6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
This time of year, I would sow the seed, wrap the pot with saran wrap and secure with a rubber band or put the pot in a zip lock bag, and put it in the refrigerator. If space is at a premium, you can put the seed in a small amount of sterile moist sand or sterile moist vermiculite, just a couple of teaspoons is often enough, in a small zip lock and refrigerate that. Later in the year, I would put the pots outside rather than refrigerate, my winters will often average to about 40F.
And no, there is not a good way to shorten the period needed to stratify. If the periods provided that are needed to break dormancy are too brief, you may have to begin again and lose time.
Birds DO ravage flowers. They've eaten half my zinnias (flowers and foliage) and half of the early foliage of some sunflowers. "Sparrow" type little monsters ate these below as I watched. There was no rubble on the ground. They weren't building nests. They're just jerks.
BTW: nasturtiums are delicious. A little peppery, but good.
Birds eat seedlings and sprouts and even the new leaves of my cuttings.
I keep strawberry and geranium (pelargonium) seedlings covered with a birds net.
And one time when the plants where close to the net , they eaten my strawberry seedlings through the net.
so now i make sure to keep the net high enough .
although just a few days ago a geranium sprout vanished leaving only a small hole where it grew.
maybe some long beaked bird like a Hoopoe?
20 yrs gardening in a difficult zone 5a, i consider myself an 'insurance' gardener...
For summer and winter squash, melons, pumpkins...., i have 12 well spaced mounds...
5 seeds in each hill last weekend...5 more will go in this weekend...and a seed starting tray i started a couple weeks ago.
They tray is doing well and still small. -these crops do not like transplanting at all but i do it close to planting time, soil warm, temps. 4-6 inches is perfect.
Really not much trouble but i avoid having to purchase with so many seeds anyway by sharing and exchanges and seed saving last years crop seeds.
Too much moisture and rain this time of year for me, we often get seed rot...they turn to mush if i look for them after no germination...
A good year all comes up fine...
With multiple seeds in a hill, i can then select the strongest plants and cull the others...
After up and strong and surviving cutworms and such maladies...3-4 plants per hill.
Thanks for your comments.
I think i was looking for a miracle "something" to help me with the strawberry seeds.
they are taking a lot of time to germinate and by the time a tiny root is showing it is all so moldy that it does not develop any farther and just dies as a seed with a tiny root tail.
I have a neighbor who is a serious farmer he grows flowers for export.
he told me that he can give me some anti mold for pretreatment of the seeds , he also told me not to use damp paper towel for germination , but to use peat moss (he can give me some).
i hope i'll manage to grow some strawberries with his help.
>> ...are taking a lot of time to germinate and by the time a tiny root is showing it is all so moldy
Definitely go with the peat for germination. Peat seems to be resistant to mold, and to be doubly sure it can be easily sterilized after it's dampened by nuking it in the microwave oven (along with it's container). Mold also seems to be deterred by a warm sunny environment.
Just keep in mind that peat doesn't go far nutritionally, so don't leave sproutlets in only it much past a couple of pairs of leaves.
Google + (name of plant) seedling, click ' images ' sometimes works,
Or, seedling photos are at Seed Site. Use the Search Box followed by 'Find', the site can be a little hard to navigate.
Here is a link that might be useful: Seed Site
Thanks Goblugal. That's great to hear. About what date did they achieve full glory in your garden? Would love to see your pictures to know what they can achieve. We seem to have a great climate for guaras. The rest of mine do so well. My Sparkles have produced plants like the picture provided by LSU in their trials last year. I thought perhaps that the LSU climate is a true ideal climate since the plant originated in Texas/Louisiana.
Thanks,
Bob
Since the weather here is quite warm, I am starting more eggplant and basil outside, no cover. If rain is forecast, I'll get them under the porch.
I agree with floral_uk-if you already have sprouts inside, let them get used to being outside gradually.
indoor alternative:
start seeds in container. water lightly.. place container in a zip bag. zip bag. wait until they germinate. open zip bag a little each day, you are slowly changing their environment. once they are on their own (the bag is completely unzipped). Remove from bag. wait a couple of days and, then you can start taking them outside for a couple hours each day, hardening them off.
good luck
dave
I've been growing from seed since the mid-80's. I've started seeds under lights, in flats or cups outside, via direct sowing, and my favorite method which is winter-sowing.
One of the easiest ways is scattering seed here and there in the garden, or letting plants self-sow. Nature does the work for you that way!
After almost 30 years, I'm starting to feel a little proficient...
If you don't mind a humid environment, you could use a fish tank or clear tote with a water bath and an electric cooler designed for aquaria. The advantage might be that you could also adjust heat in a similar way with a standard tank heater. This is all mature tech.
It might seem difficult to avoid high humidity without clobbering light input, such as by using clear plastic as a vapor barrier or as a water bag, but it's not too hard.
That's one way.
You could dedicate an old mini refrigerator (dorm room fridge) and apply some mad skills vis-ÃÂ -vis copper tubing coils, a thermostat (even a pair of lowly snap discs), a teeny little pump, and so on. Plants could sit right on top of the refrigerator cabinet.
End of May, hmmm. Seems a bit late for all of those varieties? Should they not be planted in Feb.?
Or a fall planting? You must have a local nursery, (not a big box store), that can give you a guide to a vegetable garden. Or a neighbor or mentor that has had success...
I've never direct seeded an entire pack of seeds, maybe 1/3rd or less...then a week later or two weeks, seed a few more...for insurance depending on weather.
I did live in Texas one year, years ago, and followed a neighbors advice. Picked a high spot for a small garden and soon realized why it was a good idea...devastating heavy rains would have destroyed all efforts.
Find a garden club, a group that shares garden advice and get that soil ready for the next season....the basics for a healthy start without wasting money on experiments.
Many methods to divert heavy rains that do not wash away your good soil....or destroy your seedlings...but best to seek a local gardener.
Well, I checked them yesterday evening and the soil seems to still be in place, so maybe the seeds stay put. Yes, I'm a little late on the produce gardening, I was more into the flowers at the time I should have been planting others. But this is my first year, so I may be using it as my "classroom year." The pumpkins are flourishing, though, and I think the watermelons are doing alright. Here's their sprouts from two weeks ago..
Being that I'm in Hampton Roads area, not all that far south of you, mine are in full flower right now. They are a cool season annual & as such, require they be sown in early autumn, or late winter, depending on the weather...
I also might add, that the previous post, appears to be from someone in zone 5 & I take it, growing them in Canada. Where summer there, is absolutely nothing like our hot steamy ones in mid-Atlantic region ... Therefore, as soon as they germinated in the heat we experience,( if they even did so) they would simply quickly die from it.
I usually sow them about 7 to 10 days prior to a full moon, in late September, up to about December & later again, (the next year) in late January if mild enough, or February, up to start of March & no later.
Otherwise, just be patient & wait until late September, at the soonest. (or earliest chance, to be successful.)
While I will agree that they germinate better in the cooler weather don't discount how warm our summers are. Our typical daytime temp in July is about 90F and not uncommon to be 100F, however we don't get the humidity you have. I remember a time when I was guiding fly fishing a couple of guys from Houston thought they would come to Canada to get out of the heat. It was 103F in Houston and 107F here lol.
I would sow them and see what happens. What do you have to lose? I did not sow poppies this year as I am having lots of sprouts from last years sowing :)
Good luck and get back to us on how they did for you.
SCG