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Slow seedlings

alfharris8alfharris8 Posts: 513
in Plants
Have several trays of various digitalis that took a while to germinate and still seem very small. 
I thought seeds/seedlings didn't require a lot of nutrition but is there anything I can do to encourage them to beef up a bit before they are large enough to pot on?
Thanks. 

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    When did you sow them though?
    At this time of year, they'll certainly take a while to germinate [which is perfectly normal] and they won't grow much now until next year.
    Many seeds sown now wouldn't even germinate until next year in a colder area. 
    It's never a good idea to try and force them into quicker growth. Most digitalis are very hardy plants and all you'll end up with is weak, soft floppy growth which won't be able to withstand the colder weather.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • alfharris8alfharris8 Posts: 513
    I sowed them ages ago but they did nothing for ages then suddenly popped up.
    I will just have to wait and see how they get on. Thank you. 
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    What does ages ago mean?
    When we sow seeds we mark them and/or put them in the diary.
    When you think they have been sown for such a long time you then check the dates and find it was last week.
    Most seeds now will struggle to germinate as the season changes.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Digitalis should be outside and just left - with a label  ;)
    I have a notebook for seed sowing too @bertrand-mabel. It does save worrying about timings, and labels often get knocked, or blown, out of pots/trays if they're outdoors.
    I don't sow a huge amount of seed, but if you were doing hundreds, it would be very easy to forget about them and when they were done. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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