Complete Newbie....help/advice needed!

Hello all,
I have recently obtained my first greenhouse. I have never grown anything! I am planning to grow some lettuce, spring onions, cucumbers and peppers at first.
How do I start the seeds off? I have googled quite a bit but am unsure do they need to be in the dark to germinate or do I just plant them and let sunlight do it's stuff?
Also do I keep them indoors first or all of it in the greenhouse.
I live in Swansea, UK.
Any help advice would be much appreciated as I am a total novice!!!!

p.s. hope my questions aren't really stupid ones!

 

Hi and Welcome,

All packets of seeds will clearly state if you need to keep them in the dark for germination, though for most fruit and veg thats not needed, more a flower thing I would say.

For things like Cucs, Toms, Peppers etc you really do need some form of heat to start the seed off.
That could be just a pot or tray with a clear plastic cover on a window cill or one of the heated propogators in the house or greenhouse, if you can get electricity out there ?

If you just have a small greenhouse and are only looking for a few plants of each type, then buying young plants in ones or twos from the garden centers is another way to avoid the problems of seeds.
We just bought a couple of toms the other day, much easier and almost as cheap as a packet of seeds.

For lettuce, would suggest the cut and come again Salad Bowl/ Leaf types of lettuce as they prefer a cooler start and like most lettuce need to be outside in summer as the greenhouse is normally too hot for them.

Cucumbers can be a bit fussy to grow, so do try some Toms as they are much easier, so many to try but ones like Shirley and Gardeners Delight are well proven.

Probably the best tip of any new greenhouse is to keep it well ventilated and using an automatic top vent opener is the best way to achive that, partic if you are away most of the day.

 

Hi @TubaTeacher and welcome! Most seeds germinate in the dark (though not all - primulas need light). We normally just provide the dark by covering the seeds with a light coating of soil - whereas for the primulas we sow on the surface.
When you read the packets, they will advise you as to how much covering they need. Normally very fine seed just needs you to use a garden sieve to sprinkle enough to cover. Large seeds like courgette tend to need to be a bit deeper - I push them in so that they are on their edge to try to reduce the chance of them rotting. The seed packets will tell you the dates to sow the seed - unless you can keep them warmer like in an electric propagator, don't do it earlier. A kitchen windowsill is warmer but the young seedlings will get too gangly due to lack of light. If they do germinate too early you'll have big plants ready to go outside before the weather is good enough.

 

You beat me to it @ricky101 !