Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
How to Choose Seedlings
Choosing healthy seedlings is, of course, the best case scenario, but it isn't always as easy as
it sounds. Over time, you will get better at recognizing the good plants from the bad ones,
but in the beginning, you are going primarily off looks.
A few distinct ways to spot a healthy seedling:
Color:
Green is always best. Try to stay away from seedlings that have brown or yellow
patches on them. Sometimes this could be due to poor watering practices by the seller, but
usually it is an indication that the plant might not be healthy.
Leaves:
You want strong, healthy-looking leaves. If some of the leaves are wilted or not
standing up straight, this could also be a sign that the plant is not healthy. Pass on it—just in
case.
New growth: In many instances, there will be signs of new growth emerging from the seed-
ling. This is always good news that the plant is ready to produce.
Roots:
Take the time to pull some of the seedlings out of their containers. This will tell you
two things: (1) how established the root system is, and (2) how healthy the root system is.
What you want to see are plenty of white roots trying to find their way out of the container.
What you don't want to see are dark roots or very little roots, which could indicate that the
plant is in trouble and could be dying.
