In February and March comes the time to prefer vegetables. The seeds planted close together in the seed trays appear and begin to grow vigorously. Then the time has come to plant the young plants in individual nursery pots. You can find out what you should pay attention to in the article.
Pricking in March: Which types of vegetables are pricked and which are not?
Basically, all vegetables that can be sown outdoors do not need to be pricked out. They are either cold germinators or have a short germination period and can be sown in raised and vegetable beds as early as April.
plants thatnotbe pricked:
- Pick salads
- Carrots
- Sweet peas
- Spring onions and leeks
- Broccoli
- Parsnips
- Radishes
- cress
There are also crops such as zucchini that do not tolerate transplanting well. They have sensitive roots and cannot get used to a new location. You have a better chance for onerich harvest, if they are placed directly in the bed, along with the soil from the growing pot.
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plants thatindividually in cultivation potsbe preferred (pitting not necessary):
- Zucchini
- pumpkin
All young plants that are brought forward and grow close together in seed trays must be pricked out. These include, among others:
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Paprika
- Beans
- Kohlraven
- Chili
- eggplant
There are several reasons why you prick these vegetables. On the one hand, because in just a few weeks it will become crowded in the bowl and root competition will arise. Plants that do not receive enough nutrients are weak and often die outdoors. There are also crops that bear many but small seeds. Only a fraction of all seeds germinate successfully and sprout. Therefore, many seeds are sown and the healthy specimens are then sorted out and transplanted. Another advantage of pricking out is that you can only choose healthy and strong plants. The rest will not thrive in the changing weather in spring anyway.
That's why March is the right time
Every vegetable has a different germination time. Most are sown in January and placed on the window. This means you have early-grown young plants in March. These can be pricked out as soon as a pair of cotyledons has opened and at least one pair of leaves has still formed. The right moment for pricking is crucial. If the crop is dug up and transplanted too early, it will die. If it is transplanted too late, it will likely have development problems later.
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Pricking can begin at the end of March. The soil around the young plant is loosened with a special tool so that the plant and its roots can be “cut out”. If the weather outside is already warm and the temperatures are above 15 degrees Celsius, you can plant the young plants outdoors. Otherwise they go into individual mini nursery pots where they can continue to grow.
Pricking tomatoes in March: This is how it works
From the end of February you can grow tomatoes on the windowsill or in the heated winter garden/greenhouse. At 21° to 23° Celsius the tomatoes need 5 to 7 days to germinate. The first plants sprout after just 10 days - shortly afterwards they also form the first pair of leaves. Immediately afterwards you can start pricking. You proceed as follows:
1. First fill the cultivation pots with soil. It is best to use a glass to additionally press the soil so that it is well thickened. This promotes the formation of strong roots and later makes the plants more resistant to pests and diseases.
2. Then the tomatoes are carefully removed with the stick, being careful not to crush the plants. You can also shorten the roots a little to stimulate root formation.
3. Finally, make a small hole in the ground. You hold the plant by the cotyledons and plant them until the point of vegetation.
4. You then water the plants thoroughly and place them on a well-lit windowsill. When the plants reach a height of around 15 cm, they can be placed outdoors.
Prick cucumbers at the end of March and beginning of April
Also growing cucumbersstarts at the beginning of March. The process is basically the same - you sow the seeds in nursery pots, after about 10 days the young plants sprout and form the first pair of leaves. After the pair of leaves grows to at least 10 mm in size, the plants can be separated. For this purpose, you take them by the cotyledons, prick them out and then plant them in separate cultivation pots. As soon as the young plants reach a height of 20 cm and produce at least one pair of leaves, they can be placed outdoors.
Probably the most important difference between pricking tomatoes and cucumbers is that the cucumber plants are very sensitive. They have brittle stems and leaves and you have to be very careful when pricking them. The individual plants also need comparatively larger pots - the diameter should be 12 cm. You should also make sure that the cotyledons do not come into contact with the ground. Cucumber plants need lots of water to grow strong and healthy. Therefore, water thoroughly after transplanting.
Paprika picieren
Pepper plants also need to be pricked out at the end of March. The young plants are placed directly in nursery pots. You need vegetable soil that is rich in nutrients. You then select the healthy plants and it is best to use a spoon to cut out the pepper plants. Then you place them individually in large cultivation pots and water them with a watering can.
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