Last year I started to grow things form seed for the first time. I sowed my seeds in non electric propergators around about 19 th of april with paper over the tops to stop the light in my garage infront of a big window. That seemed to be really successful although in hindsight it was a big too late for the tomatoes,aubergines as they flowered quite late. I put them in my plastic greenhouses (first year I had them)
So this year I thought itd get the march on everything and hubby said i could use the airing cupboard for the seeds. Started 22nd Febrauary and I really think I have screwed up big time. The tomatoes sown in proporgaters and put in the ariing cupboard (not with brown paper over the top) have got to tall and leggy as have the aubergines and peppers. Have moved them when they got to the top of the propergator to the windowsil where I potted them on (too early as they didnt have a second set of leaves) You guessed it of the orignal 90 seedlings I have about 15 still hanging on but still no second leaves. The cucumbers have done well and been producing second and third sets of leaves as have the 6 squash Ive sown.
Luckily I have plenty of seeds left but now I am scared stiff to sow any more as I dont want them dying on me. Can you advise me on what to do for the best when sowing seeds. Am at my wits end at the maoment. Thanks a lot.
Probably too much heat and not enough light.
I put my electic propagator on the window sill and as soon as I get germination I mover them off the heat but leave them on the window sill in the light. It is a bit of a juggling act but it seems to work for me. Some people here even introduce a bit of artificial light because having gone early there is little natural light. Plants can go leggy in a couple of days if left in the dark..
You can get away with leggy toms to a certain extent as when you pot them up you can plant them deeper - it will root from the stem and this will sturdy them up a bit.
I also introduce a fan once they have a few leaves - the disturbance helps to become more sturdy...
Ragdoll Lady
Sorry to hear about your steep learning curve. But you are not too late to start again.
Firstly, sowing time. I start off my tomatoes, peppers and aubergines (when I grow them) much earlier than my squash and cucumber. And the last frost date is a good guide for sowing. Tomatoes should be sown 6weeks to 2 months before the last frost, peppers 2 months and aubergines 2-3 months before the last frost. You plant them out after the last frost date. If you plant into an unheated greenhouse you can plant 3-4 weeks before the last frost date.
Frost dates can be found here. You click on your nearest town:
http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/main/weather1.asp
Please bear in mind that local micro climates can make a difference to your frost dates, but it is a start.
Here the last frost date is at the end of May, squashes are started indoors at the end of April or beginning of May. As you have started yours so early, you will have to keep potting them up before they can go out.
Back to the problem tomatoes. At this stage I would take small pots fill them with compost and water thoroughly. Put 2 seeds in each pot. After that water from the bottom only (into the saucer underneath the pot). Put these pots on your brightest windowsill. Within a week. two weeks at most, the tomatoes should have sprouted and when true leaves have emerged you can pinch out the weaker plant (if both seeds germinated). Using one pot per plant takes up more space, but you have saved yourself the stage of transplanting tiny seedlings.
No brown paper, no airing cupboard. Using the airing cupboard is fine, provided that you take the seedlings out the minute they have sprouted or they will get leggy due to lack of light. This is difficult if you have several seeds in one pot as they germinate at different times. You cannot wait for an extra day, you need to take them out the day they have sprouted and put them into bright light. I don't cover tomato or pepper or aubergine seeds with soil and have never used brown paper.
Good luck with the second tomato sowing. It is just about ok to make a start on peppers now which I would sow into small pots 2 seeds to a pot and put in the airing cupboard as they like to germinate in warmth. It is probably too late for aubergines.
Oh Ragdoll lady,sounds like someone needs a hug. some good advice has already been given,good luck with your second sowing,and enjoy!
We all have failure as some time or another so you need to dust yourself down put it down to experience and try again. Every year somethings do well and some things fail. for me thats normal.
I also grow my tomatoes in individual pots, if norhing come up you can use the pots later for courgettes etc, though you can be sure that there will suddenly be an unexpected tomato amongst the courgettes.
I once lost a whole batch of loverly courgette plants to a mouse, came down one morning and they had been felled like little trees. And there was the **** mouse sitting looking at me.
FIngers crossed for the next batch.
this is what happens in gardening so don't let it get you down! We've all been there :(
Some of us are still making mistakes after 30 years!
The advice about planting deep is good though- it actually works well and makes you feel so good when they suddenly look right! :D :D :D
Thank you all you lovely people for replying and for all your help. The say you learn from your mistakes dont they? I shall take on board all the great advice you have given me now that you have all explained it so well. I will let you know how I get on. Thanks again :)
whereabouts are you, ragdoll lady, I've loads of tommies and peppers, you'd have to pick them up though :)
I always start my seeds off in the airing cupboard. I chit them on damp kitchen paper. As soon as they develop a "tail" plant themin seed trays. A bit fiddly but it suits me.
Quote from: manicscousers on March 21, 2011, 21:58:31
whereabouts are you, ragdoll lady, I've loads of tommies and peppers, you'd have to pick them up though :)
That is really kind of you, but I am in Essex about 4 hours away from you :) Small world isnt it I have friends in Fallowfield and Bury.
I start most of my seeds on my kitchen windowsill, covered in plastic without any heat, but a useful tip from someone on here which works for me is, when using a heated propagator, use a timer so that it's not on constantly. I have mine set for 15 mins on, 15 mins off throughout theday. and as said before, whip the seedlings out as soon as they come up. I've got a tray of very leggy cosmos that I missed and may have to bin!
Quote from: Ragdoll Lady on March 21, 2011, 23:44:58
Quote from: manicscousers on March 21, 2011, 21:58:31
whereabouts are you, ragdoll lady, I've loads of tommies and peppers, you'd have to pick them up though :)
That is really kind of you, but I am in Essex about 4 hours away from you :) Small world isnt it I have friends in Fallowfield and Bury.
It is... I'm from Rossendale originally... we are only two hours from you if we could help with a few spares.. :)
Until recently I started off all my tenders in the airing cupboard but that resulted in the Mrs having a hissy fit so now I can't.
I got my peppers started in their in individual peat pots in a propagator but had to check every night and morning so that I could take sprouted seedlings out.
You're right about trial and error as my first indoor sown spinach seeds got leggy as I didnt get too them quick enough. The rest I do outside now as its more than warm enough.
I also lost my first beetroot batch as I put them out too soon.
Best way to learn is to know the mistakes
Heated propagators on windowsill for me.... will be better next year when I will be able to do them in the greenhouse (with a big soil heating cable too).... biggest issue with early seedlings is always too much heat and not enough light, toms are fairly forgiving though, you can just bury them into their next bpots a bit further adn they'll root from the stem.....
chrisc
All of our radiators are under widowsills so we just use windowsill mini green houses.