I would try with things that are easier to handle. Runner beans, pumpkin, beetroot, peas, courgettes, peppers all have seeds that are easy to plant. Buy a cheap windowsill propogator (you can get them from asda for £3), and make sure you put seed/cutting compost into it (NOT growbag compost, that has added nutrients). Sow the seed thinly, and pop in on a windowsill (peppers, courgettes, tomatoes, squash & pumpkin), for peas & beans I use the small square pots, fill them with seed compost, plant 1 seed per pot, water and bung them outside, somewhere sunny (not full sun) and out of the wind, keep them moist and forget - keep checking every week, they will germinate when ready (and you don't need to worry about hardening them off. Worked a treat last year.
Some flower seeds are bigger than others - sweet peas are the only ones I can think of, offhand as I'm more of a grow it and eat it rather than a grow it and look at it kind of person. I'm sure there will be those that like to grow flowers who can recommend others with seeds big enough to handle.
See if there is a horticultural /gardening club near you, and join it, they will be pleased to have new members join. It may be that there's something basic you're missing, or you might be using seed that's been stored badly or is out of date, and won't germinate even if you're Alan Titchmarsh!
Get yourself down to somewhere like wilko's, and get some fresh seed, seed compost and a windowsill propogator, plus some cheap pots of different sizes for when your seedlings germinate and need 'potting on'. That way you can be sure that the seeds are fresh, you are using the right 'mud' to plant them into, this will give you a better chance of succeeding and then you'll get the bug and have to join the rest of us......
Glad to see we had much the same ideas MMP, I thought marigold seeds are reasonably easy to handle too, as are nigella? Easier to sow thin anyway - unlike some things, lettuce and petunias for example!!
Even with one of those magic seeders I find lettuces, carrots, leeks and antirrhinums (one of the only flowers I try to grow from seed) VERY difficult to sow thinly. Even with my bionic eyes (both eyes done for cataracts @36)! Found some fairly cheap vegetable tapes, at my local JTF so trying these this year, will let folks know how it goes and if they're worth paying a bit extra for.
Don't give up Dan, it's an exceptionally slow year so things are lagging behind the usual progress at this time. Just a word on watering it's easier to cover seedling with a lid, propagator or clingfilm as they don't need excessive water-just to stay dampish keep them in the warmth and check every couple of days. when they are up expose to light and air and pot on as soon as u can handle them. Good luck and happy planting the rewards are huge
Mixing the seed with fine silver sand, to sort of dilute it, seems to work for many people. Pouring a tiny pinch into the palm of your hand, then with a slightly damp finger tip pick up a few tiny seeds and dot them around the tray - I do this and it does help - at least you get little islands of seedlings and can prick out the outer ones, which will be larger, and leave the rest to grow on. You may not sow quite as many hundreds of things that you only want 20 of in this way!
Last year was my 1st season gardening, and I really struggled with seed sowing especially early in the season. That being said, I persevered and with a LOT of trial and error (moving seed trays around, trying less or more water, uncovering and covering, direct sun, 1/2 shade etc) I started getting results!
I am now completely hooked, and bought myself a tiny greenhouse this year which is now absolutely packed! I love it.
Don't get me wrong, there were many fatalities, I managed to kill quite a lot (sheepish grin), but the survivors were my heros!
Easy flowers to get going, snap dragons and calendula, easy veg, courgette (which has been mentioned quite a bit here already) and broad beans.
My poppies remained a disaster, so let me know if you manage to get yours going!!!
Dan, please don't give up! I come from a serious gardening family; I have been gardening since pterodactyls flew over Hyde Park and I still can't grow peas But; I can grow other stuff, so I am happy with my pea-free garden. Once you understand the particular and sometimes peculiar needs of the seeds you are growing, you will get there. I have some seeds that I am almost too scared to plant; apparently I have to plant them as normal, then after 3 weeks I have to put them in the fridge, then take them out; if nothing happens, I put them back in the fridge again
Artjak, are you trying Lewisia? If you crack it, can you let me know, I tried growing these last year to no avail. In and out of the fridge like they were doing the hokey cokey!
If they are tall and leggy and falling over there is two reasons for this, lack of light or damping off.
Lack of light will cause the plants to stretch upwards seeking out light, they will compete against each other for this and become leggy, once leggy they have no strength in their stems to hold them up.
If they are only very, small i.e. 1/2cm then it probably is damping off caused by a virus. Pots not washed properly from previous seed sowing can carry the virus, in future wash pots thoroughly in hot soapy water with a dash of detergent to kill virus' present.
Don't loose heart, all gardeners suffer from these issues for example i'm on my second sowing of parsnip seeds and still trying to get them to germinate - I'm not disapointed or frustrated as I know how tempermental they are to germinate and they take a long time, eventually Ill get some going.
Posts
I would try with things that are easier to handle. Runner beans, pumpkin, beetroot, peas, courgettes, peppers all have seeds that are easy to plant. Buy a cheap windowsill propogator (you can get them from asda for £3), and make sure you put seed/cutting compost into it (NOT growbag compost, that has added nutrients). Sow the seed thinly, and pop in on a windowsill (peppers, courgettes, tomatoes, squash & pumpkin), for peas & beans I use the small square pots, fill them with seed compost, plant 1 seed per pot, water and bung them outside, somewhere sunny (not full sun) and out of the wind, keep them moist and forget - keep checking every week, they will germinate when ready (and you don't need to worry about hardening them off. Worked a treat last year.
Some flower seeds are bigger than others - sweet peas are the only ones I can think of, offhand as I'm more of a grow it and eat it rather than a grow it and look at it kind of person. I'm sure there will be those that like to grow flowers who can recommend others with seeds big enough to handle.
See if there is a horticultural /gardening club near you, and join it, they will be pleased to have new members join. It may be that there's something basic you're missing, or you might be using seed that's been stored badly or is out of date, and won't germinate even if you're Alan Titchmarsh!
Get yourself down to somewhere like wilko's, and get some fresh seed, seed compost and a windowsill propogator, plus some cheap pots of different sizes for when your seedlings germinate and need 'potting on'. That way you can be sure that the seeds are fresh, you are using the right 'mud' to plant them into, this will give you a better chance of succeeding and then you'll get the bug and have to join the rest of us......
Glad to see we had much the same ideas MMP, I thought marigold seeds are reasonably easy to handle too, as are nigella? Easier to sow thin anyway - unlike some things, lettuce and petunias for example!!
Even with one of those magic seeders I find lettuces, carrots, leeks and antirrhinums (one of the only flowers I try to grow from seed) VERY difficult to sow thinly. Even with my bionic eyes (both eyes done for cataracts @36)! Found some fairly cheap vegetable tapes, at my local JTF so trying these this year, will let folks know how it goes and if they're worth paying a bit extra for.
Don't give up Dan, it's an exceptionally slow year so things are lagging behind the usual progress at this time. Just a word on watering it's easier to cover seedling with a lid, propagator or clingfilm as they don't need excessive water-just to stay dampish keep them in the warmth and check every couple of days. when they are up expose to light and air and pot on as soon as u can handle them. Good luck and happy planting the rewards are huge
Mixing the seed with fine silver sand, to sort of dilute it, seems to work for many people. Pouring a tiny pinch into the palm of your hand, then with a slightly damp finger tip pick up a few tiny seeds and dot them around the tray - I do this and it does help - at least you get little islands of seedlings and can prick out the outer ones, which will be larger, and leave the rest to grow on. You may not sow quite as many hundreds of things that you only want 20 of in this way!
Last year was my 1st season gardening, and I really struggled with seed sowing especially early in the season. That being said, I persevered and with a LOT of trial and error (moving seed trays around, trying less or more water, uncovering and covering, direct sun, 1/2 shade etc) I started getting results!
I am now completely hooked, and bought myself a tiny greenhouse this year which is now absolutely packed! I love it.
Don't get me wrong, there were many fatalities, I managed to kill quite a lot (sheepish grin), but the survivors were my heros!
Easy flowers to get going, snap dragons and calendula, easy veg, courgette (which has been mentioned quite a bit here already) and broad beans.
My poppies remained a disaster, so let me know if you manage to get yours going!!!
Don't give up, and don't shun plug plants
Tx
Dan, please don't give up! I come from a serious gardening family; I have been gardening since pterodactyls flew over Hyde Park and I still can't grow peas
But; I can grow other stuff, so I am happy with my pea-free garden. Once you understand the particular and sometimes peculiar needs of the seeds you are growing, you will get there. I have some seeds that I am almost too scared to plant; apparently I have to plant them as normal, then after 3 weeks I have to put them in the fridge, then take them out; if nothing happens, I put them back in the fridge again
Artjak, are you trying Lewisia? If you crack it, can you let me know, I tried growing these last year to no avail. In and out of the fridge like they were doing the hokey cokey!
If they are tall and leggy and falling over there is two reasons for this, lack of light or damping off.
Lack of light will cause the plants to stretch upwards seeking out light, they will compete against each other for this and become leggy, once leggy they have no strength in their stems to hold them up.
If they are only very, small i.e. 1/2cm then it probably is damping off caused by a virus. Pots not washed properly from previous seed sowing can carry the virus, in future wash pots thoroughly in hot soapy water with a dash of detergent to kill virus' present.
Don't loose heart, all gardeners suffer from these issues for example i'm on my second sowing of parsnip seeds and still trying to get them to germinate - I'm not disapointed or frustrated as I know how tempermental they are to germinate and they take a long time, eventually Ill get some going.