the cold weather sets in, but you could bring them inside for the winter and get a head start for next year. If the one I gave away is any example, they will be HUGE!

And as to being late planting out - never fear. I've got a perfectly lovely yucca plant - WSed in 2004 - that has lived its life in the 16-oz. plastic cup where it first started out. Hey, it's a bit of a dwarf, but it's living!!

PV

LOL at the "dwarf" yucca in the 16 oz cup! You're got a green thumb and a half to keep that baby alive!

Jill: Wish I could help you more with your Dianthus seedlings. I know you enjoy their beauty regardless.

Sorry to hear about your Daturas, Anita. Hopefully, very soon I'll be able to show you mine. They have buds and I can't wait until the flowers open. Daturas wintersowed beautifully outside.

Congratulations on WSing Yucca and having it thrive in a 16oz cup! Definitely not a demanding plant!

Would you believe I actually got several Brugmansia seeds to germinate outdoors too! However, I didn't sow them until mid-April, so I guess you would call it "spring sowing". I couldn't believe that these tropical plants responsed so well to this method.

My new motto: "No more sowing indoors under lights!" (with the exception of Coleus & Impatients).

I'll have to take a picture of it. Don't know about the green thumb bit, but I am a very big procrastinator; "I'll get to it" - famous last words from me. I've got a spider lily blooming (first time for me) in the house right now, in too small a pot inside a plastic grocery bag to keep the water from dripping on the floor. Just simply never got it outside where it belongs. Guess it won't be going out now .......

PV