Italophile

how often should i water new seedlings

Leggy is usually an indication of a lack of light. Even when the temps were relatively low here, I put most of my seedlings out on the terrace wrapped in a couple of layers of bubble wrap for what sun there was. The wrap generated sufficient warmth inside, the sun provided the crucial light.

Asparagus

The trench is as deep as you need to go. The tried and true method - with crowns - is to add a low ridge to the bottom of the trench and lay the roots down either side of the ridge. After that, it's a process of filling in the trench. As long as the roots have somewhere to go as they grow over the years.

Asparagus

Hi Derek

The only crowns I've bought wouldn't fit into small pots like that. They're all roots. Regardless, the trench for planting needs to be at least 20cm deep.

Asparagus

Are they from seed? I'd plant them out before it gets too late. Make sure you prepare the bed first very, very well with plenty of compost and organic material. Asparagus beds are long-term propositions. Once the asparagus is in situ you won't get another chance to improve the soil beyond top-dressing.

Let the ferns grow up in this first season. Don't harvest anything. If the spot is exposed, you might need to support them.

how often should i water new seedlings

You're watering from the bottom, Nicholas? I wouldn't with seedlings. You can't judge the dampness of the mix. Water from the top, let the mix pretty much dry out without leaving them bone dry.

Windowsill propogation

I agree, blackest. Oversowing only makes for more work later.

Is it still too cold

Alice, they're struggling for light. Do you have a desk lamp or similar with a bright-ish bulb? I have a couple that I use for seedlings in the depths of winter. Lower the lamp - or raise the seedlings - till the plants are about two inches from the light. They won't burn. Apart from light, the bulb also provides warmth. Raise the lamp - or lower the seedlings - as the plants grow, always keeping them about two inches from the light.

Don't leave them under the light 24/7. Even seedlings need their night time. 12-14 hours out of 24 will be enough.

Windowsill propogation

cxgcxg wrote (see)

My question is whether everything needs to be thinned down to a single seedling? For some, such as the cucumber which grows thick stems this is obvious. For other things such as basil, pak choi and salad mix, the seedlings grow much thinner and I don't know. With these, should I thin them all to one now, just separate them once I prick them out into larger pots (and risk tangled roots breaking?) or prick them out all together in a clump once they've grown more and pot them on exactly like this?

Many Thanks

The toms, chillies, cukes, peppers, broccoli, etc, need to be potted on as individual plants. As should the salad mix. Left as clumps they will only throttle each other.

The likes of basil and coriander can be separated into individual plants but will cope as two or three plants together. Do the separating when they're large enough to handle. You just need to take care separating the tangled roots but you don't need surgical precision. Root structures are pretty forgiving unless you tear them off completely.

Should I plant my celery out yet

Might frost be an issue? If not, you could start hardening them off for planting out in a couple of weeks. Let them out of their cloche, leaving them out later and later till they're comfortable uncovered overnight.

Should I plant my celery out yet

Depends on your weather, Nicholas. What sort of temps are you getting?