6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
I am pretty new to seed starting, but I had a miserable failure with the pellets. I think Jiffy Mix is preferred by a lot of people and I will try it next. I'm also going to try winter sowing.
Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing
Seed producers and sellers publish germination rates based on test plots. When I have poor germination I usually find I have not met dormancy breaking requirements of that particular seed. I TRY and restrain myself and plant only a few of a new (to me) seed until I get the hang of it. Al
That's hard to answer without knowing which seeds.
Many may not germinate at higher temperatures, or will need a period of moist chill before bringing back to warm to break dormancy.
Seeds that haven't been stored and are sown immediately after harvesting can be exceptions, but for commercial or stored seed, here is one database that gives you an idea of what each plant may need -
Here is a link that might be useful: Clothiers, Perennial germination database
Well, I've never germinated hollyhock seed before. My neighbor moved and I saw her hollyhock in her front yard! I took off a green pod too. I didn't even dry it (even know enough to do that) I planted three seeds in a plastic cup and all three have come up. The first one came up in about three days, the other tow took over two weeks. I was incredibly lucky I guess. :)
I plan to put mine outside, so I don't know much about keeping it as houseplant, but I have heard it is unlikely to flower without the proper conditions. I live in SoCal, and I have heard really large mature trees, at least 8-10yrs old, have flowered here (San Diego & Fullerton), but many have no success with getting it to flower. I would guess that you won't be able to get it to flower indoors.
Drew
I love Chiltern's seeds in the UK. I've ordered seed from them on a Tuesday evening, and had them arrive that Friday (that's faster than US-based shippers!). They give you good quantities of seeds, and I've had great success with germination, including with particularly tricky seeds, like the blue poppies (meconopsis).
--Ron
I watch for seed sales at T&M all the time! This year they had the 1/2 price sale and then the 99 cent sale! I stocked up on things I would not normally purchase.
A minimum of 4 week cold period (40F) is needed..... then lightly cover &..... darkness .....needed for germination. Soil temperature 65-70F taking 10-14 days .... taking 15 weeks to be large enough to set out. Figure last frost free date... count back 20 weeks & see if enough time to plant this year.
In your zone you might do well doing what I used to do with them, I just sprinkled them lightly in my garden during the month of October. I always got plenty that reached blooming size. My old garden in Fresno had them return each year by the 10s of thousands. Quite spectacular!
--Ron
Hi mblabe,
Your big pots should work fine. The potting soil in them will be fine. You can put more zinnia plants together in a pot than sunflower plants. The zinnias will grow to 1-3 feet tall, the sunflowers along the lines of 4-7 feet. Zinnias aren't fond of their roots being disturbed, so be gentle when you transplant them. Leave an inch or two between the plants. Put your pots in a sunny location. As you can see from my picture, I used 15 inch planters that I placed a full packet of seeds in each. It may look a little crowded but they are growing well.
BTG
From Gardener
Hi there, just wanted to say that is real cool, that
your daughter planted seeds and watched them grow. This pic of my zinnias was one package, I plant them in
several places in my large flower beds. They grow
quickly and are pretty. Just keep them watered and I
too think the large pot will be fine for yours.
Good luck .
Hi greenmouli,
Here's a link to shade loving plants from Spring Hill Nurseries. It should give you some ideas on choosing something suitable. Hope it helps.
BTG
Here is a link that might be useful: Shade loving plants
My advice is take advantage of your great, frost-free weather and learn to germinate before spending the $$ on either. Unless you are really deep into the Outer Sunset foggy part of SF, I would use the coffee filter in a plastic baggie method (see link) for the heat lovers and germinate outside for most of the veggies that can take some fog (my preference is to use flats). All the root veggies, the leafy veggies and squash and beans and peas and brassicas will germinate w/o additional heat in SF, although it can be slower this way if the sun disappears for days.
I grew plenty of veggies outside in Bolinas, the Haight and Oakland using these methods. Your main obstacle is that the humidity can promote damping off and other diseases, so an occasional spray of dilute hydrogen peroxide or watering with weak chamomile tea is a good preventative.
It's not that heat mats aren't a good aid when the marine layer rolls in, they just aren't a necessity. APS always has seemed an unnecessary expense in coastal CA.
Here is a link that might be useful: faq: baggie method
Thanks! That's great to know you were able to germinate outside (I am thankfully in the Haight, not the Sunset).
For germinating outside, I'm assuming that putting them anywhere that doesn't get direct sun is okay? Did you just put the flats out there or did you use any kind of cold frame?
You may have already figured this out, but the part that flowered first should be mature enough to harvest by now. If you roll the dried capsule between your fingers the tiny little seeds should spill out. The plant produces over a period of several weeks. Try to protect forming seeds from the rain.
The 'puffball' are not the arugula. You must have some weed in there too. Or maybe lettuce. Arugula produces pods and when they are dry you will find small almost spherical brownish black seeds inside. Alternatively you could not 'harvest' them but just leave them to self sow.
Freshly harvested baptisia seed doesn't need the hot water bath or a cold treatment either one - that recommendation is for stored (commercial packet etc) seed. You might soak overnight, then sow and watch for germination in from 1 to as many as 4 weeks.