(IPPM) in Vegetables - Vegetableipmasia.org

Resource Manual on IPPM in Vegetable
World Education Philippines, Inc.
Care of Seedlings
A seed is an embryonic plant waiting to get out. It is the pleasurable task of the gardener
to turn the seed from dormancy into a living thing by providing warmth, light, air and
moisture.
Seeds even have their own food supply to start them off, at least until they can extend
roots and draw food and water from the soil.
Some seeds are not quite fussy over the conditions in which they would grow. Many
weed seeds fall into this category. Others are so sensitive that they require a carefully
controlled environment to germinate. The following practices are recomended when
handling seedlings before they are transplanted to the main field.
1. Pricking out
When seeds germinate the first leaves to appear are the cotyledons or seed leaves.
These are usually a pair of oval, fleshy leaves that bear no resemblance to the mature
leaves of the plant.
The conventional practice is that seedlings should not be pricked out or transplanted
until the first true leaves appear. In the case of large seedlings, such as eggplants or
pechay, this could be before the true leaves have developed and it is sound advice to
sow the seedlings individually in small pots.
The rule is never to handle the plants by their stems, which bruise easily, but always
by their seed leaves. Some people use a sharpened wood, or a metal device to
separate and ease out the seedlings, taking care not to damage the delicate roots.
It is good to prepare the planting holes in the trays of well-moistened compost before
you actually lift out the seedlings from the sowing container. Simply ease each
seedling into position with the roots falling neatly into the hole, then gently firm the
compost into contact with the baby plant while still holding it by the seed leaf.
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