I have got a few seeds started but some not doing too well cold damaged, some in the plastic greenhouse - as I left the door open. I am doing most of my seed sowing bit later this year as weather is colder now - so I need to sit on my hands not to be sowing anything much at minute and wait for weather to warm up a bit.
I start my seeds off in small pots as I do not need many plants of any one type. I usually put the pots inside a polythene bag, on a sunny windowsill, until the seeds come through and then remove the plastic bag.
This year for the first time, I have used 50% vermiculite, 50% JI No 2 and have had great success.My early sowings have been potted on into JI No 2 in individual pots to grow on. They are almost ready to move out to the cold frame but the weather is so variable I have put it off for the moment.
I am always guided by my local weather and try not to be tempted to hurry things up.
I start off my flower seeds in those plastic non heated propegators and place them in front of my south facing patio doors inside my dining room.
I have also seeds inside the clear take-away cartons with lids, and have covered some seed trays from last year with clear plastic.
I usually place them all outside in plastic walk in greenhouses but fearing it is too cold right now I have opted for inside the house. started them last week. fingers crossed they will germinate . I have alot more to strat but really no room left so will have to be patient until It abit warmer. x
I am still waiting for the weather to warm up before risking hardening my seedlings off. The onions, stocks, celeriac, chillies, aubergine and nicotiana are doing well in the unheated, double glazed conservatory. I have just looked through my mountain of seed packets and decided not to sow anything else until I can move the existing ones outside.
The single tomato seedling I have grown from a sprouting seed I found inside a tomato has just been repotted, it is looking strong and healthy, it will be interesting to see what it produces.
currently on my window sills i have several types of dahlias all sprouting ( couldnt wait to plant them so they went by the windows ) violas ,too tiny to pot on, honesty seeds coming up, petunia seeds, zinnias ( 3rd time of trying they just kept getting weak and falling over and dying ) alyssum seeds ,brompton stock
i have no more space so weather please warm up, im in surrey and snow is expected this weekend so i wont hope too much
Started onions in modules they're ready to be planted out. Beetroot and kohl have germinated in plastic GH. Swede hasn't.
Indoors with true leaves - various toms, chillies, various pea's, leeks! spring onion! Various sunflowers, lobelia, marigolds. various flower seedlings.
Out of propogator but withuot true leaves - various peppers, aubergines.
In propogator - more peppers, more toms, cues and space for 3 trays, haven't decided what to start off next but it's looking like broccoli, Calabrese and possibly dahlia's. Haven't started courgettes, squash or any herbs yet.
Total failures - Maskotka toms, 3 out of 4 seeds came up, then all died. Poor germination for chillies 50%, peppers very slow to germinate and I lost my first batch of pea's 'early onwards'.
You can't beat a little heat, and mine comes from an aldi plate warmer cost me about €17. I did make a big wooden box for it. but I reckon a couple of cardboard veg boxes would do the trick and a few plastic propagators with a clear lid.
I guess there is a small danger of electric shock if you just dump pots on top but the trays are self contained. I use it rolled out and that seems to get a soil temperature of around 20 ish degrees. If you needed more you can fold back on itself (there is a built in thermostat). The speed of germination is incredible Hollyhocks were germinated in 24 hours ( my herbs seem slow to germinate thou). I'm rapidly running out of greenhouse space.
I'm still waiting on true leaves on just about everything thou.
I was wondering if a washable electric blanket would be any good under seed trays, they have a thermostat and can be quite cheap to buy, anyone any thoughts on this?
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Posts
I have got a few seeds started but some not doing too well cold damaged, some in the plastic greenhouse - as I left the door open. I am doing most of my seed sowing bit later this year as weather is colder now - so I need to sit on my hands not to be sowing anything much at minute and wait for weather to warm up a bit.
I start my seeds off in small pots as I do not need many plants of any one type. I usually put the pots inside a polythene bag, on a sunny windowsill, until the seeds come through and then remove the plastic bag.
This year for the first time, I have used 50% vermiculite, 50% JI No 2 and have had great success.My early sowings have been potted on into JI No 2 in individual pots to grow on. They are almost ready to move out to the cold frame but the weather is so variable I have put it off for the moment.
I am always guided by my local weather and try not to be tempted to hurry things up.
I start off my flower seeds in those plastic non heated propegators and place them in front of my south facing patio doors inside my dining room.
I have also seeds inside the clear take-away cartons with lids, and have covered some seed trays from last year with clear plastic.
I usually place them all outside in plastic walk in greenhouses but fearing it is too cold right now I have opted for inside the house. started them last week. fingers crossed they will germinate . I have alot more to strat but really no room left so will have to be patient until It abit warmer. x
I thought I would revive this thread to see how everyone is getting on...
At the weekend I pricked out:
Cerinthe
Tumbling Tom Tomatoes
Nasturtiums
Geranium Maderense
Still not showing:
Butternut Squash
Gem Squash
(may have started them off too cold)
Almost up:
Clematis
Courgette
Cardiocrinum(stratifying in the fridge)
Too small to be pricked out yet:
French Lavendar
Oenothera
Viola
Sowed at the weekend:
Cosmos Purity and Double Click (showing already!!)
Verbena Bonariensis
Basil
Parsley
Scabious
(Also succumbed to sowing hardy annuals indoors as garden is wet)
Stocks
Mignonette
Nigella
Still to sow:
Loads
Purchased at the weekend:
Paulownia
Lobelia
Beefsteak Tomatoes
Didn't make it:
Moneymaker Tomatoes
Clitoria
How is everyone else doing???
Ow hello again.
Well I had to rescue some seedlings I had put out in the greenhouse too early but alls not bad
I have plenty of Nasturtiums putting on their first true leaves
A few seashell cosmos
Gazania
Zinnia
Busy Lizzies
Mirabilis
Dwarf Dahlias
Parsley
Sage
Coriander
Stocks
I also started more on Sunday as I lost some due to the cold weather. Hoping they put on some good growth over the next 4-6 weeks now
I am still waiting for the weather to warm up before risking hardening my seedlings off. The onions, stocks, celeriac, chillies, aubergine and nicotiana are doing well in the unheated, double glazed conservatory. I have just looked through my mountain of seed packets and decided not to sow anything else until I can move the existing ones outside.
The single tomato seedling I have grown from a sprouting seed I found inside a tomato has just been repotted, it is looking strong and healthy, it will be interesting to see what it produces.
currently on my window sills i have several types of dahlias all sprouting ( couldnt wait to plant them so they went by the windows ) violas ,too tiny to pot on, honesty seeds coming up, petunia seeds, zinnias ( 3rd time of trying they just kept getting weak and falling over and dying ) alyssum seeds ,brompton stock
i have no more space so weather please warm up, im in surrey and snow is expected this weekend so i wont hope too much
Started onions in modules they're ready to be planted out. Beetroot and kohl have germinated in plastic GH. Swede hasn't.
Indoors with true leaves - various toms, chillies, various pea's, leeks! spring onion! Various sunflowers, lobelia, marigolds. various flower seedlings.
Out of propogator but withuot true leaves - various peppers, aubergines.
In propogator - more peppers, more toms, cues and space for 3 trays, haven't decided what to start off next but it's looking like broccoli, Calabrese and possibly dahlia's. Haven't started courgettes, squash or any herbs yet.
Total failures - Maskotka toms, 3 out of 4 seeds came up, then all died. Poor germination for chillies 50%, peppers very slow to germinate and I lost my first batch of pea's 'early onwards'.
You can't beat a little heat, and mine comes from an aldi plate warmer cost me about €17. I did make a big wooden box for it. but I reckon a couple of cardboard veg boxes would do the trick and a few plastic propagators with a clear lid.
I guess there is a small danger of electric shock if you just dump pots on top but the trays are self contained. I use it rolled out and that seems to get a soil temperature of around 20 ish degrees. If you needed more you can fold back on itself (there is a built in thermostat). The speed of germination is incredible Hollyhocks were germinated in 24 hours ( my herbs seem slow to germinate thou). I'm rapidly running out of greenhouse space.
I'm still waiting on true leaves on just about everything thou.