first seeds sown ...
another task i managed to do today was sow my first seeds of not only the year but EVER (well, properly 
). im not sure ive done it correctly and am a little concerned about the conditions. i have them on a west facing window (no south available) in a propogator behind a single glazed window. checking the thermometer i put on the window at around 5pm it showed as 30c(!). i have the vents closed on the propogators and inside there is condensation (is that correct?). overnight i expect the gauge to drop to about 10-15. is this too big a fluctuation?
see pics below:
by the way the seeds i sewn and what i did:
- tomato red alert - 2 seeds per cell module
- tomato gardeners delight - as above
- tagetes tenufiola - 3 per module
- calendula officinalis - 3 per module
- dainty marietta - 3 per module
- french parsley - 4 per module
- mixed lettuce - 4 per module
- aubretia purple cascade - 4 per module
each plant had 10 modules each. tomato i sank about 1 cm deep, aubretia was surface sown but the rest were surface then covered with a fine layer of john innes 1 (which is what i used to pot the modules with). the seeds were put on after putting water in the bottom of the tray and waiting til the top of the compost was wettened (then the remainder of water drained).
is that all ok so far? im particularly worried about the temp and the condensation?
thanks ... nervous ..
Posts
Sounds perfect djjj - i always use a west facing sill - south is too strong for little seedlings. I keep the vents closed til they have germinated, then have them cracked open for a couple of days, then remove altogether. Keep an eye on them though - once the lids are off they can dry out really quickly
I may be wrong, but in my experience 30C is a bit too hot! Maybe this is happening for a short time only (you could, if possible, try and take measures throughout the day), but the seeds you´ve sown would enjoy an optimum between 18 and 25C.
The condensation is normal, and you should make up for it by avoiding any extra watering (the dampness would build up to sogginess, which is fatal for seedlings!). Check the soil; if it looks like a swamp, you should either try to keep the vents open during the day, or wipe dry the condensation in the morning.