Prick out seedlings carefully
FLOWER AND VEGETABLE seedlings need to be pricked out once they have their first true leaves. This will give them enough space to grow healthily, and will also allow them to benefit from the extra feed in the new compost. It is possible to avoid pricking out by sowing seeds singly into modular trays, but these take up much more space in propagators or on windowsills. If your germinating seedlings are close together and have become leggy, pricking them out allows you to lower them further into the compost, which will help them to grow into sturdier plants. You should aim to put 12 seedlings into a half-sized seed tray. Use a dibber to mark out the spacing, with three plants across the width and four down the length of the tray. Large seedlings are better pricked out and grown on in a deeper pot. Place the seed tray in a warm, well-lit spot, keep the compost damp, and check plants regularly for aphids. As the seedlings grow, pinch out the tips of vigorous or leggy plants to make them bushier.
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