Principles of seed sowing

Thanks for the prompt, Peter.
I still hope that some of the seeds in the clump will 'change their mind' and bloom purple.

 

Peter, thanks for all the info. I specifically came online this afternoon hoping to find something like this. One more question I am going to try chillies and tomatoes on an inside kitchen windowsill this year. When should I sow those seeds?

 

Done.

 

Tiggs , Chillis need an early start because of the time it takes for them to fruit in our climate. I start mine at the end of January , most need a bit of warmth to germinate so I start mine in the airing cupboard , a windowsill may be a bit to cold .
Lots of info in this thread below . For a more concise how-to try on of the many UK Chilli sites.
http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/easy-to-grow-chilli-plants-in-england.39546/

 

I requested this in January Zigs ! You need more staff in that GC office .

 

And writing it SMALL won't get you off the hook Zigs

 

So re the perlite, is the perlite they sell at hydroponic stores the same, as I have 1 near me , doing a bit of browsing, and it looks like 20 pounds or so for 100 litres ,then I could email them, dont have an on-line store ,to see if they have any in stock and get it in ready before March 1st...

 

I looked on ebay for perlite a few months ago and there was someone in Cumbria selling large sacks for a modest sum. Even with postage it was still cheaper than Homebase. You had to buy a very large bag though.
How about this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Perlite-3...arden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item3cca62e7a8

But you can get a 10 L bag for about £8 inc P&P.

 

The one I was on about was 22 or23 pounds for 100 litre thats ten times more for less than 3 times the money, and it would not go off,,
And these hydroponic shops are everywhere ,its quite a saving if you can use it.

 

I get my Perlite from JFC Monro and that is currently £13.90 for 100L. I doubt it will be cost effective to get them to deliver just a bag, but its probably a useful benchmark for price.

http://jfcmonro.co.uk/search.asp?types=yes&type=Growing+Media+>+Perlite

Yes, the same although it comes in various sizes - "fine" to "rough". I've tried both and don't think it makes much difference if mixing with compost to keep it more open. I've use the Fine where I want as much as 50% perlite in the mix (for cuttings) and use the Rough where I only add 10% as a potting on mix to keep it "open"

 

Thanks Kristen, it looks like it will be my most cost effective to get it from hydroponics place, I can pick it up when I go shopping as I practically pass it, never knew it was there ,as it appears to be a few units in the middle of a housing estate.

 

Here I have a bag of Perlite that has been a big help when called upon for planting.



From here I can mix up with compost what I want and then add more if needed.

 

I keep a 2L plant pot in my Perlite bag. I figure that I tip 1/3rd of a 60-ish Litre bag into by potting bench "tray" each batch, and a 2L tub of Perlite is about the 10% that I reckon I normally need when potting on.

Best to water the Perlite, in the bag, before using it. The dust, otherwise, isn't good for you - particularly in an enclosed space

 

I have just bought myself a heated propagator in readiness for Spring and wondered whether there is anything I could start growing now or early January? I'm looking to grow some Kniphofia seeds and have seen elsewhere that these can be sown in January. Anybody got any experience of growing these or suggest anything else to grow in January - I'm probably being too keen and know I should hold off until March.

Greats site btw!

 

Hi and a warm welcome G Banker.

Kniphofia seeds are fairly easy. They took 18 days to germinate for me when I tried them a couple of years ago.

I always sow a few seeds early. If you have a heated propagator you can get almost any seed to germinate at any time of the year. The problem is not the germination, its what you do with them afterwards that counts. Seeds often need heat to fool them into thinking that spring has arrived - so they germinate. Once germinated the seeds can't change their mind, so they are then commited to growing and will usually grow at lower temperatures. But what they need is light, and light levels are low in January and February. If they are reasonably warm inside the house but don't get enough light they get spindly and weak.

You can usually get away with growing them on on a sunny windowsill very early in the year. But if they are even 2 feet away from the window they won't get enough light. Also you will have to keep them there till perhaps April or later because it may still be too cold outside, depending on what they are and what the weather is like. So I would say go ahead and grow what you like, but only grow as much as you can keep inside till its warm enough to put them outside. I always only sow part of a packet of seed - so nothing is lost if, at worst, they all die. Go ahead and experiment.