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Most of my seedlings have sprouted! As you can see, I’ve removed the dome from over them and they are getting pretty tall. However, it is still not the right time to transplant these little guys into the garden. So when is the right time?

Every plant is different, but a general rule of thumb is to wait until the seedling has at least 3 – 4 true leaves. The first leaves to emerge on a new plant are called cotyledons, as seen above. These leaves store nutrients to support the new seedling for a short period of time. The cotyledons will look different from the true leaves.

True leaves grow shortly after the cotyledons. The true leaves emerge and start generating energy through photosynthesis that will help feed the plant for the rest of its life. Making sure that the plant has enough of these leaves to keep it sustained when planted out in your garden is important to its proper growth.

So, I still have to wait a little while longer before I can take these little guys to their new home. Check back for part 4, when I’ll do just that! Stay tuned.

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