6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
Time ... sow to transplant (outside) 8-10weeks & sow to flower 13-19 weeks. NOW what to do with the seedlings....good light is needed to prevent getting leggy ie in a windo with good light or in a partially shaded outside area as on north or east side of house... to prevent damping off good air circulation required. not die mostly a function of above plus keep soil damp not wet or DRY
Thank you Anna and rhizo.
I may have panicked too early!
The white growth may be root hair. But I have also seen what looks like white cobwebs linking the seedling to the soil. Someone mentionned that "cobweb" mold is sometimes present in peat pots.
Just in case, I started a whole new batch of seeding. But first I sterilized the peat pot by microwaving them for 3 minutes (as suggested on an internet site).I also bathed 4 peat pots in a very mild bleach solution, rinsed them well, stuck toothpicks in them to identify the bleached ones, and reseeded.
We will see! Very much part of the fun of gardening. For me, each phase, from seed selection to maturing plants are
separate sources of pleasure and wonderment!
Thanks for your input!
André
Thanks so much Dave! So do you think I should situate the greenhouse in a shady area at first? If so, when would it be appropriate to move it into a sunnier area to get the seedlings accustomed to full sun (where they need to be)?
Can the tender seedlings spend the whole day in the greenhouse thing from day one?
I picked up some laundry baskets flat kind and put them over the seedlings all day for a week. Then took the basket off just using it during 11 - 2 for a week. Seems to work well. Wednesday if all goes well and the weather cooperates I should be able to plant.
Before I tried this I put some seedlings in the sun for a couple of hours a day without thinking and started to get sunburnt.
It depends on what you are planting as most seeds get planted at different depths. So without knowing what you are planting it's hard to say.
Some flowers are surface sown while some are planted 1" down. Beans for example get planted 1 to 1 1/2" deep so it would take alot of rain to get to them - best if you plant and then water them well.
The safest bet is to not count on the rain.
Dave
I haven't had problems with paper towels, I guess mainly because the seeds are sitting directly on top of the paper towel that is placed at the bottom of the sandwich plastic container that I can simply peek in to see if anything germinated or not then close the lid. Seems easier than ziplock bag. Seeds just stay in place in the container...
I will have to look at coffee filters because they would keep seeds from sticking to the side of the container where it's a bit wetter...
I started my zinnias in larger 16 oz. clear plastic cups covered by plastic wrap held on with rubber band. Figured I wouldn't have to move them up that way. Don't know if that's a seed germinating "no-no" but with all the pounding rain we're having with resultant gloppy clay soil mess that can't be dug I'm glad they're in larger containers with their little roots growing fine. I know roots are growing because I dropped a couple of cups when moving in and out of rain...LOL. Had to gently put them back in mix and they seem to have survived. Besides, I don't know exactly where different height zinnias are going as to different beds and containers. Had them outside to get some sun for as long as it lasted.
Thanks for the responses. I think in my heart I knew they would have to be moved up. Ugh! It is just that I finished transplanting over 700+ tomato seedlings and am tired of dealing with them. I will take your suggestion, Dave, and round up the big pots, trays, butter containers, etc. that I have.I have about 300+ seedlings to do - nuts!!! I suppose next eyar I could direct seed, but I really wanted a little jump start. :)
My experience near Phoenix several decades ago was that if you could get them just as they were ripening they would germinate almost immediately, no tricks needed. I only did germination experiments. I know nothing about the soil part of your question.
Could you have covered the seed by mistake? When I'm sowing a lot of different types I have been guilty of automatically covering seeds that require light to germinate, like Nicotiana. Sometimes I realize my mistake immediately, sometimes it takes poor germination to jog my memory.
I did not cover it, unless by watering it I did. All of my other types of nicotiana seeds seem to be coming up. (I looked at all of them today.) I planted the last few seeds I have of these today on an open flat, but there were not many left.
Hi
I'm not an expert, I just started but I would say move them. I started some inside and outside. The ones I started inside went from the top of my fridge to lights in my laundry room to my porch to outside. They aren't in the ground. I would say definately use the easy hardening out method when planting outside with laundry baskets. Mine started to get burnt. The light threw the window is not as strong as light outside. They will be fine. The only thing that is still on my porch is my tomatoes and cucumbers.
Linda
No, but my wild guess would be slugs?
Maybe some of these comments on a morning glory raid will help.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/pests/msg061957091210.html
Pest forum.
Soak seed in hot water then cool water for 24 hours... lightly cover the seed with soil.... Soil temp for germination 70F