Picking is usually understood as transplanting a plant that has developed 2 true leaves and 2 cotyledons.
As the expert of the online publication Belnovosti, agronomist, landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh explained, when picking, seedlings “move” from a small container to a large one or from a common container to a separate container that has the required size.
Typically, the procedure is carried out approximately 2-3 weeks after the emergence of seedlings.
An important condition is that when performing the operation, the main root should be pinched by about a third, otherwise this process cannot be called picking.
However, picking is not recommended for all crops.
Thus, it was noted that although tomato seedlings grow more after picking than before, this method will be destructive for pepper seedlings.
The same prohibition applies to eggplants.
Both of these crops do not like any kind of transplantation, so gardeners have two options - plant peppers and eggplants in a large container, and then remove excess shoots with scissors, cutting them just above the soil, or use the transshipment method.
In addition, picking is contraindicated for melons and some flowers, including poppies, mallows and columbines.
