When growing plants, whether floral or vegetable, from seeds in trays, pricking out is required some time after the seed has germinated and a young plant has developed. This means transplanting seedlings that are too close together.

If onions are sown in the bed, they usually have to be pricked out

Why prick

Seeds sown in planters grow well. Many young plants develop quickly, crowding each other and fighting for the nutrients to grow. It is therefore necessary to prick out the young plants. Without this measure they would die. Pricking out stimulates root growth, resulting in stronger plants.

The equipment for pricking

For pricking out properly, you need medium-sized plant pots or a plant pallet, good, humus-rich potting soil and something to separate and dig up the young plants. Suitable is z. B. a teaspoon for digging and an old pencil for poking the new planting holes.

When and how are onions pricked?

If you don't want to sow onions in the form of onion sets, you can grab a planter in early spring and sow the seeds. When the first leaf tubes develop after the cotyledons, pricking can begin. To do this, dig up small groups of plants and carefully separate the individual plants. They sort out stunted and sick young plants immediately.

Pricking step by step

Proceed as follows when pricking:

  1. First fill the growing soil in the pots or in the plant tray and press them down lightly.
  2. Drill a hole in the surface of the earth with the pricking stick.
  3. Using a spoon handle or something similar, get some young plants out of the planter.
  4. Carefully separate the individual plants.
  5. Use your thumb and forefinger to pull the seedling by a cotyledon over the freshly drilled hole.
  6. Now carefully press the fine end of the root into the hole, sprinkle some soil over it and press it down lightly. The cotyledons should just stick out of the ground.
  7. Water the seedling.

Caring for young seedlings

If you have planted all onion seedlings in an extra pot, cover the plant tray or the pots with foil for a few more days so that the humidity increases. Anyone who owns a greenhouse puts their pricked onions in it. Here the little plants are protected from the cold, wind and direct sunlight, but still get enough light to thrive.

Category:

Vegetable garden