>Dear experts, > >I am a novice Alstroemeria grower. Having successfully >germinated several dozen Ligtu hybrids from seed some >months ago, I am now witnessing a withering and dying >back of all of my seedlings. A couple of inches of >height, with a remarkably large root, they are now, I >reckon, following the seasonal decline that my fully >mature Alstroemerias (bought in pots) are going >through. > >The young plants are mostly in three-inch pots. How >should I handle the next phase of their existence? >Pull up roots? Transplant now into my San Francisco >foggy garden? Leave pots alone? > >Many thanks for your advice. > > Yours, > Sam Gilbert Sam: I've done lots of ligtu transplants from seedlings and been where you are now. You can leave the seedlings in the pot for another few months or transplant them now; note that the roots you see are fleshy roots, not the fibrous ones required for good rhizome growth. The important thing to see is that the one to 3 fleshy roots are joined to a very small rhizome and probably everything has to be handled gently to keep the seedlings from falling apart. By gently I don't mean using kid gloves, just avoiding a lot of torque or bouncing around. The biggest problem with growing alstroemeria in San Francisco is finding a spot with enough sun, just the opposite of what I run into in Davis. Ligtus are very hardy in my experience and can tolerate a lot of heat and cold. Please write if you have other questions. Roy