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Author Topic: Advice needed on pricking out alliums  (Read 969 times)

Helen Johnstone

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Advice needed on pricking out alliums
« on: March 17, 2013, 10:14:42 AM »
I have a number of differet alliums germinating and I am wondering whether I should leave them in their pots this year or whether I should prick them out into trays or modular trays.  They weren't sown in seed compost but a mix of John Innes 2 or 3, grit and sand and are in small 3" pots.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Helen

Palustris

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Re: Advice needed on pricking out alliums
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2013, 10:37:36 AM »
I have grown a lot of Alliums from seed over the years and I found that pricking them out too early was not a good idea (for me at least). I tend to leave them in the seed pots and rather than plant out individually, I put the whole pot into a bigger deeper one and let them grow on until they are a lot bigger. Remember that unlike many plants they do not have branching roots, so if you damage one, it dies and has to be replaced by another from the basal plate. I often wait until the second year, when they have gone dormant before planting individually, especially with the ones which form bigger bulbs.
« Last Edit: March 17, 2013, 12:12:07 PM by Palustris »

Diane Clement

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Re: Advice needed on pricking out alliums
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2013, 10:46:50 AM »
I have a number of differet alliums germinating and I am wondering whether I should leave them in their pots this year or whether I should prick them out into trays or modular trays.  They weren't sown in seed compost but a mix of John Innes 2 or 3, grit and sand and are in small 3" pots.

Helen, I agree with Eric (Palustris).  Leave them in their pots for at least a year, then repot the lot into a bigger pot the following summer when dormant.  Keep feeding with high potash liquid feed (Chempak 4 or 8 ) to build up the bulbs.
« Last Edit: March 17, 2013, 12:44:38 PM by Diane Clement »
Diane Clement, Wolverhampton, UK
Director, AGS Seed Exchange

Palustris

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Re: Advice needed on pricking out alliums
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2013, 12:12:44 PM »
Sorry about that, I forgot to say, feed them.

Helen Johnstone

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Re: Advice needed on pricking out alliums
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2013, 08:17:31 PM »
Many thanks Eric and Diana - I thought as much but it makes me feel better to get advice from people who know about these things.
Helen

Gene Mirro

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Re: Advice needed on pricking out alliums
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2013, 09:57:49 PM »
Ian Young and Diane Clement both recommend high-potash feed for bulbs.  I have always had excellent results with bone meal, which is a high-phosphorus fertilizer with almost no potash.  Can anyone give me a reference on the high-potassium diet?  Thanks.
Gene Mirro from the magnificent state of Washington

 


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