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Bringing on Alliums from Seed

Victoria SpongeVictoria Sponge Posts: 3,502
in Plants
I sowed a seed head from Allium obliquum just before winter and was just wondering how to bring them on.  They are in a shallow seed tray, and have been inside in an unheated room for the past 6 weeks or so as once they germinated outside, I then didn't want to subject them to the snow/freeze in case they rotted. 

Does anyone have any advice as to when to transplant them into pots please?  I expect they will lose the 'foliage' at some point but am not sure if the tray would be sufficient for next years growing.


Wearside, England.

Posts

  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
    Would have been better to have sown them in a deep tray, but still. Try to keep  them in where they are now for as long as possible. The seedlings only grow one root begin with and if it is damaged it dies and the plant has to grow a new one from the basal plate. Unlike a lot of plants they do not develop multi-branched roots.
    Feed with weak liquid feed until they do begin to die down. Then repot when they are dormant.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    i agree with @Palustris except i rarely feed anything. If you're very careful you might be able to move the whole lot into something deeper


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Victoria SpongeVictoria Sponge Posts: 3,502
    Thank you for your comments, yes in hindsight I should have put them in a pot knowing it would be a long project.

    I will do as suggested and when dormant see if I can move in chunks to deeper pots hopefully without disturbing them too much.  
    Wearside, England.
  • Victoria SpongeVictoria Sponge Posts: 3,502
    Thought I'd do a follow-on post in case anyone else has the same ill thought through idea to sow allium seeds in a shallow tray ;)

    I transplanted the chunks of seedlings, as much as I could, (some I ended up pricking out) as the roots had already started to come through the bottom of the tray.  I moved them into 8" deep pots and they haven't instantly died, this is a week on from moving them.  I could see a minuscule bulb forming on some of the ones that came loose from the compost.  I might put them out for the summer but my current thinking is to bring them back in this winter in case the rainfall is too much for them.  I have a few of these in the garden and they have never self seeded which makes me think something might not be quite right for them.  It is possible the seed heads rot on the stems before the seeds get a chance to fall also. 

    Wearside, England.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Good luck with those @Victoria Sponge. It might be a few years wait I thin before they bloom.

    I'm busy digging up as many alliums as I can find, they are too successful in this garden, especially the white ones and Purple Sensation.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
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