6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
First off, there's no reason to give them light right after you sow. They can't use it until they germinate.
Secondly, it's really hard to replace direct sunlight. The sun outputs 1000 watts per square meter. So if you had perfectly efficient grow lights, you'd need 1000 watts per square meter (conditional... see below) to match direct sunlight. Except that 1000 watts of grow lights don't give you 1000W of light -- or even close. If it's some type of fluorescent light, you'll probably get 20-ish percent efficiency, so that's *5000* watts per square meter. LEDs, 50-60% efficiency, so 1650-2000W per square meter.
Now, you have a couple advantages over the sun. One, the sun is only up for a limited number of hours per day; you can leave your lights on as long as you want. Two, the sun is almost never head-on, but instead comes at an angle, and is thus less intense relative to the cosine of that angle. Three, you can pick your spectrum. Red and blue are better than green, so the redder and bluer your lights, the more the plants will be able to make use of it. So, to match the sun with full-spectrum fluorescent grow lights on 24/7 and assuming an average angle for the sun at 50% with it out for 11 hours, you'd need about 1650W per square meter to match it. If you tailor your spectrum and/or use LEDs, you can improve on that number.
Basically, to sum up: it's really hard to match the sun.
I've got lots of sprouts, but now they are getting too big for the plastic enclosure.
You're supposed to take the enclosure off as soon as they sprout.
Is there anything special I need to do to put them outside?
Yes, you need to harden them off. Start them off sheltered from the wind and the sun, then after a couple days introduce them to a bit more exposed location, then after another couple days a bit more exposed still, and so forth until they can take full sun and wind.
Thank you Al and jaynine. They look better today. And the good news is that here in Door County we finally have a day (with several to follow) that will be good to start hardening off. I'm glad to have more room under my lights because I think I may be starting more than I can handle.
Maybe I'll need to wider a few flower beds if all that I've got going makes it to the outside.
I've become attached to these plants over the past few weeks and I think my dog is jealous of the attention these seedling seem to get:)
She'd rather have me scratch her tummy or play fetch.
Sorry, no seeds here, but you would want to know that maple cultivars like Shaina are normally grown from cuttings or grafts. Your friend could get some red seedlings from a batch of seeds, but the shape, form could be anyone's guess.
I agree with what morz8 said. Named cultivars are reproduced by cuttings or grafted cuttings.
However, the idea is really sweet. If you could locate an
Acer palmatum "Shaina", that had another Acer palmatum nearby, then you could collect the seeds and try to grow them. The offspring won't be "Shaina", but they certainly will be attractive and cool looking, if you like the looks of Japanese Maples in general.
If you're looking for seeds, try asking in "Seed Exchange" forum.
To purchase a "Shaina", maybe try shopping online.
Yes this was indoors about February - March. In previous years after the seeds germinated. I would have problems with damping off. As soon as I transplant to plastic cups and put them in this greenhouse? They do well... Can't explain why just that it works for me. I've been doing this for 2 years. The plastic will help keep the warmth from the sunshine in. That day I had the plastic back. Open side is the front which faces a south window. I took the other angle side that I cut this year and put on top of the slated side for more reflection. That's all the reflection I could think about without closing out the light. This is something I do because dh will not let me have a shop light setup. I guess this year I had about 100 plants grow and survive. A good start for plants.
barnbatt
Yea...I kinda "accidentally" mixed up some of my Serrano & Jalapeño Early Organic seedlings. =) It happens...like others mention, you will be able to identify them later on. My Serrano's will have fuzzy stems, almost like a tomato. That's one of my clues.
Get some lightweight row cover... Walmart sells it cheap... it'll keep your seedlings warmer at night and cooler during the day, with no worry about covering/uncovering. The lightweight stuff cuts the sun's intensity, while also protecting down to about 28 degrees.
Lori
Nigella can take up to 15+ days to germinate - recommended temp around 65F.
I've had n. Miss Jekyll in my garden for many years, result of just one packet of seeds - like the blue for an airy filler. I let it self sow, or take the pods and crush them in my hand to scatter them in other locations - in Fall or late winter. Why don't you try some outdoors where they would get a variety of temperatures - one of the very few plants I direct sow only. Seedlings are up about 2" here this week - we've had ONE day this year that got as warm as 65F.
I have grown Diospyros varieties from seed, successfully. The germination rate is very high, and they are extremely easy to grow.
Grafting is often done to get a more vigorous rootstock. Seeds from a grafted tree yield the DNA from the fruit that you ate, so the fact that the fruit came from a grafted tree only means that the DNA in the seeds do not match the root part of the tree.
With a grafted tree, it would only matter if you tried to grow a "shooter" from the roots. In that case, the root cutting/shooter would be a clone of the root stock.
Apples grown from seed are the worst example of not being able to grow a fruit tree from a seed. Pears are the second worst. Plums are successfully grown from seed, and so are persimmons. Even if the fruit is disappointing, half the reason to own a persimmon tree is because of their decorative value in the fall.
I would go ahead and plant the seeds, and after a year, keep the most vigorous seedling(s).
sandollarsf---I have the same problem. All of mine grew very vigorously the first 2 years, then seemed to slow their growth to an inch or so per year. I suppose that's where grafting comes in handy.
Why do the Lowes close to everybody else always carry awesome things and the ones near me never do?! I got mine online, can't remember where though.
Where would you put the heater? I was going to use heating pads in mine. Is your basement heated? Mine is room temp.
I have been using one of these for years and I would be completely lost without it.
I did use lights in it for a couple of seasons.My D.H. attached short grow lights to each shelf and I was happy with the results. However this year I started my seeds a little later and since my dining room Patio doors lead right on to my deck I have been taking the greenhouse out in the morning and bringing it back in at night. The seedlings look amazing and this has been my best and easiest year ever.I have a little bare bulb lamp which I leave on in cooler temps and keep the door closed up.
As the weather warms up I leave the door flap open to allow the seedlings exposure to air circulation.
I believe my Greenhouse cost about $70 from Canadian Tire some years ago, but it was well worth it.
Why didn't you just plant them in the ground? They would have been happy! I just took a ton of suckers from golf course trees while we golfed, and our temps are over 100 degrees. I stuck them in the ground (root hormone first), and not one has died!
I will also add that the folded leaves shown above feel very crispy and hard.
A week ago, when the first true leaves were beginning to show, I fertlized the water with a dilluted 25% strength fertilizer. Did i fertilize too soon?
Very few seeds, including maple, need to be frozen. Refrigerator is cold enough. The instructions that came with your seeds sound reasonable - periods of warm moist, followed by moist chill, return to warm for germination.
BUT, which state are you in? These are listed as an invasive species in more states than not - you need to check your states invasive species/noxious weed list before attempting to grow it. Look under 'Elaeagnus umbellata'
Don't know about the seed but they are easy to propagate from cuttings. Take a cutting from new growth before it gets to hard(1st of July here in Tennesse) Dip it in water and then dip it in some rooting hormone and stick it in some very damp sand either in buckets or a bed, just don't let it ever dry out. Pull one out in two to three wks. and see want you've got. You can space them about 2" apart but don't leave them there to long or the roots will grow together. John
What are you growing?
It all depends on what plant/tree it is, as they all seem to have different needs.
I agree with other posters, need more info to answer that question. What kind of seed and what kind and size of container would help alot.
I plant some things very close and then transplant them to thier own pot space, I grow some 2-3 seeds in one pot and seperate and transplant them out at the same time. Then some plants I make sure I plant seperate from others so that thier roots are disturbed less when transplanting.
Good gardening, Mary