Who's growing what from seed?

[Seajay]

Originally Posted by Susie

I soak anything that I am going to put into seed trays (as opposed to sprinkling directly onto the garden).

My mum did a trial for a seed company a number of years ago whereby they suggested she sowed some seed directly as per packet instructions and the rest she put in a jam jar with a bit of warm water and kept it in the airing cupboard for a couple of days. In all instances the seed in the jam jar germinated quicker and had a better growth rate thereafter than the seed sown directly.

The only problem with this arises when the seed is tiny because it becomes very fiddly then. To get around this I sprinkle the seed on wet kitchen paper and after it germinates I cut the kitchen towel into squares and put this directly onto the compost in the pot I am potting up. I sprinkle a bit more compost across the top for good measure.

Sorry I haven't responded sooner to you reply Susie - am on my night shifts you see.
Very interesting experiment. If you actually spaced the seed out onto paper this should eliminate any damping off. This is an excellent idea! Well done to your Mum! 62 yrs of age and |I'm still learning!
I shall experiment myself this Spring!
p.s. As a further safeguard you could still use Cheshunt Compound solution soaked into the paper.

[Goosegogs]

A while ago in one of the gardening magazines about using newspaper to make your own seed tapes with wallpaper paste (could use flour and water?). Never got round to doing any myself (though was thinking of doing them with carrot seeds).
Sowing - have started chillis and a couple of basils. Looking forward to next month when I'll sow tomatoes and some brassicas etc (plus going to Ryton for seed potatoes).

[Adam Cheeseman]

I try and grow a range of wild species with varying degrees of success. I am lucky in that most things will grow in my garden if I just chuck the soil on the ground as my magnificent crop of Red Campion will testify.
I am particularly pleased with the results I have had for Green Hound's-tongue, Water Avens, and Wild Clary.

Cheers,

Adam

[elleme]

I love growing from seed, it's so exciting watching your 'babies' coming up.

I just started off some chilli seeds indoors yesterday and soaked some sweetpea seeds - I must remember to sow them today. Apart from that I was scattering a few seeds direct for verbena bonariensis and nigella for exactly where I wanted them to go outside (of course it doesn't always turn out that way!) I have one spot in the garden that has plants coming up quite late which only get into their stride after midsummer, so I want something else there which will do its thing in the first half of the year. I think I might have some spare columbine seed around, that might do the trick in that spot.

I also transferred some broad beans which were started off in the GH in autumn but didn't germinate until the new year. I don't know why I bothered sowing in the GH as a few sown outside at the same time germinated just a couple of days later.

I grew foxgloves from seed (sown in summer) a couple of years ago and now I will probably always have them because of the massive amount of seed they set - not that I want to be free of them!

I have a couple of new fruit bushes planted before Xmas (japanese wineberry, whitecurrant) and want to place pots with low-growing annuals underneath them so they wouldn't be competing too much in the soil, as bare soil is not a good look in a small garden. Maybe poached egg plant or nasturtium?

[Jez]

I'm hoping to grow Wood Vetch up on some trellis I have at the back of my house. The only thing is the seed needs to be cracked (suggested to file down or cut using saw) It's so fiddly to hold the seed and cut at the same time! Has anyone got any tips on the best way of doing this?

[Susie]

Originally Posted by Seajay

Sorry I haven't responded sooner to you reply Susie - am on my night shifts you see.
Very interesting experiment. If you actually spaced the seed out onto paper this should eliminate any damping off. This is an excellent idea! Well done to your Mum! 62 yrs of age and |I'm still learning!
I shall experiment myself this Spring!
p.s. As a further safeguard you could still use Cheshunt Compound solution soaked into the paper.

Give it a go, Seajay. I would be interested to see how you progress.

Some Vebena bonnensis were put on wet paper last Monday and put in a warm place. By Saturday some of the seeds had started to germinate. Tomorrow I am going to transplant them into my fabulous contraption for growing them on.

Jez: Would crushing the seeds lightly do too much damage to the inside?

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Susie

Jez: Would crushing the seeds lightly do too much damage to the inside?

Cracked it lol

[Susie]

Originally Posted by paddy

a friend just told me a neat trick to keep the cost down - i've been using the small peat pots as transplant homes, which go in the ground direct and break down slowly. She said she kept old toilet roll centres and used them - just placed on a solid base until the roots themselves bind the compost. Then just pops them in a hole! Apparently her school kids aren't allowed to do this any more for hygiene reasons!! Won't stop me though - its the least of m'worries...

Hi Paddy,

I have tried this with a batch of seedlings and have a problem with the toilet roll tubes going mouldy. It doesn't seem to have had an affect on the seedlings so far so I am hoping there won't be a problem. Did your friend mentioned anything about this and anyway of stopping it from happening?

Cheers,

Sooze.

[paddy]

i noticed this with the peat pots too - particularly the ones i stood in a tray, and just watered straight into the tray, allowing for absorption. I'm gonna try direct - and less generous -watering this year. Like you though, i never noticed any bad effects to the seedlings.
The advantage gained is just the one transplant. I'm definitely going to wait longer before putting them into the ground though. When the root structure starts to penetrate the wall is supposed to be right. I'm just impatient though!!

[Susie]

Thanks, Paddy. It is good to know that this happens with the peat pots too and that there is no long term damage to the plants as a result.