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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] A Riddle ...

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  • From: "Bill Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT inil.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] A Riddle ...
  • Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 10:51:33 -0600

>... well, at least a riddle to me.
>
>What causes a seedling to be planted as a seed in Dec/Jan 2003 and be less
>than an inch tall at the end of March 2004, but be totally rootbound?

Matt

You're probably running into problems with fundamentals. You have a
shoot that has hardly grown at all but roots that are way overgrown. So
conditions favored root growth but not shoot growth. Did you have grow
lights close to the plants? Excess heat coming from artificial light will
stress the seedlings and prevent growth. But then if you have too little
light plants will stretch and get spindly. Your situation seems opposite so
something stressed the shoot of the plant, while the roots kept growing.
Seedlings started in Dec/Jan are at a real disadvantage unless you manage
their environment for better light and optimum heat. And Bob was right, root
systems like that are never going to work well. You might as well start over
or find a source for some young transplants. The longer I do this, the
smaller and fresher I like my transplants.

Bill Shoemaker
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
Univ of Illinois - St Charles Hort Research Center





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