repot seedlings is important to grow strong plants for your garden . In this post I will spill about the benefits and tell you exactly when to move them to a big mint .

I ’ll also show you the best types of container and soil to habituate , and give you footfall - by - whole tone program line for how to pot up your seedlings quickly and easily .

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How To Repot Seedlings Into Larger Containers

Mature seedlings ready to be potted up

Do Seedlings ReallyNeedTo Be Repotted?

The short resolution is no , you do n’t always need to repot them . This is n’t a required step for successfulseedling care .

Some will be just fine remain in the trays all the manner up until you move them outside . But others will suffer if they ’re throne - bound for too long .

When To Repot Seedlings

Wait until your seedling are a few inch magniloquent and have their first sets of genuine leaves before you attempt to pot them up . Do not seek to repot tiny , immature single . Here ’s how to have it off when it ’s sentence :

The Best Soil & Containers To Use

If you ’re wonder what type of land and pot to remove your seedlings into , then this section is for you . Below I ’ll give you some pointer , and share my favorites .

What Soil To Use

It ’s well to repot your seedling using a lightweight soilless pot premix so their delicate rootage can easily spread out out . Here are my top choices :

Avoid crummy , heavy top or garden filth , or mix that contain fertiliser , because they can stunt the emergence of your seedling , and injury or even kill them .

Different Types Of Pots

Choose a container that ’s about twice the size of the seed electric cell , a 3 - 4″ pot is usually stark . Just ensure it has drainage trap in the bottom .

There are basically two types of containers you could expend to pot up your seedlings : non - plantable or plantable :

1 . Non - plantable pots – Thestandard nursery potsare great because you’re able to reuse them year after year . But you could make your own out of token like plastic cup , yogurt containers , the bottom half of water bottles , or any other small charge card containers you have in your recycling bin .

How To Repot Seedlings Into Larger Containers

2 . Plantable pots – These are made out of biodegradable cloth , likecoco coir , peat moss , cow manure , or recycled paper – like myDIY newspaper seedling pots . you’re able to set them directly into the garden , which is great for seedling that do n’t like their roots raise up .

How To Repot Seedlings Step-By-Step

To make the transition easier on them ( and on you ) , irrigate your seedling several minute or the night before you plan to pot them up .

A moist rootball will concord together well than a ironic one , and see they are well - hydrated will minimize the jeopardy of transplanting shock .

Supplies Needed

Below is a list of what you ’ll need . Gather everything together before you get started .

Steps By Step Instructions

I definitely urge using apotting tray , especially if you ’re doing this indoors . You also might want to lay down a towel or a large bed sheet to catch any jam you make while repotting your seedling , and make cleanup spot easygoing .

Step 1 : Prepare the mess – rest out your containers , sum about 1″ ofpotting soilinto each one , and throng it down tightly . you may do the residual of the steps one at a fourth dimension , or use my assembly line method acting .

First I get all of my potful ready so I can quickly toss off the seedlings into them as I go . Then I ’ll come back afterward and finish filling each of them with soil .

How To Repot Seedlings Into Larger Containers

footfall 2 : Remove the seedling from the cell – The key to this step is to be easy and take it slow . Start by localise your fingers over the top of the soil on either side of the stem , and flip-flop the whole container over so you ’re holding it in your hired man .

Then you could squeeze the bottom of the cell until the rootball come loose . check that you do n’t pull or take hold of the seedling by the root to remove it . If you ’re bear hassle , you’re able to use a spoonful , butter tongue , or skinny trowel to loosen them .

whole step 3 : tidy the seedling roots – If the roots are growing in a rotary pattern , or they are tightly stick to , then lightly tease them asunder to straighten them before you repot them . Take tending not to break any off in the process .

When & How To Repot Seedlings Into Larger Containers

If there ’s more than one seedling in a cell , then lightly tease apart the roots apart to separate them . It ’s crucial to establish each one into its own pot , or they will be too herd .

stone’s throw 4 : Pot it up – Place the seedling into the pot at the same depth as it was in the tray ( i.e. : do n’t bury the stem ) and satiate in around the rootage with soil .

As you work to occupy the sens , lightly compact the soil around the rootball with your fingers . Once it ’s full , give it a little water so everything can reconcile , then sate in any holes that appear , if necessary .

When & How To Repot Seedlings Into Larger Containers

Step 5 : Add a plant tag – Adding aplant tagto each pot will help you identify your seedling later . If you do n’t have any , you could write on the side of plantable pots with apermanent markerorpaint penitentiary .

Or put a small-arm of tape on your plastic container , and save on that ( I like to usepainters tapebecause it ’s easy to remove and does n’t leave any remainder ) .

Caring For Your Newly Repotted Seedlings

Once you have your seedlings pot up , there is a chance they will go into jar . That mean they may droop for a few sidereal day afterward . Do n’t panic if this fall out , it ’s common and fixable .

Just put them under the lights , keep the soil systematically moist , and hold off on fecundate until they recuperate . They should pop back up and seem healthy again in a few Day .

Related Post : When & How To Transplant Seedlings Into Your Garden

When & How To Repot Seedlings Into Larger Containers

Repotting seedling is a rattling path to ensure that you raise strong , healthy seedling for your garden . Once you learn the signs to watch for , you ’ll live which one ask to be potted on , and exactly when to do it .

If you ’re old-hat of skin to learn how to grow seeds by tribulation and error , then you should take myonline Seed Starting Course . It ’s a fun , self - paced online track that will teach you everything you need to sleep together . enrol and start today !

Or , if you just demand a refresher or a straightaway - showtime usher , then myStarting Seeds Indoors eBookis what you necessitate .

How To Repot Seedlings Into Larger Containers

How To Repot Seedlings Into Larger Containers

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Mature seedlings ready to be potted up

Different types of seedling containers

Seedlings after moving them into bigger pots

Removing a seedling from the tray cell

A slightly pot-bound seedling with circular roots

Gently packing the soil after repotting a seedling

Seedlings repotted into plantable peat pots

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