potting up seeds

when do i start potting seeds up...?

 

If planted in a seed tray, I usually pot up, after the first true leaves appear.

 

Shouldn't you wait till spring before trying to grow seeds?

If not which types of seed are best sown now?

 

I have never grown seeds before at this time of the year. But I was intrigued by Christopher Lloyd saying that he sowed Lupins now. He said that although they are perennial, after they have flowered in June they die back, go black, and look awful. And they do not like being moved. So he chucks them all out and grows fresh each year from seed, treating them like a biennial. He said that he used to sow them in March to flower the next year in June, but they sometimes flowered in the first year and consequently were not so good in the second year. So later in life he started to sow them in Autumn.

I started another thread http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=19;t=000028 and in it mentioned other seeds, including annuals, that he treated in the same way.

As this is an experiment for me - I would appreciate any comments, or experience.

 

I too have never sown seed at this time of year - but I suppose if they germinate fast and are plantlets by the time the light level becomes too low - should work.

 

Some seeds need stratification (frost action)to get them going. If you wait till spring then they will not get this unless you put them in the fridge for a few weeks. As always, follow nature's lead - if plants are shedding seed now then it must be ok to sew their seeds now. Obviously that won't work for plants from warmer climates.

 

PS - you can't stratify plants from warmer climates because they will be frost tender and not frost hardy

 

We sow pansy bellis, stocks and myosotis this time of year, 22,000 in all(polyanthus are bought in as plugs) the pansies were sown 26th( while I was away) and should be ready for potting into 3in pots after 3 weeks. They will be at a plantable size in 6/8 weeks depending on the weather. The others will follow in sequence and will all be planted out in the parks and roundabouts by min November. Sowing any later than mid September for these types of plants may slow down growth too much.

 

Virtually all my seeds have germinated now within 4 to 7 days of sowing. Only Lychnis Coronaria and Campanula Medium (Canterbury Bells) have not. They seem to be growing faster now than in spring. My cornflower has already hit the top of the propagater just 7 days after sowing, and are ready for potting on.

 

I have sown sweet pea, Poppy (dawn chorus) and stock (east Lothian variety) seeds over the past few weeks. I have done this with poppy and sweet peas for several years now.
I do wonder, though,(without giving sophisticated light and heating programmes) how much of an "edge" these plants get over seeds sown in early spring.

 

I have sown, sweetpea seeds in oct and put them out. not lost any to the winter.

 

Jack. I don't know the answer to your specific seeds, or indeed my own seeds. But reading Christopher Lloyd, he says that Lupins sown in spring often don't flower that year. But Lupins sown in Autumn, flower the following June.

I have just sown 10 lots of seeds, but you have reminded me that to be scientific I must sow the other half of the packet next spring and compare.

Logic says that they should be quite a bit more advanced. This year they will have several weeks of warm weather and warm soil to build up a root structure, before winter sets in.

 

When I tried growing sweet peas in September, the spring sown ones soon caught them up. So I won't bother doing it again.

Having said that, I also planted some brugmansia in September with the idea of having them in flower the following summer, the red spider mites got them though.

 

peter s. I sown lupin seeds last autum and they are still flowering, you have to cut back the spent flowers of course for it to flower again.I PUT A LOAD OF SWEET PEA SEEDS now and will plant them out end of oct.

 

Fancy - thats marvellous. BUT that would give me a problem. I was planning to sow now and have them flowering in June on the first shift. Then to pull them out and plant out a second shift of something else eg Dahlias or such. But what do I do if the first shift wont go!

Did you plant anything else in the autumn?