vi: Garden Gems
Pricking, drilling and tilth Ruth Crighton-Ward We’re starting to notice real changes underway, as we head into April. In the garden, things seem to progress on a daily basis. There are still a few frosty mornings but, in general, the air is warmer. Plants have woken from their winter slumber and growth begins to accelerate. The seedlings we previously planted have now developed their true leaves and need to be put into larger containers. This process of removing young plants from their original trays and containers is called ‘pricking out’. Although not difficult, it does require a degree of patience, as the seedlings are extremely delicate. Use a tool— such as a pricking out fork —to gently tease the roots free, then lift them out by a leaf, preferably one of their dicotyledons. A cotyledon is an embryonic leaf (I have also
heard them referred to as pilot leaves) which breaks through the soil after germination, before any other leaves appear on the plant. A dicotlyedon (‘dicot’) produces two such leaves whereas a monocotyledon (‘monocot’) only produces the one. Nearly all bulbs are monocotyledons apart from members of the Oxalidaceae (Oxalis spp). The photos below show a young Tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicum) being pricked out. When placing the young plant in a new container choose one suitable for its size. Bear in mind you may have to repot it a further couple of times during its lifetime. Do not bury it too deep but do ensure all roots are covered. Be gentle when pressing compost around it, and once the plant is in its new pot remember to give it a thorough watering.
