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NEW GREENHOUSE ADVICE
sara hargreaves
Posts: 2
in Talkback
i have just bought a greenhouse and got an electric heater, i am intending starting with simple stuff next year and growing tomatoes , peppers etc but am wondering when the best time is to start sowing seeds for petunias. marigolds etc. i thought it was january but after reading a few comments is it more like march ? i was hoping to get stuck in in january
also has anyone any advice for a new greenhouse grower like me ?
0
Posts
Wish I had a new greenhouse.......mine is decidedly used.
January used to be the time for poring over seed catalogues in front of the fire but we get bombarded with the things all year now. Seeds won't germinate well if they are sown too early and those that do come up will tend to be tall and leggy as they struggle with the lack of sunlight, so it is best to start around March. My particular leaky glasshouse is unheated so all seeds are started off indoors and stay there until the danger of frost has passed.
I grow tomatoes in large pots in the greenhouse as that gives them a better chance of developing a robust root system and it is easier to keep them well watered. It also means that you don't get a build up of problems by using the same soil year after year.
Have fun.
welcome sara.
How lovely to have a new greenhouse.
As Ceres says, don't be tempted to start too early. Apart from the reason given, it'll cost you a fortune in heating.
Thanks
Ps might seem a basic question but what heat setting should I heat the greenhouse to when starting my seeds off ?
I have an electric greenhouse heater with a thermostat that can be set to keep it just frost free. This is not too expensive to run if you insulate the greenhouse well - I've got double laminated bubble wrap. I start seeds off in a heated propagator indoors, usually things that take a while to germinate, or that, like sweetpeas, can cope with low temperatures. They are then moved first to a windowsilll and then into the greenhouse for growing on. I find I can get a routine going so that there isn't a log jam anywhere - until that is things need to go outside, when the weather can be very contrary!
My greenhouse is always absolutely stuffed in the spring, what with things overwintering and dahlias sprouting as well as seedlings growing on, but there is always just enough room for my rocking chair so I can sit in there (with the heater turned up if necessary!) and enjoy it all!