With the imminent rise in temperatures, the seeds we have sown are about to germinate. Depending on the seedbed that we have used, and the amount of seeds that germinate, it will be necessary to peal them so that they can continue to grow normally.
But what does pricking plants mean and how is it done?
germinating cactus seeds
Pricking consists of separating the seedlings and transplanting them into individual pots. The best time is in spring, when temperatures are neither too high nor too low, and the sun does not shine as strongly as it does in summer, thus minimizing the risk of losses due to sunburn or cold.
To do it correctly and thus guarantee that our seedlings -which have to have a minimum of two pairs of leaves, or, in the case of cacti, that have a height of 1cm- will recover in a short period of time, we have to proceed as follows:
- We will carefully remove all the plants from the pot , tapping it so that the root ball that has been forming in these weeks comes out.
- Then, we put it in a basin with warm water , and we separate the plants by removing the substrate, without haste, delicately.
- Now is the time to transplant them into individual pots with a substrate that favors water drainage in order to prevent the soil from compacting.
- Once the transplant is finished, we will place the plants in a semi-shaded location until we see signs of growth. It will be then when we will be able to put them in places where they will receive more light.
It is important to note that it is likely that some seedlings will be lost , either due to a weak root system or because some roots were broken during pricking.
However, to guarantee the survival of all the seedlings, it is best to sow the seeds in individual seedbeds such as Jiffy peat tablets, or by placing a seed in each alveolus of the seedbed tray.
This way we will obtain a higher survival rate, which means that we will be able to enjoy more plants
