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I started black-eyed Susan seeds ten days ago: (I just sprinkled tiny seeds over grid-type container filled with "soil for flowers" from the supermarket)

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You can see multiple new plants in almost all cells. The cells are 5cm x 5 cm (2 inches x 2 inches).

Should I:

  • choose the strongest in a cell, and remove the rest? but when?
  • try to transplant surplus seedlings in a separate container?
  • leave everything as is?

I am inexperienced in doing this.

The desired end result should look like this, if possible:

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(photo credit: Gardening with Charlie Nardozzi)


Update - day 15

Almost all cells have seedlings. The growth is somewhat slow.

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Perhaps I didn't press the soil enough, and the seedling don't like that? I am a little worried about relatively slow growth in the last 5 days.


Update - day 25

First true leaves appeared: (the hairy ones)

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  • What will be the use of the plants? BTW which black eyed susan? Wikipedia lists 5 types (3 families): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-eyed_Susan Mar 2, 2018 at 11:34
  • Rudbeckia hirta, says the seed package. The use would be being a part of a cottage-style garden. @Giacomo
    – VividD
    Mar 2, 2018 at 11:47

2 Answers 2

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With your use, I'm pro-life. I would keep all plants. Some will growth better, other slower, but on a such flowerbed I find also a good way to do things: some more natural looking, and you will have some later flowers.

In such flowerbed, you also doesn't need flowers all of the same looking, size, height.

If you like more perfection, I would wait few leaves, and then keep just two or tree seedlings per block. I would try to move them apart, and the smaller (or in case two good but too close), I would try to put them in the empty blocks. And because I'm a pro-life of plants (but weeds, but this exception is not always valid), I would put the rest in a new pot (not much care, also just outside soil), and I let natural selection to select the better or keep all.

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Now you've started them indoors, you should either remove all but one seedling from each cell, or wait till they've got 2 sets of true leaves, then prick them out into individual, small pots. If you choose to remove some seedlings but want to keep them, take them out when they've got two sets of leaves and try potting them up, or transferring to other cells. Do not plant outside until risk of frost is past - that means keeping them in a greenhouse or indoors until then, so they will need good light to grow on well.

If all else fails, you can direct sow into the ground any seeds you have left once risk of frost is past.

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