6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed

I have never had any issues with those companies or individuals that send seeds via the USPS. I wish more companies would use them so that their shipping rates wouldn't be so outrageous. Maybe people would be more willing to order items if the shipping was cheaper which would benefit both the consumer and the companies trying to sell their wares.

homemommy,

i logged in just to back u up. there is far more expense to maintain a retail outlet than a mailorder warehouse. high shipping prices are just another way to boost income.

whens the last time u saw a mailorder house in a shopping mall,strip mall, downtown etc.

all of what u said is so true.

i bet dollars to donuts it's cheaper to ship products than maintain a retail outlet. actual shipping rates should be all that is charged.

wildlifeman

Hi - I am in Ontario too and just curious to know which varieties you are growing. If you have seedlings in February - that is very interesting. Ususally I grow zinnia, petunias, basil, marigold etc but I dont start till mid -march.

Do your plants get leggy or do they just do find till it is planting time which I believe is May for us.

Yes, may is planting time ;-)

What do I have growing...hmmm...

I started at the very end of Jan or 1st of Feb some geraniums and crazy daisys, ornamental peppers, dalhias and zinnias. I should not have started the zinnias or dalhias, just got too excited! But, the other three are all very very slow growing! They need to be started around then. I put them under shop lights, so they are all doing ok, surprisingly even the zinnias and dalhias. Out of three full seed trays (72 plants each) I have only lost 5 plants.

I have since then, about a week ago started a flat of various types of rudbekia. One is Prarie Sun, beautiful yellow flower with a green centre. Another is a type of double, and I also planted a type that has these beautiful oversized flowers and rusty centres. Two of the three varieties are short lived perennials.

This last weekend, I have started marigolds and coleus. I also planted a really neat type of coneflower. it has petals on top of the centre cone. I put those in the fridge though and they will stay there for four weeks to stratify, so they won`t come out until April.

I am hoping that by April, I can move them out to a cold frame.

Now I have learned about it, I am planning on winter sowing a whole bunch of other seeds. I just got a stand off freecycle. I am thinking of trying some extra coneflower and crazy daisy and rudbekia seeds. (I just can`t get enough of those plants, although many likely won`t flower until next year. I have some purple basil, and forget me nots, and a burgandy blanket flower that I am also thinking about winter sowing, or starting in the cold frame.

I also have some green envy Zinnias that will be directly sown in the spring.

I have probably spent over a $100.00 so far on seed. I am not sure if I spent it wisely, but I have a lot of varieties that are not the common ones, and cost a little bit more. I figure though, I will get about 500 plants out of it by the end, so, by the time you add up the cost of the other supplies to grow them, perhaps it will work out to 75 cents a plant. Even if some don`t bloom until next year, that is still a pretty good value considering they can cost $7-14 at a nursery!

I am really interested in seeing how the winter sowing thing goes. It will open up the door wide on what I can start next year. There is only so much you can grow in the house!

So, what are you planning on growing...

I also a newbie gardener, so this site help me a lot

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardening Seeds

memphistigerlily: Go to the Wintersowing Forum--quick! Almost everything you have listed can be WS'd now except the MG's and Moonflower (not sure about the Hummer vine). You will love the forum and the whole process makes it so much easier for newbies to gardening.

Prof

Dave makes the point that most seeds do not benefit from the light until after germination. All seedings need as much light as they can get. Before germination only consider the temperature, after germination a cooler temperature is good but more light is a must. Al

Winter sowing forum- read FAQ- very useful for those of us who has seed addiction.
Otherwise do you plants in shifts- couple days one set of trays under lights, then next...hubby just complained that we have our seed trays on the dinner table...LOL

Or maybe capillary mats.

Thanks for the replies.

I may give capillary mats a try. Is there a source to buy them from without buying a whole greenhouse kit?

Good idea. I have hundreds of jars I've acquired over the years so I'm okay there, but I buy lids any time I see them at a very good price. I still have some Pomona's Pectin left over, but this coming week I'm going to the only store that I know that carries it (about 35 miles away) and buy up a good supply that will take me through the rest of this year. My husband says I'm a hoarder, but I'm just someone who does think ahead.

Where do you buy jars? I've looked at Walmart and haven't found them. I picked up a few Ball jars at the Good Will making sure to check the rims for chips and flaws.

I am not sure about the difference between annual and perennial poppies and winter sowing... but I know that no matter what kind of poppies I have, I have had the best like spreading them over the snow, like was suggested to you, in the areas where you would like them to appear. I missed the snow one year, and made ice cubes with the seeds in them and it worked fine too.

The one thing I really recommend though, is don't be afraid of weeds. One thing that is very commmon for people that are new to sowing plants, particularly ones that the yare not sure exactly "where" they are going to come up (because the seed was scattered) is they pluck out the seedlings thinking they are weeds! lol. Well, really not funny!

What I do is if I am not sure that a plant is a weed, I let it grow a little. Once you get a pair of true leaves, you may be able to tell if it is a weed, or your plant (poppy in this case). If you are thinking "gee, I have never seen that type of weed before" then I suggest letting it grow a little more until you are more sure, or someone can help you identify it.

You don't want weeds to get really established, but letting a suspected weed grow on for a few weeks is not usually a huge problem, afterall, you should have many more opportunities to pull it later!

My message to express appreciation to Homemommy, Sewobsessed, and Mor28 is not visible.
I just want to make sure this time my message is going show up.
Thank you HOmemommy, Sewobssessed, and Mor28 for taking your time to reply.
Each of you gave me good suggestions!

Thank you both. I have an idea now of what to do.

I would separate out the sprouts from the seeds that have not sprouted. put the ones that have sprouted into an open tray, buy another black tray, or even just get a roasting pan / baking dish *something* to put them in temporarily. Put the sprouts back under the lights.

Take the tray that you likely have a humidity dome (clear plastic top) for, and put the unsprouted back in it. If you don't have a lid, then get one. Again, just a couple $$. I like to provide stubborn seeds with some bottom heat. My favourite source, is a home heating vent. Put a grate on a heating vent, then the tray on top.

the marigolds should not be giving you problems. They are pretty easy to germinate. Where did the seed come from? As for the brussel sprouts and spinich, I am really not sure exactly what they need... May wish to google it.