No heat, got it. Had a quick look at the cheaper ones and they do look a little flimsy, nutcutlet. Might try and persuade OH to help me build one next to the veg raised bed. In the meantime I've ordered a PVC replacement cover for the 4 tier mini 'greenhouse' I have. When the best time to sow? Is is too early now, if I gave them a good chilling in the fridge first?
When I visited Potterton's nursery (in Lincolnshire), there were rows and rows of pots of seeds, outside, covered in grit, just waiting. Some would be quick, some slow, but they germinate.
The fridge thing is an alternative, the seeds need to be in moist compost at least, if not sown in pots. I used a fridge in March this year when winter hadn't happened. It wasn't as successful as the usual outdoor or cold GH method. I think the changes in temperature outdoors may come into it. Fridge temperature is always the same. This is just an idea, not proven as far as I know
Thanks once again Nutcutlet, I won't bother with the fridge thing then, and I'll just have to curb my impatience. Is grit essential? I was planning to use a vermiculite and compost mix. It worked well for zinnias seeds I (proudly) grew this year. Sorry for asking so many questions. As you can probably tell I'm pretty new to growing things from seed, and find it a tad scary.
The big advantage of grit on top and within is that it makes for a heavier pot which won't get blown over and less likely to be washed out by heavy rain
Aha! love it. How clever is that. Is it best to use fairly big pots, say 1 litre? Do I sprinkle a little compost over the seeds and then top up with grit, or just use the grit straight over the seeds?
I use pots that are about 4inches deep but quite wide, for stability. They probably are about a litre. I'd put some compost on the alexanders, they're quite big seeds, then the grit. I can't remember what alchemilla seeds look like but I imagine they're small in which case I use just grit. When seeds are very small I sometimes sprinkle them on top of the grit and let them fall down themselves when it rains.
theseedsite.co.uk gives good advice about different germination methods and other seed info, very interesting site
Posts
No heat, got it. Had a quick look at the cheaper ones and they do look a little flimsy, nutcutlet. Might try and persuade OH to help me build one next to the veg raised bed. In the meantime I've ordered a PVC replacement cover for the 4 tier mini 'greenhouse' I have.
When the best time to sow? Is is too early now, if I gave them a good chilling in the fridge first?
Nature doesn't have fridges
Outside is what does the chilling in our climate.
When I visited Potterton's nursery (in Lincolnshire), there were rows and rows of pots of seeds, outside, covered in grit, just waiting. Some would be quick, some slow, but they germinate.
The fridge thing is an alternative, the seeds need to be in moist compost at least, if not sown in pots. I used a fridge in March this year when winter hadn't happened. It wasn't as successful as the usual outdoor or cold GH method. I think the changes in temperature outdoors may come into it. Fridge temperature is always the same. This is just an idea, not proven as far as I know
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks once again Nutcutlet, I won't bother with the fridge thing then, and I'll just have to curb my impatience.
Is grit essential? I was planning to use a vermiculite and compost mix. It worked well for zinnias seeds I (proudly) grew this year.
Sorry for asking so many questions. As you can probably tell I'm pretty new to growing things from seed, and find it a tad scary.
Questions no problem Caral
The big advantage of grit on top and within is that it makes for a heavier pot which won't get blown over and less likely to be washed out by heavy rain
In the sticks near Peterborough
Aha! love it. How clever is that.
Is it best to use fairly big pots, say 1 litre? Do I sprinkle a little compost over the seeds and then top up with grit, or just use the grit straight over the seeds?
I use pots that are about 4inches deep but quite wide, for stability. They probably are about a litre. I'd put some compost on the alexanders, they're quite big seeds, then the grit. I can't remember what alchemilla seeds look like but I imagine they're small in which case I use just grit. When seeds are very small I sometimes sprinkle them on top of the grit and let them fall down themselves when it rains.
theseedsite.co.uk gives good advice about different germination methods and other seed info, very interesting site
In the sticks near Peterborough