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Post by ladybird on Feb 25, 2018 14:32:27 GMT
I do like your system Nucleus, what do you plan to do with the seedlings now ? looks like they need pricked out and separated to grow on and that takes more space . If you take the seedling out of that lovely cosy warm area and plonk them outside in the cold they wont like it ? Over the years I have learnt to leave sowing seed for as long as possible and then using a heated windowsill propagator. Once pricked out a heated covered table in the greenhouse keeps them ticking over until the weather gets warmer and they can be repotted in the unheated part of the greenhouse. |
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Post by Nucleus on Feb 25, 2018 14:54:03 GMT
I do like your system Nucleus , what do you plan to do with the seedlings now ? looks like they need pricked out and separated to grow on and that takes more space . If you take the seedling out of that lovely cosy warm area and plonk them outside in the cold they wont like it ? Over the years I have learnt to leave sowing seed for as long as possible and then using a heated windowsill propagator. Once pricked out a heated covered table in the greenhouse keeps them ticking over until the weather gets warmer and they can be repotted in the unheated part of the greenhouse. I have trays of individual cells ready to thin when appropriate. I'll keep a few for myself, gonna try and make up two or three nice baskets and a few pots or such like, then give the rest away to family/friends. As mentioned in the OP I just somehow developed an interest in it last year and had a go, and liked it. I've been looking at those flower towers and would love to have a crack at doing one/some of those, prices vary wildly!!! Video of how they assemble here: www.flower-tower.co.uk/I've also seen vids of how ppl make them themselves with some wire fencing, rounded into a large pot and lined with landscape lining, then cut slits in the side for the plants. Yes as a newbie, I have wondered if I was a bit keen to get off the mark, but most stuff I read and backs of seed packets showed sowing ranging from January-April. It's all very much a learning curve for me at the moment and as with any hobby I'll learn by mistakes made. I'm familiar with hardening off when time comes to shift them outside. Edit: Just found a decent video of pinching out young Fuschia's. |
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Post by sweetpea on Feb 25, 2018 16:25:35 GMT
Steve beat me to it re your lobelia assuming the are seeds of the annual lobelia for bedding/baskets etc. as there are other types of lobelia eg 'cardinalis'
Anyway I don't have any fancy set up like you have but over the years have learned by reading and trying out what others say. in the end I just do whatever feels right.
January is very early for half hardy plants and just as easy to wait until weather warms up as well as longer hours of daylight as your seedlings will be drawn to the light and can get rather spindly and weak making them susceptible to disease like damping off (actually a fungal disease)
If you are able to supply the RIGHT conditions you can actually sow practically anytime but that can be expensive in terms of fuel and anyway later sown seeds tend to catch up with the earlier ones.
re coleus (now called solenostemon) I used to grow loads of different varieties mainly from cuttings but also from the tiny seeds which must be sown very thinly or they come up like Mustard & Cress. Not the easiest of plants to overwinter but very rewarding when you do.
'Experience' just means learning from your mistakes so don't ne put off when something doesn't work.
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Post by ladybird on Feb 26, 2018 8:00:01 GMT
The flower tower looks good nucleus thanks for the video . There are some seeds that really need sowing early because they just take so long to get to flowering but like sweet mentioned lack of light makes the seedling grow tall and weak. Your off to a good start with your diy unit , I look forward to seeing what other ideas you will come up with .
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Post by Nucleus on Feb 26, 2018 10:12:22 GMT
I look forward to seeing what other ideas you will come up with . When first setting out on this new hobby last year, I soon realised that my home didn't have a windowsill which would be nearly bright enough for long enough, so I looked at some of those purpose made propagator/light stands, again they can be very expensive for what they do. Eg: goo.gl/HA1orUI saw some vids on YouTube of how ppl make one, a frame to stand the propagator on and suspend a light from. I used some 2x1 timber to make a frame, and a few pieces of board and a few lightweight brackets to form a reflector, a few wood-screws. The reflective silver foil is the sticky silver tape that builders use to join insulation boards together in cavity walls. I used two 18w T5 fluorescent under unit lights. If memory serves me correctly, the frame, wiring and plugs cost me about £11 and the lights were about £15 for the two. The raising and lowering mechanism is a bit of wire that I pull on to raise or lower the lights, and wedge anything suitable under to set the height! Obviously the lights only come into play according to seed sowing instructions. So far it's been great to get seeds started. I've got pics of it from last year, 4 images (click for bigger). ![]()     |
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Post by SueA on Feb 27, 2018 8:51:41 GMT
That looks really good Nucleus especially as you've made it adjustable.  |
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Post by Nucleus on Feb 27, 2018 11:17:50 GMT
As mentioned in the OP, is there any specific advice for pinching Busy Lizzies, I'm assuming they are one that does need pinching out the top two leaves? Not yet but at about 3 inches tall? Edit:www.houseplantsguru.com/busy-lizzie-impatiens-wallerianaDescription for the seeds I had says... So I would guess they don't need pinching out? |
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Post by sweetpea on Feb 27, 2018 16:44:30 GMT
if you grow the new guinea hybrids (impatiens) be aware that they are very prone to the dreaded RSM (red spider mite)
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Post by SueA on Feb 28, 2018 8:29:34 GMT
It sounds as though you've got normal bedding type busy lizzies Nucleus which I don't think really need pinching out, there was a problem a few years ago with busy lizzies getting downy mildew & dying off everywhere so I haven't used them for years, I think they've bred more resistant varieties now so hopefully that's what you've got. The New Guinea hybrids are bigger & don't seem to get downy mildew & you probably would pinch them out to get more flowering stems, I've used them in the past in containers outdoors but they don't seem to be as tough as the bedding types but are lovely plants. |
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