Question
Hi Mike,
my mum has 2 lychee seeds in a pot on the window ledge (west facing), they are sprouting in very little water.
the growth is about 15mm so far.
the question is:
   how should we continue?
many thanks in advance,
julie,
essex. uk.

Answer
You will need to transplant each of them to 6" pots filled with potting soil. If you are growing them directly in water, you won't have to worry about disturbing the roots. Once the seedlings develop their second set of leaves, remove the seedling from the water. Poke a hole down the center of the soil with a pencil to a depth of 3". Transplant the seedling by ensuring the roots are straight down. You can then treat the seedling as you would any plant.

Just ensure the soil is moist. Do not overwater! You only need to water when the soil dries out 2" below the surface. Then water deeply until the water runs out the drainage hole. If kept in moderate conditions, you should only need to water once per week.

As you are currently doing, make sure the plant is receiving sufficient light. You can continue using the window sill, or you can place the pot under fluorescent lighting. The lights should never be more than 3" from the top of the plant.

While in a pot, you can fertilize once every two weeks with a solution that is 1/2 the recommended dosage on the directions. Usually, that would mean 1/3 tsp. per quart of water. Use an all-purpose water-soluble fertilizer for feeding.

Once the plant reaches 12"-16", you could tranplant it outdoors. Just make sure it is either in spring or early fall, since these are the best times for roots to establish outdoors. You then need to fertilize once every two months with a 10-10-10 mix.

I hope this answered your question. Please write again if you ever need assistance.

Regards,

Mike