PRICKING-OUT

Pricking-out must be done very carefully to ensure that the seedlings are not
damaged.

It is best done shortly after germination when the seedlings are only 2–4cm
tall, when they have only 3 or 4 true leaves and a small root system. When
seedlings are this small it is easy to lift them out without damaging them.

Prick-out seedlings on a cloudy day or late in the afternoon so that they don't
dry out in the hot sun.

The day before pricking-out water well the polypots into which the seedlings are
going to be transplanted. Also make sure that shades are erected over the beds.

Immediately before starting, lightly water the seedbed or seedtray to make it easier
to lift out the seedlings.

Remove the seedlings by inserting a small, flat stick beneath them and gently lever
them out.

Hold the seedlings by the leaves only and never by the stalk which is very easily
damaged.

Only take as many seedlings as you can plant out in about 15 minutes because they
dry out very quickly. To stop them from drying out put the seedlings in a tray of
water and keep them shaded all the time.

Make a hole with a stick about the size of a pencil in the middle of the polypot and
just a little deeper than the roots of the seedling.

Carefully lower the seedling into the hole. Make sure that you do not bend the
roots.

Use the stick to fill in the soil around the roots of the seedling by pushing it into
the soil about 1cm from the seedling and levering it back and forth.......

…or you can fill the hole with a mixture of half seived sand and half seived soil.
 The holes must be carefully refilled to make sure there are no empty spaces
around the roots.

Lightly water the polypots.

Put up the shades over the seedlings. They should be about 30cm above the
tops of the seedlings.

For the next few days lightly water the polypots 2 or 3 times each day to
keep them slightly moist. Keep them under shade for all this time.

After 3 or 4 days replace the seedlings that have died.

When new leaves have started to grow gradually start to remove the shade.
First of all take the shades off for 1 hour in the morning and then for 1 hour in the
late afternoon when the sun is not very strong.

Eventually, over a week, increase the length of time in the morning and evening
when the seedlings are unshaded until on the seventh day they are left unshaded all
day.