So that young plants do not hinder each other's growth, they should be pricked out. Here we explain how to do this correctly.
Hobby gardeners and plant lovers enjoy the growth of their offspring. From sowing to harvest, growing your own fruit and vegetables in your own garden keeps you busy throughout the summer months. So that the harvest is productive and the plants thrive, competent cultivation is essential. Some plants are pricked out early in their growth. Find out here how to prick out correctly and for which plants this step is important.
What is pricking and why is it important?
The term "pricking out" means separating the young seedlings. After sowing, the delicate little plants grow close together and are difficult to grasp with your fingers. With the help of a pricking stick, it is possible to separate the individual shoots from one another and then replant them at a greater distance from one another or in separate pots. This process ensures that the plants do not hinder each other's growth and instead get enough soil and light.
Which plants need pricking out?
Not all plants need pricking out. Vegetables that grow underground, such as carrots or radishes, can be sown directly in their final location. Lettuce and plants that are sown individually from the start, such as cucumbers, pumpkins or courgettes, also thrive without pricking out.
However, many types of vegetables that are not sown individually cannot do without singulation. On the contrary: They grow even better after separation and become high-yielding plants. They include:
- Tomatoes
- pepper
- Lets
- Chilis
- many types of cabbage
- Aubergines
- Physalis
How are plants transplanted?
❍ The right time:
In the seed trays, the young plants can share the soil's nutrients. Once the plants have formed two true pairs of leaves, however, it's time to prick them out. Pricking out too early can have disadvantagesbring for the plants. On the one hand, they are still very small, so that they can be damaged when separated. On the other hand, the root system is still very tender. The young plant is still too weak to cope with this process and in the worst case it will die.
If individual plants are growing in the seed pots, repotting can be postponed as the seedlings have enough space and nutrients to stay longer in the first pots.
Important:
Make sure to fertilize the potting soil regularly and keep it moist before transplanting.
❍ Tools:
- Sowing or pricking soil
- Picking Stick
- Small flower pot (5 to 8 centimeters high) with holes at the bottom
- Watering can with spray attachment
- Small Sieve
- Water for pouring
❍ Instructions:
1. Fill the flower pot two-thirds full with seed or pricking soil and press down lightly.
2. More soil sieve into the pot until it is full. Then smooth out the soil.
3. Drill a hole in the middle of the soil with the pricking stick.
4. Carefully lever the young plant out of the growing pot with the pricking stick.
5. Now place the plant across the hole in the new planter.
6. Gently pull the plant into the hole with the pricking stick or your fingers.
Important:
The root must disappear completely underground! If the young plants have very long roots, it is possible to shorten the roots to a length of around two centimeters with your fingernail. This stimulates the growth of lateral roots so that the plant forms a strong root ball that provides it with nutrients.
7. Gently press and smooth the soil around the plant.
8. Water the transplanted plant thoroughly.
9. Put the plant in a warm place.
A temperature of 15 to 18 degrees Celsius is ideal for vegetables. Indoor plants need 20 degrees Celsius for good growth and tropical plants thrive at 22 degrees Celsius. Also, make sure not to expose the plants to direct sunlight. A greenhouse with a temperature that is as constant as possible is the ideal location for the young plants.
❍ After pricking:
To ensure that the freshly transplanted plant does well in its new pot, water it regularly. This helps the roots make contact with the soil. As long as the roots are not established, they cannotdraw nutrients from the soil. Therefore, regular watering - preferably two to three times a week - is essential to help the young sprouts through the early stages of growth.
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