6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed

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georgez5il(z5 IL)

Lightly cover the seed soil temp 70-78F & takes 15 days to germinate.... growing on temperature 60-68F takes 13-14 weeks to produce a 4" size plant.
use a fungicidal drinch every 30 days.

    Bookmark     February 21, 2008 at 9:16AM
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kms4me

Thanks George.

Kate

    Bookmark     February 21, 2008 at 12:58PM
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georgez5il(z5 IL)

The SOIL (not air) temperature needes to be 70F for germination. SO.... will get quicker results if start inside. BUT if willing to wait go ahead & plant outside

    Bookmark     February 21, 2008 at 9:20AM
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karyn1(7a)

I soak the seeds overnight and plant them about 1" deep. I put the whole thing in a large baggie which I open for a while every day or so to allow for air circulation. I keep the planting medium moist but not soggy. I also use bottom heat. They germinate in about 2 weeks.
Karyn

    Bookmark     February 20, 2008 at 4:44PM
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kitchenwitch38

Thank you so much for the help. Starting on them tonight.
Blessings
Kim

    Bookmark     February 20, 2008 at 5:24PM
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kayhh

Calendula flowers quickly up here in north-east michigan. And re-seeds readily. It comes in bright yellows, golds, oranges. I think I saw it in a burgandy as well, I may be mistaken.

Zinnia comes in a variety of sizes and does best when direct sown where it will grow. The profusion series is very popular and smallish in size compared to many varieties.

They have corms rather than seeds, but glads are a must have for cutting in my gardens. And you can space planting so that you have a constant supply of fresh blooms.

There are tons of flowers that are great for direct sowing in zones 4/5/6, but putting them in small pots is a tough limitation. ....Kay.

    Bookmark     February 18, 2008 at 7:58PM
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luvsgrtdanes

This is what I've done and had great success with:
Asters
Marigold
Cosmos do well in 10'' pots
Allysum smell wonderful on a patio
Snapdragons
Portulaca
verbena
Sweet peas do great direct sown
Morning glories do well with something to climb on 10'' pot

    Bookmark     February 20, 2008 at 12:46PM
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nordfyr315(5)

How moist is moist? Is placing them in the cold moist air of the garage enough or should they actually be wet as they would be if wrapped in a wet paper towel?

    Bookmark     February 19, 2008 at 11:56PM
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morz8(Washington Coast Z8b)

Moist is more moist than cold moist air, think along terms of approximately how damp a handful of wet sphagnum moss would be after you had squeezed it well in your hand, or even a kitchen sponge. I don't use the paper towel method myself so can't advise you there. What I have done - sown in moist (not soggy wet) seed starting medium or commercial potting soil, container then wrapped in saran, or seeds placed in a 1x3" zip lock with a tsp of moist sterile sand or moist vermiculite.

    Bookmark     February 20, 2008 at 2:58AM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

I'm perplexed about how you get it thoroughly wet (I soak) but final stage is like a wrung out sponge. Seems like you either have to let it dry for several days or not get it all that wet to start with.

Hi Ginny - I can only tell you how we do it in the greenhouse. We dump the bag of mix into a plastic dish tub-type container and pour on warm water while stirring the mix. Let it sit for 3-4 hours, stirring now and then. Once it is all well-wetted just pick it up by handfulls and squeeze out the excess water. The fistful of mix will now crumble a bit in your hand and gets packed into the seedling cells. Pop in the seeds and press them lightly into the soil, sprinkle a bit of dry mix on the top. If no dry is handy we sprinkle vermiculite on top (peat hardens into a crust so we don't use it). Spritz the cells, cover the tray or whatever container you are using, and the humidity generated in the flats will wet the top dry sprinkles and they will also soak up excess moisture from below.

I think it might help to think of the mix as needing to be "well-moistened" rather than as "well-soaked". ;) And don't worry about the 1/8th", as i said it is just a general guideline.

Dave

    Bookmark     February 19, 2008 at 8:59PM
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ginjj

Thanks for sharing your method Dave. I needed to be reminded how to accomplish that state of dampness and now I see. I really appreciate your help!!

Ginny

    Bookmark     February 19, 2008 at 9:12PM
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kayhh

Hi Dennis.

The room I use to start my seedlings has a ceiling fan and I find that to be all I need to keep the air flowing in the room sufficiently enough to prevent fungal problems. I run it at the medium setting for at least 8 hours a day. It is a smallish room and with the med setting I can detect just the slightest quiver on the little leaves...Kay.

    Bookmark     February 17, 2008 at 12:02PM
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patrizia007

I use an 8 inch box fan and it does not blow directly onto my seedlings. It blows upward towards the ceiling to circulate the air in the closed room. I have also used a small 5 inch round fan, however, the motors on them burn out for me too easily. I picked up my small box fan at Walgreens for about $6.00.

    Bookmark     February 18, 2008 at 9:32AM
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west9491(6)

guess i'm still stuck in the aquarium plant lighting lingo, where can i read up more about indoor lighting.

what are cold and warm flourescent, cuz i also have a 25 watt 36" flourescent single strip light (this one's not compact flourescent as you can see in the wattage)

    Bookmark     February 13, 2008 at 10:31AM
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karyn1(7a)

This light comparison chart might be helpful.
Karyn

Here is a link that might be useful: grow lights

    Bookmark     February 18, 2008 at 6:22AM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

Many herbs may take up to 2 weeks to germinate assuming proper moisture levels but providing them with more bottom heat will definitely improve your chances. Germination prefers consistent, steady bottom heat 24 hours a day until germination.

But when you say you "haven't let them dry out" I think it might be possible then that they have been over-watered. Seeds need lightly moist soil, not wet, to start with and too much water just causes the seed to rot before it can sprout. Try laying off the water a bit and giving them more bottom heat and see if they don't come through for you and meanwhile start some new ones just in case.

Good luck.

Dave

    Bookmark     February 17, 2008 at 10:23PM
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rachel_z6(7)

you may want to cover it to keep the moisture and heat in. That will keep the humidity up. I find that if soil is uncovered it dries out very quickly and it's easier to cover with plastic or a floating row cover than mist things twice a day.if the pans don't have drainage holes be careful about over-watering. If you put plastic over the rig, be sure to vent it during the day--it will be hot under there if the sun is out. mostly fine before things germinate, but if it's super hot and dry, then you'll lose your seedlings.

    Bookmark     February 16, 2008 at 10:33PM
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gemfire(z9/10 AZ)

I use the peat pellets to start my seeds. I put them inside a milk carton (cut in half and then taped back together) or something else with some kind of lid, this keeps them from drying out, usually on top of my refrigerator or freezer. After they get a good start I carefully remove the netting and plant them into a styrofoam coffee cup under lights until I am ready to transplant out into the yard. I've had pretty good luck this way.

Happy Gardening,
gemfire

    Bookmark     February 16, 2008 at 3:53AM
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vikingcraftsman

I grew over 50 sunflowers in them last year. This year I have 4 different types of sunflowers in them, radishes, dahlia seeds,marigolds, and others types of seeds. I have never removed the out side rap. I get them growing then plant pellet into dunkin donut cup full of potting soil. Last year I had a sunflower that was over nine foot tall. Some smaller seeds may be effected by the netting, but I have not had that problem.

    Bookmark     February 16, 2008 at 2:35PM
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carolacl

Since you are zone 9 you could actually sow outside---last frost date is mid to end February...you might want to wait until March 1st to be safe...Indoors you can start now for sure.

    Bookmark     February 13, 2008 at 1:24PM
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WOODSGRANNY(Z9 S LA.)

thanks to all,i'm going to give it try

    Bookmark     February 16, 2008 at 12:43PM
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bencjedi(6 - Central Kentucky)

Thanks for both your comments.

naturemitch, I'm not so sure that worm poop is the cause because the seedlings were started in a mix of worm poop, vermiculite and screened peat moss. One would think from the moment of germination they should 'know' the stuff by now. What I failed to mentioned was that in transplanting I also added two more light fixtures to my growing apparatus.. not to mention the new foam cup 'pots' are higher up than the plastic tubs the seeds were originally started in, so the tomato plants are in much more closer proximity to increased light. Also when I transplanted the very leggy tomato plants, I buried them quite deep. I think I just all-around shocked them.

The plants look about the same as they did yesterday. It must be quite warm under 8 cool-whie T8s because the soil in the smaller 6-packs where I have marigolds, brussel sprouts, broccoli and varieties of lettuce was nearly completely dry (again) today. I'll need to water them daily or cut back on the duration of the light (16 hours/day). What do you think?

I am hesitant to really "mess around" and just observe the next several days. I'll see if they start looking better.

    Bookmark     February 15, 2008 at 11:39PM
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naturemitch(3/4 WI)

Hello again,

I would hold tight to the light schedule, i usually keep mine on a 14-16 hr. cycle. I would just water more if you are seeing the soil get dry that quickly. You might want to lay a thermometer next to your seedlings or stick one into the soil medium and see just how warm the area is. I buy the fish tank ones(couple of bucks) and they give information on how warm my seed plunge is or how warm a specific container is(I actually stick it into the substrate). Works great.

Did your seedlings actually touch the bulbs...then i could readily understand them being burnt. If it was me i would be curious just how warm it is or isn't under those lights. I've only burnt some coleus and that was when they started pushing themselves against the lights.

I too would hold tight and see what happens...burying those seedlings was good too:)

m

    Bookmark     February 15, 2008 at 11:59PM
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genie_lou(6PA)

From Jane Pepper's Garden, the book in which she gives instruction month-by-month for zone 6, she says she waits to start Cauliflower in mid-March for transplanting to the garden in mid-April. May 15th is the last date for frost in Philly.

    Bookmark     February 15, 2008 at 11:50PM
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edspegel(z5 Mi)

thanks for sharing your experience. the 50-55F is easy in my basement so germination is no problem. Springs here in mich. are cool and damp so they should be ok but that's when they die. i'm going to keep trying tho.
woody i have some red orientals in my garden too and at there peak there quite a sight.why i want the blue just to see if i can do it i guess.

    Bookmark     February 15, 2008 at 10:45AM
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sewobsessed

These wintersow very, very well. It seems it's the only way I can get good results with poppies, period.

Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing Forum

    Bookmark     February 15, 2008 at 1:48PM
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