6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
48-63 outside temps in your location? I just saw you are in Egypt in looking for your gardening zone.
They would be fine outside if your days are that warm - how are your night time temperatures this time of year?
But if you have had them inside, even under lights, be sure to acclimate them to hours of natural light gradually, do not put them into 'real' sun and wind all at once. Gradually increase their exposure, no more than an hour the first day.
Night time temp around 44F...and actually people around here are talking how it is really cold these days...
I think it is close to california's weather over there in the states?...i always check this zone for gardening info..
it is kind of windy these days..i will wait for the end of the month and then i will start to introduce them gradually to the big sun...
thank you morz...i will send you pictures of my babies when they bloom :)
Fun topic,
I have read a lot about this in the past, but brain fog is ...
The main thing I remember for sure is you have to vent it out on unseasonbly warm days.Just proped open a couple of inches I think.
I imagine a search would get a ton of info about hotbeds.Maybe even spacifics for your area.
Best of luck to you and your little gardener! I garden with my grandkids,too.What a blast.
For those seeds requiring light for germination, and they are usually like the size of dust, I start with a moist mix. Sprinkle the seed as evenly as possible, then with a smooth clear rigid plastic tamp the seeds down into the mix. Here you must be careful the seeds do not cling to the tamper. Next I set the container into a water bath about half the depth of the seed container. When the surface looks shiny I remove it from the water and cover the container with a clear plastic cling wrap. The surface will not readily dry and usually no further water will be required until the seeds can be seen to sprout and the plastic cover is removed. If the container has been on a heat mat to maintain the temperature it is removed from the mat and good air circulation is now required to help prevent damping off. Al
I use the old standard 100 watt lightbulbs on a desk light with no shade for my heat source. The room is 68-70 but the trays on the shelf are 80-85 degrees. I also use 2 light 48 inch shop lights using one reg bulb & one daylight. In Lowes look for the Utilitech "utility lights.
Hi Bob,
Well, everyone has their favorite way of doing things, including germinating seeds. For that reason, I'm sure you'll get some answers to your post that seem contradictory to other answers you'll get :-) For that reason, let me make it clear that the answers below are nothing more than my humble opinion.
1) When the seeds sprout, do I put the whole seed under soil; or just the root?
Put the whole seed under the soil with the root straight down. I do that even with seeds that require light to germinate (if you see the radicle, they've already germinated). The usual recommendation is to plant the seed at a depth of about three times it's thickness.
2) Is there a problem with the following scenario?: Group each paper towel into sections of 2 seeds each. When they sprout, cut the towel and place the whole thing (towel and seed) under soil. Will this inhibit the leaves? Other problems?
If you check the seeds every day or so, I don't think you'll have any problem with the radicle (root) growing into the paper ( I never have). However, if they do and you need to cut the paper, I don't think the small piece of paper will inhibit the growth of the plant at all (it will soon decompose). To lessen the possibility of roots growing into the paper, some folks use coffee filters instead.
3) Any seeds that do NOT respond well to this method?
Not that I'm aware of, unless it would be very tiny (dust like) seeds that would be easily damaged when you try to move them into the soil.
4) Is there a consensus as to when to plant in dirt; after rooting, but before leaves appear. Or AFTER cotyledon leaves appear?
As far as I know, most folks put them into soil as soon as they see the radicle. I would think, the sooner the better; I can't see any advantage of leaving the seed develop any further.
Hope this is helpful,
Art
For common seeds I buy from Willhite in Poolville, TX. For the really fun stuff I buy from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.
Here is a link that might be useful: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Al, I keep thinking I'm too old to keep anymore cats too, but they keep showing up needing rescuing, lol. If I wasn't married, I'd be one of those old ladies with a zillion cats that you hear about on the news! We're trying to keep it at four, but another half-feral started crying at the door recently(runs into the woods when I open the door), so I started putting out a little food in the evening next to the door(sigh).
Sorry about going off topic, Ginny. Do post photos of your set-up and let us know how it's working.
Hard to say but i will say that in general 80 degrees day and 55 at night is OK. maybe a little low, but OK. Peppers grow slow. I have know people to throw them out when they were just doing there natural thing. they would like more heat but they should be OK. Good luck.
I was in zone 3 until recently. I did a lot of gardening there. I had a HUGE greenhouse, but I started my seed indoors in a very sunny window in about late Jan or Feb depending on the seed. What is your elevation? Elevation makes a major difference in how fast your little plants grow. I doubt the temps are hurting the growth. Your daylight hours are also shorter in your zone. Of course, they are nice and long during the summer!
Hi all. Discovered that the link on the thread no longer works. Here's a new link to my my homemade heat tray. I'll be firing mine up within the month.
Kris
I am starting seeds in the greenhouse to be transplanted from a community pot into sixpacs. I am growing ornamentals that vary a lot in germination times and temperatures. Only one variety is planted in a community pot, varieties are never mixed. Most starting soils I use are 50% peat and 50% vermiculite, but for some seeds I will use about a third bark fines or perlite. I never buy a seed starting mix, they all have something I dislike, sometimes the cost. Al
I have another reason pellets are a problem and agree with all of the above (plus you spend extra on them). I found when I planted the pellets, the squirrels dig them up. I imagine they sense a pecan and use "radar" to gauge the soil texture difference and dug them up only to be disappointed. I lost many babies this way one year and never used them again.
I have used both. The pellets I have had luck with but I have to break them apart when planting. I don't think that they were that tough years ago. I keep them setting in water here in my dry air-don't think most places could do that. I might use the peat pots for watermelons and cantaloup to save roots. But i don't like then cause they dry out through the sides too much. There again they need to be torn apart when planted. Best is those little square plastic that the green houses use.
I'm not sure I understand your question. One seed grows one plant. Two seeds don't grow one plant and one seed doesn't grow five plants.
Are you asking how many plants a person should have of each variety? That's entirely up to you.
Or maybe you're asking how far apart you should space each plant? The seed packets will tell you that. Keep in mind, not every seed is going to germinate and the germination rate is different for every plant. If you're direct seeding, plant a few more than you want in the end and thin out the ones that are too close together. If you're starting them indoors, again, plant a few more seeds than the number of plants you want and see how many come up; toss the excess or pot them up and give them away.
ok. Thanks! Can I use lentils, mung bean, etc that I can get from somewhere like whole foods to cook with or should I buy them from a seed provider? I'm just wondering do those sprout and/or do they treat the beans with something, even the organic ones.
1) May use seed from any source ie. local seed store, local food mart or a "organic" store.
2) only concern is a "souring of the seed, contamination of seed & unhygienic production with high microbial counts
NOTE: this can also occure in comercial production of sprouts!
See this thread and email the person who responded to ask if it is still available.
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/exseed/msg020953579728.html
Here is a link that might be useful: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/exseed/msg020953579728.html