Plant roots

[seedcorn]

Does anyone get the kind of root masses from their started plants that you get from green house?

If so, care to share secret?

 

[Smart Red]

I am generally happy with the roots on my seedlings. I mostly start each in a small container and once they are growing well, move them to the sun room. Probably much the same as green house grown.

 

[curly_kate]

It depends on the plant, but I just transplanted my tomatoes to bigger pots and those roots look really good. I did the same thing with flower seedlings I started and...not so much. The best roots I ever had was when I was using bat guano to fertilize.

 

[MontyJ]

I sure do. I think a lot of it has to do with two things. First is not babying the plants too much. Make them "earn a living" if you will. Easy on the ferts when they are young. That way they have to expand their root systems in search of food. Second, I really believe the Promix BX potting mix helps a lot. It has mycorrhizae fungi in it which really boosts root mass. I learned that from a greenhouse owner who uses it exclusively.

 

[digitS']

I don't want to overstate anything, Seedcorn. This was a better than average Porter but only slightly. If you turn the root ball over, you can really see that it isn't rootbound. If I was to squeeze it, the soil would just fall right out.

The reason I don't want to overstate my success is that it was 5 weeks ago when I sowed seed for this Porter tomato. Everything could have gone a little better from the start - a little more warmth for germinating and a good deal more light for growth.

A retailer would consider this substandard for a salable plant. They would probably be expecting to sell plants at 6 weeks old. This is only a few days away from that. If it is stressed at all, it won't be making much of any growth over the next few days. So, I won't be loading it in an 18-wheeler and transporting it across the country, slamming it around on carts and leaving it outside overnight . In fact, I put it in a 4" post and that was more than stress enuf . . . What I'll be hoping for is that it isn't all running a little too early because I can't anticipate the weather in another month. Still, they don't need to be as crowded together as they are in the 4-packs.

MontyJ's idea of making the plants search sounds about right to me. I make them search for water a little, too. I don't want them wilting. That's out. I do want that soil to be a little dry at times, certainly, the surface soil. Let them search down and while they are down there they should find more nutrients and be growing UP.

Steve
who is now losing his afternoon sun again and not feeling too bad about transplanting 2 flats of tomatoes instead of losing those 2 pounds, spading some of that rocky garden soil today

 

[catjac1975]

I don't think that you want the roots amassed the way you find them at a store. I feel they are over fertilized so that they look great for sales. If you start them early they will get big roots. But, that's root bound which needs to be torn apart to have growing success. They store bought seem to just sit in the ground a while adjusting to soil and weather. If you roots are extremely puny, do you use bottom heat?

 

[seedcorn]

Over 50 years in gardening. 30+ years in organized AG. CCA degree. I am the WORST plant starter in world. If they had worst plant starter like worst cook, I'd be a STAR!!!!

 

[nelson castro]

Mostly start each in a small container and once they are growing well, move them to the sun room. Probably much the same as green house grown.

Couldn't agree more.. This is typically the most basic..

 

[so lucky]

Those "super healthy" retail plants sometimes take longer to adjust to regular garden life than the smaller, less robust looking ones that we grow at home. We used to have an area grower that had gorgeous bright green starter plants. Pepper plants were so strong and hardy looking....They were in containers that only had about 1.5 square inches of space for soil and roots. You forget to water them one afternoon, and they were done for. The roots were coiled so tightly, it was impossible to get them loose to plant properly. But they sold like hotcakes.

 

[baymule]

Over 50 years in gardening. 30+ years in organized AG. CCA degree. I am the WORST plant starter in world. If they had worst plant starter like worst cook, I'd be a STAR!!!!

Maybe you could start a reality TV greenhouse/garden show.