Gentiana acaulis

[Roma]

I sowed Gentiana acaulis new cultivars from AGS seedex in December 2008 and got very good germination in March this year.  I have at least 20 seedlings in 2 pots.  I have been rather unsuccessful in growing on gentians in the past.  When is the best time to prick them out?  I would like to keep as many alive as possible.

[Lesley Cox]

I'd prick them out when about .75 or 1 cm in height, or more accurately, I wouldn't "prick" them out but rather, empty the whole potful onto my potting bench and separate them to individuals, and pot each alone. If you tip out the potful rather than digging each from the pot, you avoid root damage. I have most trouble with Gentiana verna and nowadays tend to pot up small "pinches" of several seedlings rather than singles. At least one or two survive in each pot.

I have a couple of pots with G. acaulis and G. angustifolia seedlings. They should already have been done being now over 1 cm high but there just wasn't time in the autumn before the weather broke. I like to pot seedlings only in spring, summer and early autumn so that new roots can establish before it gets too cold. They'll take careful separation, come the spring.

[Roma]

Thanks Lesley.  I got my Gentians potted up today - all 24 of them. I hope at least a few survive.  Most had the cotyledons and the first pair of leaves and the seedlings were spread out enough in the seed pots not to have their roots entangled.