Are Smaller Seedlings Worth Keeping?

[Happypaphy7]

I am posting a picture of three seedlings that I potted up individually earlier in the summer. I had a little over 30 seedlings and divided them into three groups according to their size. Large, not so large, and small. I did throw away super tiny ones, about 4 seedlings I think. Not too many casualties.

For reference, the pots have 3 inch diameter.
The smaller two plants are from the small group and the other one is from the not so large group.

Now, I wonder if the smallest seedlings are worth keeping long term because I read somewhere that the largest seedlings that grow the best and bloom the earliest are usually the best of the crop.
For those who has experience with lots of seedlings, is that statistically true?

I wouldn't mind keeping them all and see how they all do in the end, but if the smallest ones are not worth the time and effort, then I would rather save space, time and energy with some other stuff for the fun of having more varieties.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Linus_Cello]

If you have space, yes.

 

[Bjorn]

What is it? Malipoense?
Generally the fast growers are faster and get bigger. But someone said on this forum that slower plants sometimes give better flowers so....

 

[Happypaphy7]

It has 25% mali in it. It is Helen Congleton.
It is Flower quality is my main concern.

I have seen your pictures. You seem to grow many plants of the same kind, and very well at that! I'm jealous!
What is your opinion or observation based on your first hand experience??

 

[Happypaphy7]

If you have space, yes.

Space is precious in NYC!

 

[Bjorn]

Thanks, generally the fast growers are so much faster than the rest so.....I am not certain that its worth keeping the runts. I do it though, cannot let them go simply. Time will show if the slow ones yield good flowers.

 

[eggshells]

If its a rare plant I will keep it even if its a small one. If its easy to acquire I prefer multigrowth plants. If its not a multi growth. I will wait until it becomes available.

Surely it will be less time to find a multi growth plant than to watch it grow in to one. :rollhappy:

Seriously, I try to be patient and picky these days. Mainly because my space is very limited.

 

[gonewild]

Often the slow growers produce a unique flowers differing from the others and often they are very nice. Also these will sometimes be the more compact growth habit plants. Unless they just are not growing at all I would keep them.

 

[Clark]

I would hold on to them for a year.
If you don't want them, put them in a box and I'll give you my address.

 

[fibre]

Not always the big seedlings are the first to bloom.

For example:
I have 100 seedlings of Paph. Sandro Botticelli. About 15 of these are flowering or in bud. 4 of the 15 have a leave span less than half of the others and are in the very first group to bloom!

An other thing is that not always the big seedlings in the flask are the best growers in your growing area. Some adapt easily others don't.
Sometimes the fast growing seedling are affected by rot but the others not...

IMO you can't know for sure if the speedy ones at the start are the winners at the end of the marathon.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Thank you for all the input!

Fibre- Thanks! True, some of the biggest ones out of the flask really didn't like getting out of the flask and the new leaves were smaller, while some are getting bigger as they should.
hmmm I guess I'll have to just keep them all. hahaha

 

[NYEric]

I'll take them. There's always room for more orchids! :crazy:

 

[PaphMadMan]

In a commercial operation, time and space are money. Extra time spent with small seedlings taking up space and needing care is a significant expense. Or, if you're trying to raise hundreds of seedlings on a hobby level you probably need to consider some triage as well unless you have the rare commodity of unlimited space.

On a smaller hobby scale, raising a few flasks of seedlings, that one compot of runts from each flask is your insurance. Unless space is a real issue those few small pots cost little, and may provide trading or gift plants if you don't need them yourself in the long run. Especially if the cross turns out exceptionally good you'll appreciate having them. I'd keep them.

 

[consettbay2003]

I know that Ratcliffe's believe that sometimes the slower growers produce the better quality flowers. This might be due to the fact that they might be tetraploids.
You need to determine whether they are slower growers or just runts of the litter.

 

[Rick]

The other thing not mentioned so far is that the slower ones are not adapting to what you are offering rather than blaming the slow growth on the nature of the plant.

I changed how I applied fertilizer years ago and lots of the old runt plants took off, and within a whole compot I now see less variation in size.

So I don't pitch my runts, but use them as learning opportunities.

(and sometimes they'll stay small no matter what:wink

 

[Happypaphy7]

So, for what kind of fertilizer did you use to make them happier??

 

[Rick]

So, for what kind of fertilizer did you use to make them happier??

Almost no fertilizer just water

 

[Happypaphy7]

??? really?? for how long?

 

[Rick]

??? really?? for how long?

Happy

Go ahead and use the search function to read through the threads on nutrition. There will be a lot to catch up on.

I've been pushing the low K concept since 2011, and refined to run N strength down to a max of 5 ppm N applied daily.

 

[Happypaphy7]

I stopped reading that thread with so much confusion. lol
I'll go see again, but I'm just a simple guy who mixes locally bought liquid concentrate fertilizer with my tap water.