6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed

Amna, it sounds like you are off to a great start, I'm glad you're enjoying the learning process!

As you can see from your own sowing, perennials started indoors can take a bit more research into their preferred conditions for germinating - there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach. As suggested, you may enjoy winter sowing next winter, but since it's now Spring and you have seeds:

Bookmarking a good germination database is a great help...as well as posting here and asking of course. You'll need the botanical name of each seed, ie sea holly (eryngium), columbine (aquilegia), balloonflower (platydcodon)....you can find those simply by typing the common name into any search engine like Google, MSN.

The seeds you mention that you are having trouble with may benefit from stratifying (conditioning the seed by exposing it to a moist chill) or lower temperatures all around.

Don't be put off by the challenge, it just makes the results all the more rewarding.

Here is a link that might be useful: Clothiers germination database

Thanks dicot & morz8. I can't believe this but the flat of fungus ridden lobelia seeds has actually sprouted! Cannot believe it. I had taken it out of my grow box and left it on top of the counter in the basement until I could either figure out how to salvage it or bring myself to chuck it and yesterday I lifted the cover off to find a ton of newly sprouted seedlings. Of course that prompted me to spend the next 2 hrs manually picking off the fuzz and I have to say I got it looking a lot less nasty. Now they are back under the lights and I'm going to try to save them by transplanting as soon as they get a little bigger. Sounds nerdy, but it is totally amazing to me.

Thanks again for your encouragement,
Amna

thanks for the input guys...that helps a bit...All the seeds did look the same though.... Will the pollinators produce cucumbers as well?

Yes, they will. The pollinator seeds are usually larger and, as I said, most seed companies pack them in a separate little pack inside. But then that is Burpee for you. Just another poor quality reason why many of us quit dealing with them some time ago.

Dave

It's better that the floor where they also have to contend with the cold coming up through the floor. But the majority of the heat is going to collect up near the roof so the higher the better. In my GH I find as much as a 10 degree difference between the waist high shelves and the ones at 5'. But all you can do is work with what you have. ;)

Dave

Thanks! My growing shelves are all I have right now but, I'll see what I can come up with. At first thought I could use 2 saw horses with some old 2x4s to put the shelves on. I guess I'll think of something! Still learning as I go.

I attempted to start seeds (tomatoes) from a SASE that I got, and they didn't do well, thought they were all dead, so I went out and bought 84 plants (NOT at $3 per) I found some from a local nursery that were 3packs for $1) and then found some 9 packs (heirlooms) for $3 at Home Depot. Home Depot was cheaper than the $3 plants at Lowe's...I even found some singles of 1.09 or 1.19 I forget.

And then, out of nowhere, the once considered DEAD tom's have come to life, now I have 13 more plants to put out later this summer....glad I didn't toss them afterall.

I have my Greenhouse FULL of veggies, so many in fact that I'll never be able to plant them all, most of my seeds are from the dollar store, 4 for $1 and I have had better germination with those than almost all the ones I bought at the garden centers!!! So with so many growing, I put an ad online and am going to try to sell them...50 cents for veggies, and 1.00 for groups of herb seedlings. If that doesn't work out, I guess I'll open a farmers market in my back yard this summer :)

We bought a whole bounch of tomatoes in 6-cell trays at a local garden center for about $1.50 (maybe $2.50 each, I for get) for each tray. The plants were 4" tall. We even bought a really nice tomato plant in a (I think) a 1 gallon pot for about $2.50. The plant was about 2' tall and already getting a tomato on it. The single tomato plants about 4" tall were about $1.50 each. It's alot cheaper to buy the cell trays than the singles IMO.

I have found that putting the seeds in a bowl and adding BOILING water to it then let it sit for a few days untouched everyone of the seeds will spout, I usally pot them until I think they are ready for outside.

utexas.edu - Anisacanthus wrightii Flame Acanthus

"By seed. Sow stratified seed 1/2 - 1/3" deep in Spring, or direct sow in Fall."

Alberta, seems to need a moist cold period before it will germinate

Could be, although the other plants aren't showing that symptom. I'll be careful to cut back a little.

Is it hot enough in your area for peppers to grow? Whenever I've tried to plant peppers too early they always make a point of maintaining a stunted growth when it's too early. If I plant them in the heat of summer, I can't keep up with them.

Thanks tuscanseed for easing my mind. I so don't want to repot if I don't have to; it is enough work moving my light up and down and watering all my seedlings. I fert. with 1/4 tsp. of 20-20-20 when I water understanding that with so many roots and so little soil, they need food.

I have over 100 plants going and they are starting to get on my nerves. My set up was so cute when they were just little seeds all organized under the lights, sharing heating pads, and all at the same stage of growth. But now, they each have their own personalities along with their own growth habits and their own needs for water. Come to think of it, they are a bit like my children but a lot quieter. My kids, (13 and 15) claim they want their independence so I guess my seedlings are filling that void. LOL

Thanks again for your help, I still have about 3-4 wks for my tender annuals (warm soil, etc.) but I am hardening off some of my snaps, four o'clocks, stock, digitalis, delph., sweet peas and should be able to get them in the garden by this weekend. I am zone 6b. Pa.
Ally

You are hiliarious. Just to add my 1 cent, I'm of the mindset that they're not too root-bound to growup to be nice, healthy plants. There are many times when I've had a much larger root mass than your pictures indicate and have not had problems with my plants (but that's just been my experience).

It's a recent iteration of my seed starting efforts that I've engaged in the process of repotting seedlings. Most of the time, I take the seedlings from the starter tray after they've hardened off and plop them into a plot of earth (with the primary problem being the slugs and snails realizing there was a smorgasbord of edibles for them to destroy).

And, I've only recently become a 'repotter' out of necessity because I'm running out of space in the garden in comparison to the increased number of seeds I start. I've found repotting just buys me a bit of time...although it's probably best for the plants in the long run. I've honestly not noticed a difference in the growth habit of any of my plants either way but can certainly attest to the fact that I've successfully yielded much vegetation and flora from my collection of root-bound specimen.

Best,
Julie

Try planting your seeds deeper. An extra 1/4 to 1/2 inch will help remove the covers before they emerge.

HTH,
Jeanne

Thanks digdirt, tuscanseed and jeanne re feedback on seeds losing seed covers. Appreciate your assistance. Jeanne, you hit the nail on the head with planting depth. I replanted at approx. 3/8 to 1/2 and all seedllings have lost the covers. Fortunately, I have a wife with infinite patience who removed most of the clinging seed covers by hand and most of the plants look like they'll make it. On the down side, I now have enough seedlings to supply half of Michigan.

Okay then it sounds like I have a couple of weeks to go. I'm just impatient now! thanks

Lori

Some can be aggravatingly slow e.g. the "morning glory" that blooms in the evening has, in my experience, been hair pullingly slow to produce leaves.

Thanks, George! I guess I should keep them watered then, too? Wish I had started them earlier!

If it helps, they are the waxflower seeds offered by Gurney's

Here is a link that might be useful: 'Purple Belle' waxflowers

And there's the problem with common names. Your photo looks something like cerinthe major, were the seeds similar to large black beads but with edges, corners and not round, smooth?

Cerinthe - sow 1/4" deep, germination 5 - 21 days @ 70F. May be direct sown after danger of frost.

I don't buy seeds or plants either one from vendors who don't supply the botanical name...