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Seeds Temperature

guttiesgutties Posts: 224
in Plants
I sowed sweet pea about 4 weeks ago - my first seed sowings!  I had them on a window in the house and they germinated; they are now 4 - 6 inches tall, so I have just removed the growing tips to allow them to thicken out a bit.

I have just moved them out to the upstairs in my garage; there is a large skylight so the light is as good as the window inside the house and the temperature this evening is around 11 degrees.

Am I doing the right think in moving the sweet pea to cooler conditions once germination and they have leaves?

And generally, is this what you would do for most seeds (germinate in warm conditions and then move to 10 - 15 degrees)?  I intend sowing aster, delphinium, dahlia, helenium, cosmos and rudbeckia during March and wanted to see if I'm on the right track.

Posts

  • PurplerainPurplerain Posts: 1,053
    It's what I do with sweet peas and other early sowings like antirrhinums. As long as they have good light, I find mine do well. All the other sowings I do in March like you.
    SW Scotland
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Yes, that is the best way to treat most seeds.  Maximising light and reducing temperature after germination will help prevent them becoming weak and leggy.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Fishy65Fishy65 Posts: 2,276
    Hi gutties, first of all let me confess I've never grown sweet peas so can't help you there. However, for seeds in general they will have a tendency to wait until the conditions are right before germinating. I find it's always a good idea to find where your plant originates too, either cooler or warmer climates which will help you decide where to keep them while growing on. But yes seedlings once germinated are best moved to cooler temps.

    Anyway back to seeds. Try to mimic nature as much as you can. For instance a foxglove will go to seed in late summer/early autumn. Some of those seeds will germinate right away if conditions are favourable, others will hang on until the following spring. The advantage of autumn sown seed is they get a headstart on spring sown. The downside though is getting young plants through winter but if they are a cool climate species that shouldn't be a problem. 
  • guttiesgutties Posts: 224
    Thanks both
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