Sunflower seedlings

mchua

I sowed some seeds a few weeks ago directly outside, (took a risk with frost), luckily it’s been fine. 

Waited till they were 2-3inches tall then separated them to 30cm apart…

They wilted immediately, I gave them a water afterwards but no luck.

I’ve got more in the greenhouse that are doing really well, but I’m a bit upset I think I’ve lost these ones outside.

I was careful with the roots when separating them.  I’m not sure what I’ve done wrong, should I have left them to get a lot bigger?

mchua

I don’t know why instructions say to sow 2 seeds per hole and separate them later.  Why not just sow one per hole and, then you can just leave them be.  

RoddersUK

I normally sow 2 in a deep narrow pot, not the same hole. Pull the worse one and let the good one grow on till around 1ft tall, not touching it at any point.
Then transfer to the ground.

mchua

RoddersUK said:

I normally sow 2 in a deep narrow pot, not the same hole. Pull the worse one and let the good one grow on till around 1ft tall, not touching it at any point.
Then transfer to the ground.

That’s the plan with the ones in greenhouse.  I just don’t know what went wrong with the ones in the ground.  They looked fine until I tried to separate them into their flowering position. 

bertrand-mabel

I don't separate them. Have to sow in pots as sowing directly we get nothing. The transplants have been in the ground now for some weeks and are about 18ins high. Had 2 days of rain this week and they were grateful.

RoddersUK

mchua said:

RoddersUK said:

I normally sow 2 in a deep narrow pot, not the same hole. Pull the worse one and let the good one grow on till around 1ft tall, not touching it at any point.
Then transfer to the ground.

That’s the plan with the ones in greenhouse.  I just don’t know what went wrong with the ones in the ground.  They looked fine until I tried to separate them into their flowering position. 

I'd say it's just too early to move them. 2/3" is tiny in relation to their full size.
Only just getting going and you pulled them out the ground.
Did you dig them out with soil, or just pull them out so bare rooted?

mchua

  such a rookie error. 

mchua

Smh 

mchua

I took a fair amount of of soil so as to get all the roots, but lost a bit when teasing part the seedlings. The thing is it was difficult to just remove one while leaving the other one intact, because the soil had settled over time. 

RoddersUK

mchua said:

  such a rookie error. 

To learn from, that's what it's all about!
If we ever made mistakes, we'd never learn.

mchua

I know, feel like such an idiot.  I was in two minds about moving them, now I know why!

I was worried they would be competing for the same spot of soil so tried to give them their own spot. 

Should have been ruthless and pinched one out instead of trying to save both.