Leaves are leaves,
right? There’s no difference between them. Wrong. There’s a huge difference and
in this post I’ll explain what cotyledons and true leaves are. But the most
vital information that I’ll share with you in the following text will clarify
you better why the true leaves are so important for plant transplantation.
The Small Fellow in the Middle is a True Leaf
How to Recognize a True Leaf
By observing the photo above you’ll
notice the brave, small leaf shyly appearing between the other two that look
like a pair of little elephant ears.
The elephant-look-like-ears are
called cotyledons and represent the part of the seed. Their purpose is to
provide store food to the seedling before the tiny, bashful teenager takes over
the matter by generating energy through the most unique process called the
photosynthesis.
What to Do after you Make Acquaintance
After I make acquaintance with my
plant’s true leaf or leaves (they can come in pair or more) I know that the time
for transplanting the plant has arrived.
Plants like pumpkins and melons you shouldn’t transplant before
they have at least a pair of true leaves.
I take extra care of what I’m doing
in this phase of transplantation because if you transplant a plant too early or
too late you might cause your plant to get a transplant shock. Luckily for us
gardeners, there are ways
to minimize transplant shock.
Having trouble with transplanting a
plant? Read my other posts on the subject or ask a question.
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