Help With Growing Seeds

There is no right way of doing it, just what you find works for you, its not an exact science we all have failures from time to time.
Without actually standing next to you while you sow the seed and watching over the seed, like you are, its pretty impossible to say what is going on.

Can I say, you worry too much.

Just keep a very close eye open, as when they do germinate they will be tiny and not wanting to dry out at that stage.

 

I do worry. The issue is I had to hold back, which was the right thing to do and started sowing in April (6 weeks later than normal) the window of opportunity to get it right is short.

 

They say patience is a virtue, but something I haven’t got time for! However I inspected my petunias and noticed a couple green shoots, so looking good.

I pricked out some snapdragons, but I am having the same problem as I did earlier, where they are floppy and do not stand upright, will these grow upright in time?

 

If you can find a semi sheltered place outside, your snap dragons would probably be better off outside now.

Watch out for slugs though, on a table or some where off the ground would be better.

 

If these have 8 leaves each, then you could pot them on in to 4" pots and space them out. After a week take the growing tips out; this will cause them to develop side shoots and bush up. Plant out from May 26th.

 

I am hardening off my snapdragons off at the moment. The same happens with cosmos they go all bendy. So wondering if this is down to growing in the spare room and poor light versus a greenhouse, that they have gone leggy?

 

Low light, too warm, too early sowings can all cause seeds to grow leggy. Cosmos seed germinate within a day or two so there is no advantage to sowing early, they are notorious for getting leggy and falling over. Sow some more now.

 

I have seen some nice pansies and violas, these cost a pretty penny, so was thinking of growing them from seed. Firstly is this possible? Also I do growing in a spare room, where the light levels are very different from the outside is this still possible?

 

@GreenFingeredPete , I have had reasonable success with violas from seed in the unheated greenhouse. Currently got some tiger eye violas awaiting pricking out. Not sure if the light levels would be enough indoors but - you can only try and could be lucky!

 

@GreenFingeredPete I grew pansies from seed years ago and did it the way the package had noted. Keep in the dark until all have sprouted, then expose gradually to light. It did work very well.

 

Pansies/violas require a steady temperature between 16-20 deg C in darkness to germinate. Once sprouted and showing leaf they should be exposed to average light, away from extremes of temperature and kept moist not wet. Prick out and grow on in pots in the same conditions
A simple cold frame will provide adequate protection in most winters.Some ventilation and increased spacing as the plants grow bigger. Beware slugs, snails and whitefly, and greenfly if its mild.

 

I followed Sarah Raven’s advice when sowing the viola seeds. No hotter than 20c and lightly covered.

 

Well first post of this thread in 2026.

So I have a few packets of pansies, I see these for sale soon well before the summer bedding, as they seem to like a cool climate and bolt in the summer. So wondering what is the best time to start growing pansies from seed? Do these need as much heat and light to germinate as summer bedding?

 

They require a steady temperature of 15-20 deg C, covering lightly and moist but not wet conditions. Ideally,pansy seeds need a period of stratification ; 10-14 days at around 3 deg C before sowing, as if 'winter',-inside fridge door ?
Followed by gentle growing conditions,10-15 deg in moderate light pricked out at 4 leaf stage in to well draining compost, always damp not wet. Expect first flowers in approx 10-12 weeks.
Good luck.

 

Winter pansies are grown as biennials, sown in summer for flowering intermittently in a mild winter, and into the spring. Summer-flowering ones are grown as hardy annuals sown in spring. I'm not sure whether the same varieties can be grown successfully as both "summer" and "winter" pansies - they might be selected varieties for different levels of cold/heat tolerance.