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Sarracenia seedlings - expert help needed

janebaljanebal Posts: 130
in Plants
I have loads of sarracenia (pitcher plant) seedlings (growing in a seed tray of perlite and moss peat) from seed I got from various pitcher plants in my greenhouse. I just want to grow on the red ones but I'm not sure when to get them out of the tray to transplant. They are very small at the moment but all very crowded together. How big should they be before I lift them and how should I do it? Thank you.

Posts

  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    edited June 2018
    If they are very overcrowded I would remove some of the weaker seedlings allowing the sturdier ones a better chance to develop first set of leaves before potting on.  At a minimum wait until they develop their first set of true leaves, then gently prise apart and pot on.
  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923
    first make sure the compost is soaking and then lift with as much compost around the roots are you can (even if you lift two or three together its better than exposing the roots to air) then transplant into larger pots, making sure you water the compost before transplanting so that its soaking as well.

    you'll have to wait a while before you know what hybrid you've got (i'm assuming it was an open pollination and not sealed to stop bee's doing what they do best). Mine took about 3 years from sprouting till i found out what they're growth style would be.
  • janebaljanebal Posts: 130
    Thank you tree hugger80 - yes it was open pollination.
    I will do as you say and lift them in soaking compost and put them into soaking compost. I never thought that I would be successful in growing so many from seed.( I did put them in the fridge for 3 weeks before sowing.) I don't really understand how they can feed themselves when the pitchers are so tiny. Any other advice you have on raising them would be welcome. They are in an unheated greenhouse.
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