Just reporting back on progress on my very early seeds.
a big fail! As well predicted above. I suspect the Lamp just isn't bright enough. next year i will wait.
Echinacea looks fine, the thyme are very slow but probably going to be okay. Campanula have about an inch height and just about 1mm or less root...they're not going to make it! Castor oil plants...three seeds, two germinated, grew to about 15cm or so very quickly...then the true leaves never made it out, the first leaves just dried up...nevermind i have some more seeds ready for shall we say end march!
the goods news is that the ones which needed 4-5 weeks in the fridge, they're only going to come out of the fridge this weekend, and they are slower to germinate (on paper), so in theory they will pop out when we have much longer days and thus sufficient light.
i learn best from mistakes...the seeds were cheap or free....i have more left....looking forward to doing this again soon! In the meantime some garden maintenance, visits to nurseries/Gardens...read books, watch Monty...
I started late last autumn, they're all perennials and I want as many to flower this year as possible. It's been a pain in the bum to be honest! Now they're growing on they are taking up too much space indoors, it's too cold for them to go outside and they're too small to go in the greenhouse at the moment. Then there's the fungus fly infestation caused by the warm, damn soil! I had to buy a couple of young drosera plants to keep the numbers down or there would be 100's!
But don't let me put you off The plants are looking good and healthy and in 2 months they can hopefully go outside where they belong and be eaten by slugs...
I did my first sowings on the 1st Feb. Four tiny trays in the heated propagator.
Nothing popping up from the two types of chilli yet. Have the first signs of a faint green fuzz of lobelia showing, and some titchy little ageratum seedlings ?.
Keeping the vents closed to maintain temps also means having to wipe the lid clear of condensation. Fingers crossed, no signs of damping off yet ?.
Not as black and white as some posters have implied, and good to see people's enthusiasm undimmed
I agree with anyone saying it depends on circumstances, heat, light, what you're growing, whether you have sunny windowsills, space, and a greenhouse etc for the various stages. It definitely won't always be the mistake or disaster that some people have said. Just needs some knowledge and planning to make the best of the potential for the growing season.
I didn't mean to stop anyone trying just to point out some of the potential pitfalls. Cant speak for everyone but I have had some great success & some disasters in the past, but with experience I have learned to be patient. Sowing and growing on quickly when conditions are right works much better for me than starting too early & then struggling to "hold" plants until it is safe to put them out.
Going to sow some more seeds this weekend, lots of different petunia's - lobelia - cleome and more. Got a few germination's - Agastache G jubilee - snapdrangon - geraniums - cobaea - Bidens all doing well.
Gnats fly are a pain in the ass , they may go for the odd seedling but I haven't noticed any damage to mine in the past. I put up sticky fly traps.
There will be several threads in a month or two’s time asking for advise on weak leggy seedlings, I have to agree with Ian and wait for Natures own, she will provide the right amount of heat and light, what’s the rush, just save some seeds so you can try later if you have failures from winter sowings.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
They do say that some will, I personally don’t let them, I pick off any buds they make this year as while they are making flowers they are not building up a good root system, a young plant can’t do both, which you need for perennials.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Posts
Just reporting back on progress on my very early seeds.
a big fail! As well predicted above. I suspect the Lamp just isn't bright enough. next year i will wait.
Echinacea looks fine, the thyme are very slow but probably going to be okay. Campanula have about an inch height and just about 1mm or less root...they're not going to make it! Castor oil plants...three seeds, two germinated, grew to about 15cm or so very quickly...then the true leaves never made it out, the first leaves just dried up...nevermind i have some more seeds ready for shall we say end march!
the goods news is that the ones which needed 4-5 weeks in the fridge, they're only going to come out of the fridge this weekend, and they are slower to germinate (on paper), so in theory they will pop out when we have much longer days and thus sufficient light.
i learn best from mistakes...the seeds were cheap or free....i have more left....looking forward to doing this again soon! In the meantime some garden maintenance, visits to nurseries/Gardens...read books, watch Monty...
I started late last autumn, they're all perennials and I want as many to flower this year as possible. It's been a pain in the bum to be honest! Now they're growing on they are taking up too much space indoors, it's too cold for them to go outside and they're too small to go in the greenhouse at the moment. Then there's the fungus fly infestation caused by the warm, damn soil! I had to buy a couple of young drosera plants to keep the numbers down or there would be 100's!
But don't let me put you off
The plants are looking good and healthy and in 2 months they can hopefully go outside where they belong and be eaten by slugs...
I did my first sowings on the 1st Feb. Four tiny trays in the heated propagator.
Nothing popping up from the two types of chilli yet. Have the first signs of a faint green fuzz of lobelia showing, and some titchy little ageratum seedlings ?.
Keeping the vents closed to maintain temps also means having to wipe the lid clear of condensation. Fingers crossed, no signs of damping off yet ?.
I didn't mean to stop anyone trying just to point out some of the potential pitfalls. Cant speak for everyone but I have had some great success & some disasters in the past, but with experience I have learned to be patient. Sowing and growing on quickly when conditions are right works much better for me than starting too early & then struggling to "hold" plants until it is safe to put them out.
Going to sow some more seeds this weekend, lots of different petunia's - lobelia - cleome and more. Got a few germination's - Agastache G jubilee - snapdrangon - geraniums - cobaea - Bidens all doing well.
Gnats fly are a pain in the ass , they may go for the odd seedling but I haven't noticed any damage to mine in the past. I put up sticky fly traps.
I’d hold back with the Cleome Perki.
There will be several threads in a month or two’s time asking for advise on weak leggy seedlings, I have to agree with Ian and wait for Natures own, she will provide the right amount of heat and light, what’s the rush, just save some seeds so you can try later if you have failures from winter sowings.
I'm with Lyn and Iain. Don't be in a rush .
As my dear late Mother would have said " act in haste: repent at leisure"
I didn't sow my tomatoes until mid May last year and they all caught up just fine.
If I sow perennials this spring will they not flower this year?
They do say that some will, I personally don’t let them, I pick off any buds they make this year as while they are making flowers they are not building up a good root system, a young plant can’t do both, which you need for perennials.