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Old 04-26-2014, 11:21 PM
 
Location: New Jersey
16,876 posts, read 10,539,064 times
Reputation: 16409

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Hi, I was wondering if someone could give me some advice on seedlings. I have a few seedlings growing in starter "pots", and the so-called pots are very small squares. I tried to transplant a few seedlings already to a large, raised garden bed. The soil in the bed was bought and there were no animals or weeds in the bed, but still my transplants died. It was very cold for a few nights after transplant and I am not sure if that is what caused their death. I currently have several seedlings growing nicely, but they are indoors in a very small, square seedling starter. I put them out today to try to "harden" them and then brought them back inside. Some of the seedlings are growing very well and I am afraid they will die if left in the starter pots, but I am also afraid they will die if I transplant them out to the raised garden. I thought about putting them in a slightly larger vessel/pot and leaving them inside and then transplanting them, but I know that can be an extra shock. Any advice? I have the following:

Broccoli - growing very well and seems to be getting "laggy" and outgrowing the square, but my other broccoli died when I put it in the garden bed.

Sage - Growing very nicely in the square.

Basil - Growing very nicely in the square.

Kale - growing very nicely in the square and died when I transported some to the garden bed.

Taragon - Growing very small but steadily in the square (never tried to transplant).

Peppers - Growing slowly but steadily in the square (have not tried to transplant)

Thanks!
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Old 04-27-2014, 02:00 AM
 
Location: rain city
2,957 posts, read 12,701,973 times
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Broccoli is a cool weather spring plant which should be in the ground now. Plant them tomorrow. Hope for the best.

Don't know why the kale died. Kale is also a cool season plant. It's probably too late to restart kale now, they'll just bolt.

Basil is a summer annual. Should be safe to put it in the ground now.

Peppers are a summer annual, but very adverse to chilly nighttime temps. You might want to wait a week before you put them in.

Yes, you could have transplanted these seedlings into a larger container before putting them in the ground, but it is getting late for that. Remember we are now only 8 weeks from the summer solstice. Plants care about these things.

Generally about May 1 it's time to kick out the jams and get your babies into the ground. May 1 is next week.
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Old 04-27-2014, 02:23 PM
 
Location: Hot Springs
1,299 posts, read 2,850,151 times
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Sage can be planted anytime. It grows wild in S D.

uh
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Old 04-27-2014, 02:47 PM
 
Location: SE Michigan
6,191 posts, read 18,125,145 times
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I'm not sure when your outdoor gardening/transplanting date is (you can check your USDA zone here) but I'm in zone 5a and late May/early June is the earliest outdoor planting date for anything susceptible to frost - eg peppers, summer squash, tomatoes.

I'm thinking slightly larger pots (peat pots are great because you don't risk smooshing the roots during transplanting because pot and all goes into the ground) will help and this would give your seedlings the opportunity to establish dense, healthy roots. Also the hardening-off period should take place over days or even weeks, especially for frost-susceptible plants. Also plant the seedlings so the stem is well-buried in the soil.

As the others said, cool-season plants and most herbs can be put out now and even basil should be able to withstand temps down to the high 20's.

You may also be able to get some good regional information through your state's master gardener's website:

Home, Lawn & Garden: Rutgers NJAES
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Old 04-30-2014, 07:49 AM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,346 posts, read 80,658,912 times
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I would not plant basil or peppers until it stays 50F or more at night. Even if they don't die, they will not grow much. Here that's not for a couple of more weeks normally. We plan for planting around Mother's Day.
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Old 04-30-2014, 08:30 AM
 
Location: Northern NY
89 posts, read 107,326 times
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Maybe shock from the transition of indoor controlled warmth 24/7 to outdoor temp fluctuations. As mentioned you need to "harden off" your seedlings, for one thing, and that is getting them used to the outdoors. I use manageable flats that I can carry outdoors with my seedlings in them, all individualized. I bring them out during warm sunny days, back in at night or in the porch if not so cold at night. It is some labor but it's important if I want to get them used to where I'm going to finally plant them. When in the garden, and weather turns lousy cold, I use milk gallon jugs with bottoms cut out to place over seedlings like mini green houses without caps. The jugs stack easily for storage. Clean jugs well. Also, check soil in garden with good quality home garden soil test kit. Best of luck...
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Old 04-30-2014, 08:31 AM
 
Location: Northern NY
89 posts, read 107,326 times
Reputation: 77
Peppers, not until temps STAY well above 50.
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