This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Plants germinating too soon!!!
The Gardeners World mail out two days ago said to do this:
I did this last sunday, cosmos came up in 3 days, snapdragons in 5 days, so now they're growing in propagator on a windowsill and I know they will get leggy. I've put a desk lamp over them for a bit of extra light which I suspect won't do the job, I searched this forum for help on lighting and discovered almost nothing of use on the subject of lighting. I've got an uninsulated cold greenhouse (no power) and it is snowing outside, so presumably I can't put them there.
Is there anything I can do, or do I resign myself to them being leggy chuck outs?
0
Posts
some people don't live in the real world do they?
That sort of advice is OK for growers that have heated GHs and can move plants on in warmth and good light. Most of us don't have those facilities.
Pinching out will help and putting them in the cold GH on warm days if you have the time for moving them about
PS (edit)
Those who write the articles should realise that they will be read by people with few facilities and often little experience.
Last edited: 11 February 2017 16:06:38
In the sticks near Peterborough
I'd plant some more later on. Hopefully you didn't use the whole packet.
I did this with French marigolds about a week ago. Sown them and they were germinating 3 days later.
I agree nut - it should be made much clearer so that this doesn't happen. If you don't have anywhere to put them once they're at the potting on stage, you're b***ered.
Or is it a ploy to get people to buy another packet of seed?
I think a lot of people also make do the mistake of sowing the whole packet.
If you're stuck Sandy - there will probably be plenty of folk on the forum with some spare seed if you need them. We have a seed swap thread somewhere too
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If you want a cheap(ish) option to provide good light you could get T5 flourescent tubes which you can hang just a few inches above your seedlings. But it's likely to cost a few quid.
If it's a route you decide to go down, you want a tube/tubes with a kelvin rating anywhere between 6,500k and 10,000K and do get a reflector it makes a big difference.
They'll be in flower in a few weeks
It's the same as I use for the plants in my tropical aquarium and nurseries use for their seedlings.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I can't altogether blame GW, it also says on the packets start sowing february and jan respectively, I just wanted to get off to an early start and didn't think it through properly :-(
We've all done something similar Sandy, so don't be too disheartened.
I still think they should make it very clear on seed packets about what happens after the da*n things germinate and grow a bit!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If I were you, I would leave them in a cool room on the window ledge for now.
When this current cold spell passes, move them to your cold greenhouse. Be prepared o move them back into the house if another cold snap is forecast.
I suspect all of us have done the same thing.
I read so many threads on here and think why are people sowing so early?
It is still too early to sow almost all seed
Last edited: 11 February 2017 19:42:30
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I keep thinking I should do some doc, but I don't - for the same reason the OP has found.
I've nowhere to put them once they get going. I don't usually do anything before March. Too cold to plant out by the time they need it.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...