6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
How did you use it? It would be very unusual for fertilizer to kill plants unless you had put it on the leaves. It is supposed to be worked into the soil, and the label warns to wash off leaves. Like other granular fertilizers, it is supposed to be activated by water so I don't understand the "crumbled by rain" comment.
I've only tried the Lavender variety "Lady", and I had blooms mid summer last year from it so I went with it again this year and have 7 small starts. I use the wet coffee filter in baggie method for germination, which usually takes less than a week...give or take. If you're unaware of what that method is. Wet a coffee filter (bleached/unbleached whatever) thourougly, sprinkle the seeds on it, fold it up then place in a plastic baggie. Blow a puff of air into the baggie before sealing it up. I then place the baggie (for other seeds/plants as well) on top of my cable box (for gentle bottom heat), and check every day to make sure the filter stays moist, and for germination. Once germination occurs, proceed as normal into seed starting mix/under lights.
Hope this helps...could be the variety, or method you're using for germination....hope it helps...
Todd In Philly
I planted snapdragons from seed last year. They were a little slow to handle the sun. Like you I put them out in the shade (like your overcast days) and after a few days into the sun. I learned that I had to start them in the early morning full sun and then move them into the shade come around 10 am. Hard to do for you if you work outside the home though. After a few days of this, they seemed to handle the sun okay.
The good news is that their final planting spot was in some planters that were in full sun. They did very well all summer. I did plant them in the MG Moisture control potting soil.
Years ago I had managed to gather leaves to about 1' thick on my 30x75 garden. It took a lot of work and was very productive. We had a large "dust devil" and it picked up and scattered every leaf from my garden all over the neighborhood. My neighbors were very upset and needless to say so was I.
You will know the answer as soon as you knock the seedlings out of the tray. (Or dig them out). It's a bad thing to recommend, but I always knock my seedlings out of the community pot (in my case) and see what's what. THEN I decide what pots to move them to. -- The risky part is taking too long to decide with the baby seedlings exposed, but I have never had any trouble with it at all.
Sometimes I am totally surprised by the huge root development, and sometimes I put them right back where they were to contintue growing bigger rots before transplanting.
The roots will tell you the size and shape of the pot. Tomatoes can (should) also be planted deeper, so a nice deep pot or cell pack would probably be ideal.
None of this directly answers your question about soil blocks, but I think the answer lies in asking you a question: Are the soil blocks big enough and deep enough to allow unfettered growth for the next couple of weeks?
LIme
Good question, limequilla. The blocks I would transplant them into would be the 4 inch blocks. I think anything smaller would affect their growth. There is a 4 inch block maker that you can put a spacer in that gives a 2 inch hole in the top, with the reasoning being that you started with 2 inch soil blocks and are transplating them into the 4 inch size.
nygardener-If I got the block maker with 2 inch spacer like the one described above, it would fit my 1 3/4 inch cells. I'm not sure I want to experiment with transplanting them into 4 inch blocks at this point. I may wait until next year to start them from scratch with soil blocks.
WoW! I started seeds 6-8 weeks ago in an unheated greenhouse! Not much luck here.
I think I used the wrong soil.
I would use starts if I were you. It's kinda late to start things from seed (except for starts for the fall or things in the shade such as lettuce etc.)
Good luck! Nancy
The poppies I transplanted into the garden are nearly invisible, they are still so small. The poppies I wintersowed are nearly invisible they are so small. The poppies I direct sowed are nearly invisible they are so small. The good news is if I am wearing my glasses and get really close, I can see they are alive! LOL!
The California poppies look unhappy, but there is no reason for it. They look like they are getting too much sun, but they don't even get a full day since they are on the west side of the house. I'm sure California poppies like full sun, so I'm not sure what is going on.
Lime
I run lights 16-18 hours per day both before and after germination. I cover trays with clear plastic domes before germination and the "greenhouse effect" warming from the lights is enough to germinate the seeds quickly without any bottom heat. I take the domes off for an hour once or twice a day to air out the plantings so they won't grow mold, and remove them when most of the seeds have germinated (usually a day or two after the first ones germinate).
I am a little more cavalier than most people. I start them in community pots - one pot per variety - under lights and never turn the lights off. I use blocks of wood or overturned pots to get those puppies right up under the lights as soon as they are sown.
If I have plastic I might use it as a greenhouse-thing, or if I have space on the little heat mat I have, I might put them on that, too.
The worst thing that can happen in my experience is for those just germinating seedlings to have no light the first 12 hours they come up out of the soil or soilless mix. That is how the legginess happens. Most all of my seedlings are very, very stocky.
Lime
Carol, I always keep ALL of my seed in the refrigorator. I actually have a refrigorator just for them now. Anything that is coming in a "planting mix" probably does not need to be chilled before planting, but it won't hurt them any. Any extra that you want to hang on to for next year, put in an airtight container (I recycle Mayo and peanut butter jars for this) with a packet of silica gel if you have one. I started tomatoe seeds this year that are ten years old with 85% germination!!
B
Carol, I don't have any experiences with mixes, but I wouldn't think a seed company would put seeds with greatly different germination requirements in the same package. You're probably safe in following the suggestions on the seed envelope back...Do they tell you what time of year to sow?
But I did want you to know when you come across a seed that needs stratifying (a chill to break dormancy), the chill must be moist. Dry in the refrigerator is a good way to store, but it's storage.
Scattered thundershowers would save you a bit of work in not needing to water to keep your seeds moist....unless, you are expecting a deluge that could move your seeds around or wash them loose. :)