This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Seed Sowing
I would like to start a topic about seed sowing
When do you do it?
What Kinds of containers do you use?
What kind of soil mix do you use?
Do you use a greenhouse or a coldframe etc?
It would be nice to gather everything together to find out some of the most successful ways to get our plants growing and also to help new gardeners get off to a good start!
0
Posts
Have you seen this thread?
http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/the-potting-shed/seeds-are-up/70240.html
Or this one
http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/the-potting-shed/growing-sweet-peas/6143-12.html
And this is very popular
http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/the-potting-shed/seed-swap/64712-23.html
Hi,
Nothing is better than sowing seeds, watching them germinate and pricking them out!
In the past I have had the luxury of a greenhouse which can make it easier, but I have also had success growing trays and trays of plants in a caravan - one that I was living in!
This year I am starting some seeds in a shed in my courtyard, they are in small trays with propagator lids, the trays are sitting in a clear plastic storage box wrapped in bubble wrap, I have monitored the temperature and it is around 16 degrees so I have chosen seeds that require a germination temperature of 15-20 degrees.
I also have some in pots and small trays on the kitchen window sill, fortunately we have a blind so they can't be seen from inside, otherwise I think my wife would object! The temperature has not dropped below 19 degrees and is usually over 20 degrees. I cover the pots with cling film and even have some in a detergent liquitab box, it's quite an effective propagator.
This year I have bought some seed compost but still pass it through a garden sieve, so far I have found a lump of coal in one bag! I am gardening on a budget so have not bought vermiculite or a heated propagator, but so far things are going well, my hanging basket tomatoes have emerged and there are signs of violas germinating - and it has only been a week or so!
This is what I was looking for
This is only my second year of growing seeds and its not going too badly.
Ive used those little peat pots which found for £1 for 36 of. Ive got Mesembryanthemum, Stocks, Diascia, Lobelia, Mirabilis, Dahlia, Nasturtium, Gazania and Zinnia seeds all doing well on my South Facing Window.
I didnt do anything special just popped in the compost (which I should have sieved)
and off they went. I started them on the 4th March and most have popped up, some are even starting to push up their true leaves.
I am going to do another batch this coming Monday to see how they fair later on in the year, that will tell me if seedlings started earlier really do get off to a better start :P
I grow mine in a small plastic greenhouse sometimes start of indoors on a window sill.
I have just used multi purpose compost but am going to try and have a go a seed compost as better dirt for smaller seeds. I have sown a few bits and some looking OK.
I think some seeds sown a bit later might just catch up with the ones you have sown as the weather gets warmer they grow quicker.
I just use seed tray or pots things I get when you buy plants from garden centres and some I brought my self. I think I will start more seed sowing soon as my plastic greenhouse is up and warmed up now
Do you grow seeds indoor or in a greenhouse?
started them indoors. I have a 6x4 plastic greenhouse just outside (gets a little extra warmth from the heat from the house) so I will put them in there as soon as they get a little big for my windowsill ^_^
I agree with garden girl, repeat sowing now probably won't make much difference, the varieties you mention have a long flowering season and will flower all summer, the only ones worth repeat sowing are the Stocks (assuming they are Brompton type Stocks?), they flower quickly and then are over, sowing every 2-3 weeks would probably be OK. Why not store the rest of the seeds of the other varieties in an air tight container for next year? If you have spare compost or peat pots check the seed websites for weekly deals or wait until later in the season to grab reduced seeds from garden centres.
I have just checked my window sill seeds, All of my Tumbling Tom seeds have germinated, and there are signs of life in the Viola Bambini, Fench Lavender (free with vegetable seeds), Oenothera Lemon Sunrise, Cerinthe, Clitoria, Geranium Maderense, Tomato Moneymaker, and Nasturtium pots, I have sown all the seed in the packets as I plan to share spare plants with family and friends, I may even sell some to recoup some of the outlay. I still have a lot of sowing to do this weekend though! Tomorrow I will check my Butternut and Gem Squash and Courgette seeds in the colder shed.
Keep the updates coming...
I have plenty of seed and plenty of garden to fill :P
It's more of a trial for me to see if its worth doing it in early or late March.
Only time will tell :P