6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
Oops stuck the link on the wrong post. Apologies. Check out the answers there.
Here is a link that might be useful: Your other post
Like New Guinea impatiens they are usually grown from cuttings as far as I know. But since they are in the same balsamina family my guess would be you'd use the same germination guidelines.
I linked the TM instructions for balsamina germination below. It's a different variety but the instructions are the same. I hope it helps. Good luck.
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: TM Balsamina germination tips
Here a link to your other post with answers posted. ;)
Here is a link that might be useful: Your other post
i'm thanking you so much!! i grow them to a point and then usually they die. i'm hoping this year they actually live. i have winter sown some of my seeds.and grown some in the house regularly. in cups in a pan, i just transplanted them into a barrel that is maybe 2 1/2 ft deep. so hopefully they will take off til spring.
I would still check at home building centers, such at Lowe's in your area. They likely have seed starting mix available. It will be much less hassle than trying to mix your own. The Peat Moss is also much coarser than the ready seed starting mix and contains larger matter that's hard to deal with when you use seed starting pots that are so small. Walmart and Meijers as grocery chains also carry seed starting mix. Meijers has weekly sales on and off for the mix at a better price than the regular $3.99 per bag. I believe the Meijers mix is made by a company called Hoffman and is very good.
I'm growing Calif. native salvias. Last summer I did a lot of online research on growing media (having known nothing previously), and I decided to mix my own peat-lite type of growing medium. Alas, I couldn't find things like dolomite lime locally, at least not in suitable quantities (HD had a tiny bag). I settled for EB Stone "Seed Starter Mix," which is a peat-lite type of mix, though it doesn't state the proportions of each component. This has worked well for seeds. I might have used Jiffy Mix if I'd found it earlier. For the potted seedlings I'm using Sunshine Mix #1, which is a peat-lite mix with a bit of fertilizer thrown in. It comes in 3.3 cu ft bales. I had at one point intended to use the seed-starter mix with a bit of compost or fertilizer for the potted seedlings, but it would have cost a fortune compared to the big bag of Sunshine Mix. So far, I'm happy with the results of both media that I'm using.
I agree with calistoga - the covers are for germinating purposes only, not for growing on. This is assuming you are growing them inside rather than outside. If outside, then yes, the Wintersowing Forum can explain what all to do next. It has an excellent FAQ section on all the basics.
And you might wish to check out all the FAQ's posted here as well - linked below and at the top of the forum's front page - they cover all the basics of Growing from Seed - including your questions. ;)
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: Growing from Seed FAQ's
Not needed. While heat is required for germination, once sprouted the majority of seedlings prefer cooler growing conditions.
Your lights will produce some heat from the ballasts and if you wish to contain it to insure night temps are acceptable you can enclose the shelf area in clear plastic or do what I do - use the cheap aluminum "survival blankets" they sell in the camping section of Walmart etc. They unfold to make a tough aluminum sheet about 4x6' and cost about $2.00 each. They not only contain the humidity and the heat from the lights but also reflect it 10 fold to increase the light available to the plants.
Enjoy your seedlings. ;)
Dave
Another suggestion, if you are concerned with night temps getting too cold, is to run your lights at night and have you lights off during the day. This will keep your night temps warmer due to the heat from the lights. Your garage has to be light proof otherwise the plant's dark period will be disturbed by sunlight. Good luck
Well, I think it all depends on your situation. The needs of a commercial operation are quite different from someone who is just growing a few plants for a home garden.
For me, it's just simpler to plant in a larger pot and avoid transplanting. I use plastic drink cups which don't take up a lot of room and I plant into a potting mix that has a modest amount of fertilizer in it. Well, except for tomatoes...those I do pot up since there does seem to be a benefit from burying their stem a bit.
I use roughly the same amount of seed that I would in a flat, since you always need to plant extra in either case. And I know it's not "sterile" but I haven't had problems yet. The plants grow fast and strong and it's much simpler. Again, in a commercial operation, doing this would be much riskier.
I'd be interested in any studies that show better results as far as root development and such.
Thanks for your response. FWIW -- to check the viability,I chipped or scarified a few seeds 10 days or so ago. I rolled them in a slightly wet piece of paper towel, and put the roll in an old pill container, closed it up and set it on the top of my computer monitor where it remained slightly warm. I checked them daily and two days ago, I noticed that a root was emerging from one of the seeds so I took it out and planted it. We shall seewhat happens next. I still don't know how fast they grow into 4" pot size or if they transplant well from that size.
I start all of my seeds under shoplights, and place newly sown flats under the lights BEFORE germination. The lights warm up the soil and help the seeds to germinate. I turn the lights off at night for the dark period. It's worked for me for decades.
And at the link below is a list of plants that are reported by the UNM, (I think that is the University of New Mexico but I didn't check.), that do need light to germinate. The list says nothing about how much light or when the light is needed. It is posted on the extension service website.
Here is a link that might be useful: Seeds that need light to germinate.
You still haven't answered if you've seen little gnats flitting around all over the place.
Coleus need as much light as you can find indoors. The exception to that would be if you were germinating in a greenhouse.
You could purchase some horticultural grade diatomaceous earth and sprinkle a good layer of that on top of the soil. That will help kill off soil critters.
oh sorry, yeah, today i did see some gnats.
i made an A frame out of a sticky note w/ maple syrup on top, my makeshift gnat trap at least til i go out and get one.
thanks, i think i'll get some of the diatomaceous earth. i can use it outdoors this spring and summer too.
god, i'm sick of winter..lol
For Z7 you should be able to start them any time now. I'm 6B and started my first ones this week and will stagger start over the next 2 weeks for plant out end of April and 1st week of May. When it comes to the weather all we can do is hedge our bets and have some spares saved to replace any a late frost gets. ;)
Good luck.
Dave
I need to make a correction on the sow date. According to my notes I sowed them on Jan 21, not the 10th.
The soil is Miracle Gro potting mix. As for the strain, it was just one I happened to pick up and later learned it is on our extention agency's list of good varieties for this area. While I have some experience growing flowers and certain vegetables from seed, I've never grown broccoli before, this is my first attempt. We shall see what happens.
Easy to do - Here is a bunch of info links from Google How to make paper pots?
Just cut long strips of newspaper the width = to how tall you want the pot to be. Then wrap the strip several times around any round object - pop can, rolling pin, whatever. The diameter of what you wrap around determines the diameter of the pot.
As you wrap, leave 1 1/2" of the paper extending below the can, tape or staple the end of the wrap and fold the 1 1/2" of the bottom over into pleats. Slip it off the can and you have a paper pot. ;)
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: Making Paper Pots
You can just form them around any container that is the size you want and tape the edges. Paper tapes are biodegradable.
Personally, I didn't like using them. They did not want to stand up on their own, I thought that they dried out too quickly when spaced apart and had a tendancy to mold when too close together. You still have to remove the plant from the paper pot when transplanting becuase it will take weeks and perhaps months for the paper to fully disinegrate so you risk the plant drying out or getting root bound. The only thing I did like about them is that I could just tuck the paper pot under the mulch as I planted. No clean-up is always good in my book.
Besides, as I get older, I find my time becomes more and more valuable. It's a whole lot faster to pick up cups in a large variety of sizes than to make them at a dollar store.
Thanks a lot. I will start my cauliflower and onions today.
My husband just bought me a small walk in green house. Wondering if anyone knows when I can safely start my warm season veggie seeds in it. I do not / & won't - have heat in it- it is 6' long, 4' wide, 6' tall. Plastic sheeting over powder coated metal frame. Never did this before! What can I start in it now, zone 7, the Piedmont area? Dying to get started! Any help will be appreciated!