help with seeds?

[CJK]

I gorwing some seeds and ran out of room in the propagator thingy, so my grna said i can put them in a plastic tub with a bag over it, clear bag

But there's little wisps of what looks like white mouldy stuff growing on top of the peat, is this noirmal? SOME of the seeds are growing, but SOME arent, been about 2 weeks now, so am guessing the others arent gonna grow.

Just wondered if this was noraml though?

[EmmaG]

CJ this mould is quite normal, however I normally take off the bags or the covers if the seeds have actually germinated, but this depends on where you are growing them, is it indoors or outside. The mould can kill some seedlings.

To stop the mould in future you can use a little bit of cheshunt compound mixed in with your water to water them, it is a fungicide.

[CJK]

oh thanks emma. I dont have a clue lol. Am gorwing these ones indoors. i'm using one of them large lucnh box style things that is split into two halves, one side withone lot of seed other side with diff type.

I rather stupidly assumed all seeds grew at the same rate lol

erm....i havent actually watered them yet, is that right? the peat ahs remained damp from the bag being over it.

Boy do i have a lot to learn about seeds and gardening lol


thanks so mcuh, you jsut saved the lives of about 100 seedlings lol

[dinahsmum]

Oh sorry - missed this earlier. Emma is spot on
(I wish seed packagers would put the anticipated germination time, or range of times for germination - It would help everyone. Some seeds are up in no time (mustard & cress, radish, lettuce) some take ages.)

[EmmaG]

CJ if the soil is damp don't water them, only water them when/if the top has dried out a bit, I usually do it when the soil goes a lighter colour, or shove your finger in and see if it feels damp :) . Yes seeds do germinate at different speeds :)

Good idea DM!!! perhaps you should suggest that to the seed companies ;)

[CJK]

oh i knew cress grew quicker, only cos the kids grew it at school alst year lol


thanks for the help, apreciate it

[EmmaG]

Anytime CJ, although I am no expert gardener ;) just picked up the odd tips here and there :)

[dinahsmum]

feeling the weight is quite a good way of knowing if it is wet enough or needs watering. Next time you give them a good water pick up the tray and 'remember' (i.e.in your head) the feel of that weight.

[CJK]

thanks DM will try that.

if they grow it'll be the first time any seeds I have grown without sowing them straight into the ground haveactually grown

[Donna]

Two novice gardeners needing help now!!! My seeds have come up in one tray (said germination 7 -30 days). Said keep in dark. Do I keep them in the dark even though they have now come up or do they need light now?

Also the other tray has NONE come up yet!!!! Different seed and needed light but NOTHING!!

[EmmaG]

Donna I think the seeds that have germinated can now come out of the dark, I know some seeds need to germinate in the dark, the others sound as if they are just taking their time.

Which seeds needed the darkness to germinate??

[Donna]

They are Statice Sinuata. Other ones are Impatiens.

Here is a piccy of the ones that were in the dark.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/donnamcg/mar11002.jpg

[EmmaG]

well they look good enough to come out of the dark now....I have no idea what they are though....lol I know a very limited number of plants. You will need to thin them out (replant them) perhaps in a few days. I am sure DM can give you better advice than me.

Sounds like the Impatiens just need a bit longer.

[Donna]

They look too delicate to touch if you think I should thin them out Emma!!!

These are the ones Emma did so she is happy and mine have done nothing which she thinks is funny!!!

[EmmaG]

lol you can wait until they get their true leafs, the ones you see at the moment are their seed leafs, and these are what you should hold when planting them on, don't hold them by the stalks.

[dandysmom]

No, Donna, once they have germinated put them in a sunny window...you will have to check to see if they need watering more frequently now, as they will be growing rapidly & take up the water. If you & CJ will tell me what seeds they are, maybe I can help with germination times: have a neat table with lots of different seed germination times listed...many seed packets do list this: I order from Thompson & Morgan, a UK company with offices here in the states & all my packets have this info. Yes, some seeds need to be in the dark while sprouting, others need light at that time. Let me know if I can help with any of this, have been growing from seed since the Dark Ages:roll: :-D & while I'm no expert, have been there & done that:-D Eileen

[Donna]

See my post no 12 in this thread DM! Says what they are

[CJK]

i forgot what i planted!!!!!! and threw away the packets
woops

[Donna]

i forgot what i planted!!!!!! and threw away the packets
woops

Luckily i remembered to tape the packet wrapper to the seed tray!!:)

[dandysmom]

See my post no 12 in this thread DM! Says what they are
Sorry, Donna; missed that...statice germination time is either 7 to 10 days or 10 to 15 days, depending on the warmth; impatiens is 15 to 20 days. I've never done impatiens from seed, usually buy a few in flats from the garden center. Would be interested in knowing how they do for you. Please feel free to PM me if you think I can help!

[dandysmom]

Speaking of seed germination, the radishes I planted outdoors on the 9th came up today!!:D

[Mags]

That was quick Dandysmom!

[dandysmom]

Actually, 5-7 days is about normal for radishes, and remember we had 4 days of false Spring here in Washington...made 86 degrees yesterday!!! Today chilly, sunny & howling winds: 15-20 mph with gusts to 35!! And may snow on Friday...but radishes are tough & don't mind cold weather ( I DO!!); the furnace has cut on again today & Leia & Patches are toasting themselves on the radiator covers!!:-D Hope everyones seeds are sprouting well...I will start mine on St. Patrick's Day...indoor ones, that is:D

[Donna]

Forgot to ask ~ now my seeds have "appeared" do I leave the lid on the seed tray or do they need some fresh air now?

[EmmaG]

Donna once they have germinated if they are in a warmish place you should be safe to take the lid off them, once they are about and inch or so tall

[Donna]

Donna once they have germinated if they are in a warmish place you should be safe to take the lid off them, once they are about and inch or so tall

Thanks Emma,

Although worry the cats might think it is an extra litter tray!:shock:

[Julie84]

Although worry the cats might think it is an extra litter tray!:shock:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Well done at growing the seeds! Seeds never even sprout when I try to grow them even though I follow the instructions to the letter! :roll: I just stick to bulbs now! Bulbs never let me down! :lol:

I had a lovely amaryllis recently which was beautiful despite me forgetting to water it for about 5 weeks!!! :oops: :lol:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y32/jpstott/AUT_4503.jpg

[CJK]

well today i palnted cat grass and catnip seeds,s o see if they grow lol.

[dandysmom]

CJ, I hope the kids will eat the cat grass...I bought a small flat of it a few years back & my 2 turned up their noses at it...so I gave it to Carolyn and her Kate refused to eat it also:roll: Thre catnip should do fine; put some outdoors when it warms up & it will re-seed itself...I haven't bought any in years.

[CJK]

oooh i ddint realise it re-seeded itself!!! i had never seen a catnip plant until somebody on here posted a piccy of thier cat near it.

saw some gorgeous patio roses near me yesterday 1.75 each, gorgeous little pinks or yellows, so going to get some, i love roses and always wanted some.

when weather warms up going to sew the snow cloth outside, not sure about marigold seeds, nigella seeds and cornflower seeds, as we;re wanting to move house this year, so i may hang off until we know if we are or not.

[CJK]

oh and that amaryllis is gorgeous!!!!

[Donna]

Can you buy seeds to grow catnip plants outside and if so what are they called does anybody know?

[EmmaG]

Nepeta Cataria

http://www.greenchronicle.co.uk/acatalog/Catnip.html

:)

[Donna]

Thanks Emma!!

You seem to know everything!

[EmmaG]

Google is my friend ;)

[Donna]

Google is my friend ;)

Now why dont I ever think of that???:shock:

[EmmaG]

lol I use google for most things I want to find, articles, shops etc :)

[dinahsmum]

I've never grown nepeta from seed - garden centres always have young plants in pots and it grows well - if your cats give it a chance!

[CJK]

i google everything too lol. Mine were just called catnip seeds lol. but i got em from ebay cos i cant get to a garden centre. hoe theyre easy to grow from seeds cos I am the worlds worst gardener. My mum says i could even kill a plastic plant lol

[logoes]

The seeds that have sprouted need light - not bright sunlight though. If they don't have light they will grow long, leggy and white, not healthy, and die. Leave the other seed for a little lo nger, as none have come up yet it will be that they take longer to germinate. Just keep checking them each day. Logoes

[logoes]

Ooops - sorry, missed out a couple opf pages of replies and now realise you had had all the information already.Logoes

[Donna]

Ooops - sorry, missed out a couple opf pages of replies and now realise you had had all the information already.Logoes

No worries - its good to get lots of advice!!!:p

[dandysmom]

CJ, the marigolds & cornflowers should do very well; germinate easily & grow like weeds; don't know nigella so looked it up in the Thompson & Morgan catalogue, & germination is 14-30 days; says "easy". I've never grown catnip from seed, started years ago with a pot from the garden center; as I said it reseeds like mad outside, so sure it would be easy to do indoors. I to use Google for everything...wonder how we ever got along without it!!Patio roses sound lovely...go for them!:-D

[CJK]

when i get around to it am gonna gather together all my pots, and re-fill with fresh compost put some patio roses in some, and find something nice for the others.
NO sign to the cat grass yet! lol.
I have no idea how i managed withough google lol.

IN one pot i kinda got this ivy looking plant. my hubby swears it's an indoor plant but it's been in the pot since last srping and is still alive, it looks nice, trails over the edge of the pot.

It was nice last year as i had all pink and red begonia's (brought as plants though lol)

if i grow plants and we move house can i tale them with me? ie dig em up?
Just thinking we got no idea when we're going to move.
mind you for 19p a a packet for the seeds i dont know if it's worth moving them all.

getting the garden fence fixed this week, slumlords finally doing it,been fallen over for 6 months. theyre also fixing a stuck window after 2 years and a broken back door lock, thats been four years waiting! (i cant lock the back door from the outside, somebody tried breaking in with a screwdriver or seomthing and bent the lock)

anyway, back to plants.
the nigella are called persian jewels also. Never seen them before, but they were cheap in netto so thoguht why not lol

[Donna]

if i grow plants and we move house can i tale them with me? ie dig em up?


Yes you can Cj as long as you fill in what you are taking/leaving correctly on the questionnaire you will recieve from the solicitors - but that is in buying/selling.

If you renting I am not sure but dont see any reason why you cannot take what is yours.

[CJK]

no i meant more from the side of will digging em upand moving em kill em. ******ed if i am leaving anything behind. we didnt even have sink plugs or light fittins when we moved in here, and the garden was a mass of those trailing weeds that spread in little strings for miles and wrap themselves around everything. It was so high that until we had pulled half of it up we didnt know there was a garden fork buried under it, the fork was standing upright stuck int he mud! it was that bad!!!all the garden was cement or shingle. mind you it dontlook much better now thanks to hubby churning it all up and never finishing the job

[dinahsmum]

If you think/know you will be moving shortly (say 15 months or so) I'd suggest putting anything new in the ground in a pot. Does that make sense? If it's happy in the pot you buy it in, leave it and bury the lot. If it needs taking out then put it in an oversized pot and again, put the lot in the garden.
Some plants are very good about being uprooted and replanted but a lot are temperamental and would rather not. If they're in the pot you can enjoy them this year and pick them up and plant them properly when you're in your permanent home.

[CJK]

hmm, like i say though for 19p a bag of seeds it might not be worhth bothering wwith them, but as the patio roses are going into large pots anyway thast;s fine

[dandysmom]

CJ, had an idea...why don't you go online to Thompson & Morgan & order their catalogue...it's free here in the States so asssume it would be there also. It's chock full of info: germination time, whether plant is annual or perennial, for sun, semi-sun or shade, how deep to sow, whether it's a good cut flower and oodles of more stuff, plus the illustrations...it is really a reference work. Think you might enjoy having it to refer to!!:-D

[CJK]

hmm good idea, thanks, i'll take a lookey see