6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
Would suggest you read winter sowing forum FAQ for easy way to start many plants. For me lettuce, spinach could be started early outside but toms , peppers and eggplants do need to be started indoor due to my summer quite short. You are in warmer zone than me but am not sure about your summer. You might want to try to grow early growing toms, peppers and eggplants- like Stupice, Siberian toms or smaller eggplants which need only 55-60 days to ripen instead of usual 80.
Hi jimla - There are many ways a cold frame can be incorporated into your garden. It all depends on (1) the exact nature of your cold frame as there are many very different ones on the market, (2) your weather, and (3) how much work and/or monitoring of it you will be free and willing to do.
For example, a frame that is portable, well insulated, and open on the bottom can be used to plant things in-ground both earlier and later in the year. It is used to extend you season on both ends in other words. Cole crops and leafy greens are really good crops for this. It will require close monitoring during the day as it can get quite warm inside so an auto-open vent is helpful.
While heat loving plants like tomatoes and peppers would do fine in it during the day, they would likely require some additional heat at night to maintain a minimum temp of 50 degrees - depending on your weather.
A cold frame that is totally enclosed, including the bottom, is used differently so we would need some additional details on your type of cold frame - size, insulation, venting, portability, etc.
I have linked a good set of discussions below - just scroll down to the links banded in blue - and I hope this helps you. Good luck! ;)
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: Cold frames discussions
Even sterile soilless mixes can get infested with pests depending on how long they lay around exposed - some dealers store them outside for months before shelving them for sale. But I agree with calistoga - the odds are that you got weevil infested seeds and as directed cold stratification and then scarifying them will usually sort out the good from the bad.
Dave
Hi Garden,
I feel the same way. I don't have the time or interest to "worry over" plants. I've never sowed seeds indoors. I plant hardy native varieties that establish theselves readily. Wintersowing works well for me- I make the little flats and forget about them till I want to plant them out. But, I also take the same approach with the cold frames and other methods, too.
It sounds cliche, but every garden, and gardener, is different. I am sure you will find the best approach for you. I did do a lot of reading in the wintersowing forum, and the meadows forum, along with this forum. The main thing I learned is- when done in small batches- seeds are cheap! That gave me the courage to experiment more widely.
I am also working in large areas. I have several acres I am working to restore as best I can.
I'm in MI, too.
Let me know if you want more information, I'llbe glad to share whatever I know.
I'll look forward to rading about your progress in the fourms. :-)
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS WEATHER!!!!!!!! What's up w/ the temps????? It's in the 60's here!!!!!!!!!!
Snow is gone in the Detroit area. . . . Wonder how it is up north where this seed is going.
If I can catch this weather before another snowstorm ~ I'll be gold!
If not sown in potting medium or seed starting mix of some sort, your seeds should be in a tiny plastic zip lock, small container of some kind, with a bit of moist sterile sand or moist vermiculite.
They can't be allowed to dry out again now that you've soaked them. I use the zip locks with vermiculite or will sow and wrap the pot in saran wrap before putting in my fridge.
I use one plain 40 watt cool along with a full spectrum in each shoplight, to save money, since I have 6 fixtures. I have complete success keeping the lights no more than one inch or less from seedlings. I even use the warm spot on top of the fixture for paks that need warmth to germinate.
susan...I like the idea of putting the packs on top of the lights that need starting. Never would have thought of that.
I was wondering how I was going to increase the soil temps the 5 or so degrees needed for optimum temps. This looks like it might be the way to do it.
Mark-
Mike, first, your tumbling toms are hybrids, you could find yourself growing other tomatoes from saved seed.
You're getting good germination, so your seeds are viable - the problem you are having must have something to do with your growing conditions for the seedlings and not how you cared for the seeds.
I'm not sure what you mean by bolt. Lettuce, basil, spinach will 'bolt' meaning flower and set seed (often turning the leaves bitter for eating) when exposed to warmer temps or with age. I wonder if you aren't seeing damp off, or transplant shock, something with your repotting process?
I agree with Kate. That's how I do it. Be careful, though. Poppies, larkspur, nigella, bachelor buttons, all need early spring cool weather to germinate, but others may be killed by late frosts.
If you really want success, water the seeded area daily, never ever letting it dry out, till seedlings are up and can manage on thier own with just rain.
I agree, don't use potting soil for the reasons kms-4me stated above. However, don't wait until spring to sow annual poppy (and Larkspur) seed. Sow them now. Just throw them on the ground and tamp them down. Winter weather won't bother them. I don't bother to water them. Let it rain and snow on them. They will germinate in early spring.
Next year when the Poppy and Larksppur seed dries on the plant, sprinkle it around right then. These are self seeding plants.
Hi Jill. I do alot of container growing because the sunniest spot in our gardens is the one filled with cedar roots and rocks. So, I grow plants of all sorts, in large containers and tubs.(Just a big container). I have a feeling that 'container plant'in this case means that if the plant isn't totally hardy in your zone, planting it in a container will allow you to move it inside or to a sheltered place during the cold months. I don't know what "China Doll" is, although I think it is considered a container plant in zone 8 for the aforementioned reason. In fact, I think that at one time I had one that we used as a house plant and eventually moved into a "tub", so we could let it summer over on our covered porch. If you are starting from seed, start the seed indoors in a small pot, over heat. If you don't have a heating cable, you can use a wet/dry heating pad. Set the seed container in a tray and place it on the pad. Or, set the seed container in a sunny window. Once sprouted it will require light right away so the little seedlings don't 'reach' for the light and become etiolated; i/e develop long stringy stems. Then, of course, you would transplant to larger pots, as needed to accomadate the roots. I hope this makes sense to you. If not just jot another post or email me. Have a great 2008!
Hi plant_lubber, that sounds like damping off. I included a link to a really easy explanation and how to prevent it from happening again. The link is an excerpt from a seedstarting book that really helped me as a beginner figure out which seeds I wanted to start and how. I also started with a basic seedstarting kit (there are bunches out there) that gave me everything I needed--sterile soil, fertilizer, cells and cover... now I've figured out my own system but it helps to have that extra ease at the beginning... good luck!
Here is a link that might be useful: damping off
For me, the key to preventing this damping off fungus is constant air circulation. Once I tried closing the window and I got the fungus within 2 days. In 30 years I never had it before, so I continue to keep a window cracked open a half inch, all through winter. You can use a fan.
Also, keep the soil tops from being glistening wet (bottom water and discard extra water after a few minutes), sprinkle finely milled sphagnum moss (mold preventer)on top of seeded soil, and immediately remove plastic covering when seeds sprout.
You'll get the knack with education and experience. Have fun!
I will post a shaggy description on the experiments forum since nothing I do with rooting has anything to do with seed. Now lets see if I can crate a link. I think the link below will work
Here is a link that might be useful: Midwinter cuttings, Gardenweb experiments forum.
My notes on Torenia say takes 12-15 weeks to set out so... if start both at the same time transplant the impatiens in a 4" pot so will have enough room to stay healthy.
Traditionaly the range of dates is to allow for differences in container size, soil temp, light etc.