Advice for a novice

[dustycaramel]

Hi everyone

So have planted some seedlings, am I supposed to put these outside now? I have very little clue what I am doing! Any advice gratefully received, they are Nicotiana seeds.

Thank you!

Well plenty have germinated so you’ve got off to a good start!

I’d thin these seedlings so there are just a few in each module, so they aren’t competing with each other.

Then, when they get a bit bigger and have several sets of leaves, pot them on into individual larger containers (8cm pots would be good).

They can go out in the garden around May (early May if you’re in the south, late May if you’re in the north). It would be a good idea to pop them outside in their pots in the daytime for a week or two first to help them acclimatise.

Sorry if this sounds like a lot of work - it is when you write it out in one go, but it each step doesn’t take long. I hope you get lots of lovely scented flowers to enjoy.

Thank you! You are very kind to give me all that info. When you say ‘thin them out’..... I’m not totally sure I understand this, so you mean get rid of some?

Yes, thinning out means leaving just a few so they can develop into strong plants.

Nicotiana, like a lot of summer annuals, won't survive frost so they mustn't be left out at night unprotected until all chance of that is over.

Yes, what Errol said

I know it seems a shame to get rid of some when you’ve watched and waited for them to grow, but if you thin out your seedlings now you should have healthy, strong plants later.

Before you thin them out I’d wait until they’ve a bit bigger. My local nursery usually sells off crammed pots for thinning out, but all the plants have at least two proper leaves.
When you thin out, prepare some small pots with compost. Lift out the module and lay it on its side, tease out the plants gently. Using two plant labels to do this. When lifting up the seedlings hold them only by the larger leaves.
Make a hole in the prepared pot with the end of a pencil, gently drop in the seedling and lightly press the compost round.
I usually put two or three in each pot.

Thank you so much - this is so helpful!! And do I then just leave them in those pots? They will only do one summer presumably?

Yes leave them until there are at least four leaves on each plant.
They will only flower for one season and die with the frost.
Don’t put them outside until the danger of frost has passed, although when you have pricked them out, you can put the pots out on a sunny day, but bring them in at night.
Look for Gardeners World guides to seedings on You Tube. It easier to see someone doing the task.

Thank you!