When should you pot a seed that's sprouted?

[Gbarce]

Instead of the bag method I placed my Coccothrinax Borhidiana  seeds in a transparent tupprware like container.The container is only about 3 inches high so the cocopeat is just around 2 inches deep.

its been about a month and I noticed that 2 roots have reached the bottom of the containers but nothing has sprouted up on top yet.  There are 10 seeds so I hope  the others are also sprouting already.

I am tempted to pot them individually already but is this the right time?  Should I wait for a leaf to push up from the peat?

What potting medium should I use for the seedlings?

[www.dadluvsu.com]

I like to wait till the plant has at least one or two leaves...  In order to do that with some species it is neccesarry to use deeper containers in order for proper root growth... RLR and PC's Book has a good section that talks about germination and radicle depths...  I refer to it often...  It is a good reference point...

[Gbarce]

After seeing your "breaking the community pot thread"  I realized that I may have too shallow a set up for my seeds.

I actually ordered that book from Amazon.com but unfortunately  (after a month and a week) it still has not arrived.  I complained to amazon about it and they are graciously sending me another --estimated arrival is August 7, 2007.  i have to wait another month--IF it doesn't get lost in the mail again.

what are the drawbacks if I take the seeds out now?  Any harm if I wait for leaves to come out considering that the container is so shallow?

Thanks

[www.dadluvsu.com]

I don't think their will be too much harm...  You may slow growth by a couple months by inhibiting free root growth, or you may even get a spiral leaf or two, but for the most part those problems will straighten themselves out...  I have received sprouted seeds that have been germinated in bags and have growth that literally looks like a corkscrew, but with a little extra time, these plants right themselves...  Me personally, in your situation I would move them now.  Before they had a chance to be inhibited...  While you are in there you could check your other seeds and if they have popped, I would move them too.  Once again, I'm not the expert on this board...  There are guys around here that know ablot more than me about these plants.  Did you get you seed from RPS?  How many did you get?

[paulgila]

thanks for your input,william.i have some seeds that recently sprouted & i have been wondering about this

as well.

[Logolight]

I'm pretty sure most seedlings don't need to be potted immediately following the initial germination.  As long as the roots don't begin to tangle, the seedlings don't reach the top of the container, or there's no sign of fungus then there's no harm in waiting until the first leaf appears.

I'd say the most important thing right now is to watch for fungus.  If you see any fungus anywhere in the soil then perform an emergency palmectomy immediately.

Also, don't forget to spray the roots with Daconil before repotting as it will inhibit fungal growth.

Good luck.

Dave

[Brian]

The first root of Coccothrinax needs room. I would go with Williams advice and move them. To prevent twisting place them in a container with 5 inches of depth. The first leaf will appear about  an inch or so down the root so dont plant it to deep. I would put the seed on the surface.

Check the root carefully, you might be able to see the emerging first leaf. If so then you can bettter judge how deep to plant it.

Although slow, they are steady growers.

[www.dadluvsu.com]

I might even go 8 inches deep...

[Gbarce]

Here is a picture of the container.  Its pretty shallow and the root has reached the bottom so it is growing sideways now

[Gbarce]

And to answer will's question -  Yup I ordered 20 seeds from RPS.  I sowed them on June 10 after soaking them for 3 days.

[Gbarce]

Since the consensus was to pot up the sprouted seeds thats what I did.  I placed them in pots like these (coke bottle for scale)

I hope these were big enough

[Gbarce]

I got 5 sprouted seeds out .  and i think 6 more are let in this container.  I did see one seeds that had no activity whatsoever --I put that one back in.  But basically half the container is still intact.  

I suspect that there are some more that have sprouted too but I didn't want to make a whole mess and there is a danger that I may just damage the seed/roots since I don't know where they are exactly in the cocopeat.

[Gbarce]

Most of the sprouts happened in one side of the container  which was neat coz I didn't have to disturbe the whole batch.

I wasn't able to take pictures of me transplanting the seeds.  i was too nervous about the whole operation and I had to be 100% focused on tranfering these babies without damaging them.

I put the entire pots in plastic containers to maintain the humidity.

[Gbarce]

I am sprouting my seeds in a bathroom.  Tempeatures there are fairly constant. Here's a shot on my plastic containers.

[Gbarce]

That grid in the back is an Aironditioning unit.  It generates a little heat that keeps the bathroom comfortably warm.

I don't really take temperature reading  - I should start doing that.

[Gbarce]

When I transplanted the seeds I stuck my finger into the potting medium and placed the root/seed in.  I was afraid of damaging it so I did not compact the potting medium.  There might be some spaces in there -- is that bad?

How do I compact it  now?

[Kris]

Dear Gene  

my favouriate method is baggiee and here we have an advantage for other methods,i.e we can cut open the bag

to release the roots and the sprouts without much damage !

here are few stills for your assistance...

[Kris]

the medium is spyngum moss imported from canada,works like

charm.but i often run out of this stock...

its very easy to seperate,but its difficult all one has to do it

but the entire mass into a bucket of fresh water,i use well

water in room temperature.these guys isolate themselves

very beautifully without pulling or haggiling !

here are the stills...

[FossilNypa]

Hi Gene,

You can compact the soil by watering a little.

[FossilNypa]

Hi Kris,

What species are those seedlings?

[Kris]

After socking the sprouted seeds looked somewhat like this...

but some members inisted that even those sticking cocopeat

or spyngum moss should not be their to avoide damp-off !

but i felt scared to rub off those remains inorder to avoide

root damage due to rash handeling..and they are doing fine

at the moment.

[Kris]

Dear Luis  

those seedlings are of Cabbage palm(Sabal Palmetto).

love,

Kris

[Logolight]

Gene, here's a picture of my containers.  They're Sterilite brand.    The container on the bottom has a little more soil than the others because those seeds have deeper roots.  On the bottom right side of the containers is a temperature guage with the probe wire running to the top container.

Here's a closer look at the current temperature in the container.  

[Kris]

Dear Dave(Logolight)  

hey those instruments looks great and i admire products made

by oregan & dakota digital instruments really pro stuff !

and its clear you are very serious about your work_Keep it up

love,

kris

[Gbarce]

logolight THAT IS ONE COOL SETUP!!!

Palm seed germinatin goes high tech!!!

I guess I am lucky that I live in a tropical climate and I get away with being careless about some stuff.  But I really admire that  more organized/ controlled/scientific approach.  Becuase if something does go wrong you will be able to identify the factors that cause it and correct it in the future.

I gotta get myself one of those digital thermometers and strat keeping records.

[wendisplantation]

Hi Gene- I usually check my seeds every day for any germing seeds. When I find any that have just popped open, I pot them up immediately, and put them outside (in warmer weather).

This works well for me, as it really seems to reduce the incidents of 'damp off', and any possible root damage when moving. I use small 4' pots to put smaller species in at first. For lagger stuff, I use larger pots. Doing it this way, the only thing that I have found is that over watering could be a problem, as the soil at the top may be dry looking, but underneath still wet. I wet the pot very well (fast draining light mix) at first, then use a spray bottle after that to just moisten the top.

Good Luck!

[Gbarce]

Its a good thing that I house my seeds in the bathroom so that I  routinely get to observe them as I (ahem) do other stuff!!

I will have to learn what to watch out for though.  Since this is my first time at this I still don't know what I am seeing when I see it.