When the seedlings pop up they first develop cotyledons, which look like leaves but are really food storage cells. Next a set of true leaves will form. At this point, the seedlings need fertilizer. Use a half-strength fish emulsion, compost tea or manure tea for the first three weeks. After that, use full strength fertilizer every 10 – 14 days.
Now the seedlings need to be transplanted to a larger container, either another flat with wider spacing or individual containers. Fill the container with moist potting soil. Carefully lift the seedlings with a spoon or fork. Handle seedlings by their leaves rather than their stems – if the stem is crushed the seedling will die, but it can always grow a new leaf.
Use a pencil to make a small hole in the potting soil of the new container and place the seedling slightly deeper than it was growing in the seed flat. Gently press the soil around the roots and water well.
Transplants often droop or wilt but recover quickly if properly cared for. Keep them in good light, but not full sun, for several days and fertilize with half strength fertilizer once a week. Be sure to keep the soil moist.
The seedlings can be transplanted to the garden according to the date on the seed packet. Before they go out, however, they need to be hardened off. This is done by placing the containers in a shady protected area for several hours each day, gradually moving them to the sun for a very short time. Bring them indoors at night. Increase the length of time they stay in the sun each day for a couple weeks so they can take a full day of sun by the time you are ready to plant them in the garden. Watch them closely to make sure they don’t dry out.
Choose a cloudy day to plant them out, or do so in the evening. Cover them with upended berry baskets, milk jugs, or floating row covers to keep them out of intense sun for a few days. Keep them watered until the roots take hold, and then treat them just as you would any other garden plant.
You’ll be so pleased when you harvest your vegetables or pick your flowers. Nothing is better than doing it yourself!
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