Seed sowing for beginners

Discussion in 'NEW Gardeners !' started by Tara Jane, Jan 23, 2022.

  1. CanadianLori

    CanadianLori Total Gardener

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2015
    Messages:
    9,687
    Occupation:
    Battle Axe
    Location:
    Oakville, Ontario, Canada Zone 5A
    Ratings:
    +30,478
    Very nice cold frame @Jocko and brilliant that it is raised. Easy to reach in and the wood table looks thick enough to insulate the bottom. :dbgrtmb:
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • Jocko

      Jocko Guided by my better half.

      Joined:
      Jan 2, 2022
      Messages:
      2,417
      Gender:
      Male
      Occupation:
      Retired engineer. Now Vice CEO of the garden.
      Location:
      Danderhall on southern edge of Edinburgh. Zone 8a.
      Ratings:
      +6,777
      Thanks, Lori. I struggle to get down then have to pull myself up on something so raising the frame was a must. The coffee table top is covered with thick ply so the base of the frame is about an inch and a half thick. The polycarbonate is double thickness too.
       
      • Like Like x 3
      • groundbeetle

        groundbeetle Gardener

        Joined:
        Jun 23, 2021
        Messages:
        311
        Gender:
        Female
        Ratings:
        +438
        I planted lots of different seeds in pots on the windowsills a couple of weeks ago. It was probably too soon, but I didn't plant everything and kept some seeds back for later. The Ipomoea "Heavenly Blue" seeds came in a packet of 6 from Poundland, and they have germinated. I am not sure if they will survive though as it will probably be too cold to plant them outside until well into March at least. I kept back my more expensive Ipomoea "Grandpa Ott" to plant later.

        I also noticed a Salvia splendens seed had germinated, which also came from a Poundland packet of 6.

        I also planted some Viola seeds and Saxifraga seeds, which haven't yet germinated, as they aren't especially tender plants and should cope outdoors as soon as they are big enough to plant out.
         

        Attached Files:

        • Like Like x 1
        • pete

          pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

          Joined:
          Jan 9, 2005
          Messages:
          47,724
          Gender:
          Male
          Occupation:
          Retired
          Location:
          Mid Kent
          Ratings:
          +84,398
          You really dont want to plant out Ipomoea until very late May or early June depending in where you are.
          So seed sowing for them, being that they grow fast, can be as late as mid or late April.
           
          • Like Like x 2
          • groundbeetle

            groundbeetle Gardener

            Joined:
            Jun 23, 2021
            Messages:
            311
            Gender:
            Female
            Ratings:
            +438
            @pete, yes, I just got carried away wondering if they would germinate. I am wondering if I can transplant the Ipomoea into a larger pot and keep them indoors as a houseplant on a windowsill for a couple of months. It is warm and sheltered outside where they would grow.

            I am sometimes surprised how plants defy the rules, as I have some dwarf ten week stock (from a Poundland pack of 6) in a wall basket that flowered a bit last summer (they were planted together with too many other things) and now have two good sized plants with flower buds on them, having survived the winter. Also last year's nasturtium leaves have survived well, with pruning of any dying leaves, and they look quite decorative in winter.

            I have so many Ipomoea seedlings coming through I might try different things with them, growing some indoors for longer and trying some outside from about the beginning of April. They were so cheap it is only an experiment, and I will keep back my Ipomoea "Grandpa Ott" seeds until mid to late April, or plant them outdoors slightly later (I will probably split the packet and try both).

            The Poundland packet, "6 in 1 seed collection for Hanging Baskets", has Ipomoea tricolour Heavenly Blue, Verbena, Nasturtium Tom Thumb, Busy Lizzie, Petunia and Lobelia Cascade mixture.
             
            • Like Like x 1
            • Informative Informative x 1
              Last edited: Feb 20, 2022
            • Garrett

              Garrett Super Gardener

              Joined:
              Aug 19, 2021
              Messages:
              144
              Gender:
              Male
              Location:
              England
              Ratings:
              +770
              I find that Morning Glory is better sown indoors in late April/early May as I've found it a struggle to keep plants happy in pots until it's time to plant them outside. They grow so quickly I don't find any advantage in sowing early.
               
              • Like Like x 1
              • groundbeetle

                groundbeetle Gardener

                Joined:
                Jun 23, 2021
                Messages:
                311
                Gender:
                Female
                Ratings:
                +438
                I am sure you are right. I don't think these Morning Glory I planted will make it, I planted them too early. They are fascinating to watch growing from seeds, and I will try to keep them alive. It is very mild here compared to other parts of England. I struggled to keep plants happy in pots indoors too, what happened last year with my Lobelia seeds should have taught me that they get very tall and thin where it is warm but not enough light and tend to just keel over, I think they call it damping off. Even a few days indoors makes plants paler and weaker.

                I will probably end up trying their luck outdoors sometime in March.
                 
              • groundbeetle

                groundbeetle Gardener

                Joined:
                Jun 23, 2021
                Messages:
                311
                Gender:
                Female
                Ratings:
                +438
                So far so good with the Morning Glory, Ipomoea tricolour Heavenly Blue seeds that I planted in early February. They seem happy on my kitchen window sill, and are clinging to the stakes. They might still not make it, but maybe they have a chance. And they are fascinating to watch at a time of year when not much is growing.
                 

                Attached Files:

                • Like Like x 1
                  Last edited: Mar 12, 2022
                • groundbeetle

                  groundbeetle Gardener

                  Joined:
                  Jun 23, 2021
                  Messages:
                  311
                  Gender:
                  Female
                  Ratings:
                  +438
                  The Salvia and Viola seeds planted in early February germinated too. Again not sure how long they will be happy on my kitchen window sill or how soon I can get away with planting them outdoors. It is mild here.
                   

                  Attached Files:

                  • Like Like x 2
                  • Jocko

                    Jocko Guided by my better half.

                    Joined:
                    Jan 2, 2022
                    Messages:
                    2,417
                    Gender:
                    Male
                    Occupation:
                    Retired engineer. Now Vice CEO of the garden.
                    Location:
                    Danderhall on southern edge of Edinburgh. Zone 8a.
                    Ratings:
                    +6,777
                    I have planted out the first of my Sweetpeas, grown on toilet roll tubes, with some bottom heat. I then set them out in the cold frame for a while. Just sown another batch.
                    I have some Morning Glory "Heavenly Blue" doing well but the Antirrhinums, Foxgloves and Laurentia have been a disaster. I have started a second lot of Foxgloves and Laurentia.
                     
                    • Like Like x 2
                    • Tara Jane

                      Tara Jane Gardener

                      Joined:
                      Mar 22, 2020
                      Messages:
                      100
                      Gender:
                      Female
                      Occupation:
                      upholsterer
                      Location:
                      Wilshire
                      Ratings:
                      +139
                      IVE GOT SEEDLINGS! I planted white stock which look great. Antirrhinum,(tiny but seem good) Rudbekia cherry brandy, Triola and Gloriosa (cherry Brandy are coming up but other two are no shows so far but its only been twi weeks). I also planted some cosmos on Sunday which are just starting to curl up. most exciting! On the info for the Antirrhinum, it says to stick them out in the cold once they emerge. they are very small so should I give them a little longer then put them in the cold frame ( which I still haven't made yet?!) thank you
                       
                      • Like Like x 2
                      • Tara Jane

                        Tara Jane Gardener

                        Joined:
                        Mar 22, 2020
                        Messages:
                        100
                        Gender:
                        Female
                        Occupation:
                        upholsterer
                        Location:
                        Wilshire
                        Ratings:
                        +139
                        Toilet rolls? that sounds interest. will have to google it!
                         
                      • JWK

                        JWK Gardener Staff Member

                        Joined:
                        Jun 3, 2008
                        Messages:
                        30,692
                        Gender:
                        Male
                        Location:
                        Surrey
                        Ratings:
                        +45,653
                        @Tara Jane

                        A few of us use that method, it's good for parsnips and other seedlings that hate root disturbance:
                        How long do Parsnips take
                        [​IMG]
                         
                        • Like Like x 3
                        • Tara Jane

                          Tara Jane Gardener

                          Joined:
                          Mar 22, 2020
                          Messages:
                          100
                          Gender:
                          Female
                          Occupation:
                          upholsterer
                          Location:
                          Wilshire
                          Ratings:
                          +139
                          oh! thats clever! and I do like a spot of recycling!
                           
                        • Selleri

                          Selleri Koala

                          Joined:
                          Mar 1, 2009
                          Messages:
                          2,404
                          Location:
                          North Tyneside
                          Ratings:
                          +7,559
                          Where do all those toilet rolls come from? :scratch: I tried to save some for sowing but got bored after amassing perhaps... four? Without venturing into too personal information, how does one obtain hundred empty toilet rolls? :biggrin:
                           
                          • Funny Funny x 5
                          Loading...

                          Share This Page

                          1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
                            By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
                            Dismiss Notice