Starting hardy annuals in the greenhouse

Is anyone sowing flower seeds in the greenhouse yet? It's been a chilly spring so I'm reluctant but my greenhouse is usually full of life by now. I think I'll risk a few this week, probably gyp and cerinthe ( because I've got lots of seed ) what are you doing? Are seeds germinating in the, cold, greenhouse? Or are you just keeping them indoors?

 

Hi Loki. I started some and they are germinating. Just some pot marigolds and cornflowers have germinated yet. But I have a small heater in the greenhouse. Just keeping the temp over 7degrees.

 

Loki, i have to confess ive held back any outdoor or GC sowings, im going to wait till this week is out and start then - I do a lot of Autumn sowings and they have to just cope whatever the temps are - but they are all hardy annuals so I think if they cope outdoors as self-sown seedlings they will be more than hardy inside a GC or cold frame and if they keel over well thats just it I have sown Cosmos, Monarda, and Sweetpeas and there on a windowsill indoors but not with any heat just in a spare room. But i also have autumn sown Sweetpeas in the GC but i love having lots of continuation for the buzzy's so always sow Autumn, early Spring, and late Spring,. I think it's a case of trial and error with gardening ...dont you find?.... and every year is a different challenge in MHO ...but great fun

 

Mine have been in a while now without a fleece and doing well
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Thanks for the luck

 

I've got vegetable seed coming through in the cold greenhouse, sown a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday I was sowing hardy and half hardy annuals out there. Marigolds will stay in there as will the basil. Some require a bit more heat to get started so they are in a heated unit in the garage.

 

I germinate all my seeds in the house on my prop. I move them out to the GH when I prick them out. I now have a heater in the GH with an Inkbird thermostat , this turns the heater on at 5°c and off at 8°c , works great

 

I started off some lavatera and some Livingstone daisies on the bathroom windowsill on Monday. It's definitely not warm enough here yet to justify setting up the mini-greenhouse (I have one of those ones where you zip a cover over a permanent set of shelves). Or sow any seeds in the ground - that still feels very clammy.

 

They didn't look so well today mice are digging them up, little blighters.

 

I've put off sowing seeds this spring too.
Annual wise I've just sown;

• Lathyrus sativus azureus (germinating already)
  
• Ipomoea quamoclit (also germinating)
• Leonotis nepetifolia (signs that they are just starting to germinate)
• Salvia coccineae tall form
• Salvia splendens true species
• Rhodochiton
• Schizanthus (germinatimg)
• Salvia amarissima

Autumn sown hardy perennials that were in the greenhouse all winter have started to germinate include;

• Brimeura amethystina
• Eucomis bicolor
• Libertia ixioides
• Iris foetidissima

 

I've given up sowing seeds in the GH. Not that I don't enjoy doing so but I have only a small garden that is pretty much full. My GH is used for my fuchsias and lilies plus whatever I and experimenting with.

Over the years I have discovered that old and past friends, many of whom have little interest in gardening, suddenly pop in for a chat. More often than not the conversation goes. ' Still keeping up with your garden Mike? I bet the greenhouse is looking good.' Eventually off they go loaded up with plants.

Now it's easier for me to buy the odd few plants, all the tedious work done. Takes the pressure off me as I don't enjoy good health and in the past I have lost stock due to health.

 

I sow all of mine indoors then move them out to the heated greenhouse once the seedlings get a bit beyond their first set of true leaves. Greenhouse is heated to a low of 55f.

I use the greenhouse for these seedlings because I run out of room inside. Maeybe I'll try starting the cucumber and zucchini seeds out ther in a few weeks, now that this topic came up

 

Well it could have been a mistake, chilly here now, but some of the pricked out plants are in the greenhouse
I'm still sowing and growing indoors but I will try sowing some hardy annuals in the greenhouse after this Monday ( wintery weather forecast again ) thanks for all the tips and advice