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Old February 19, 2006   #5
nctomatoman
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7
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Denise, it is interesting - some with the purple cotyledons have darker green leaves with purplish shading, some are variegated, some black as night - - after a while, I've learned what to expect in the cotyledons of each variety (helps to spot crosses)!

Grub, I've been doing it like this for years. They can get very dense and are still happy - and I don't feed them - just sun and water (when it is warm enough for sun!). They do need sunlight fairly quickly - become unhappy under artificial light before long.

Yes, I wait for true leaves before transplanting. The plants seperate very easily - I think it is the fluffy soilless mix that aids this. Even if a few roots are damaged with the gentle tug, the plants recover fine. I will post a series of transplant pictures at the time.

And, if the plants in the clump are really struggling with crowding, I just pop out the clump and plant the entire thing in a 4 inch pot - they can last this way for several weeks. If I couldn't do things this way, there is no way I could start 5000 or so plants without a greenhouse!

Ah, that purplish dangerous looking item is a ......

Hummingbird Feeder!!!!

(you made me have quite a laugh - was talking to Carolyn as I read that, and she now knows I've lost my mind, as I giggled helplessly at your comment!)
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