Seeds are up - Page 5

I sowed some Calendulas now as an experiment- I have loads- taken off plants last year.They were in the cold frame but have now brought them in to my kitchen windowsill, a couple have popped up. Will sow some more later this year  as well. In my experience here they are pretty tough so once up they will be alright

I would wait a while till late Spring/early Summer to sow Larkspurs outdoors,just based on my patchy experience of them.

I've been growing from seed for only 2 years and relatively speaking the last 2 Winters have been fairly mild here. I start mine on off in a unheated (Wilkos)propagator on my kitchen windowsill with the radiator on underneath to give them a bit of gentle bottom heat. I have 2 coldframes/ sturdy mini greenhouses in a very sheltered spot which I then grow them on in.

So far I've had really good results sowing in Jan- my garden full of snap dragons which are still alive for one. I even managed to grow Lobelia from seed started off indoors Feb/March and then in my coldframes.

I feel the cold so have my heating on all the time in Winter but just on a thermostat, works out cheaper that way rather than having to heat the house from cold all the time. For me I don't think it makes any difference how many rads are on, in fact the system I have here, it might work out better as the whole house is warm.

I have kept seeds back as well and will note down what happens as time goes on. I have planted a couple of Larkspur but kept the rest ready for a later sowing if they dont like the greenhouse just now. Everything else is doing great. My dad sent me a list of stuff I should be sowing now which has made me smile

Days are starting to stretch (15 mins but its a start) which is great news For my seeds and my Bandit lol. No snow so all good here, even though there is snow all around our little village lol.

Moved my seedlings to colder window sill so not get too long and weedy. I will have a go at sowing some Calendulas soonish but as dirt outside is frozen up - frost is around here - so have to wait to get some compost in for pots indoors, I might have one pot left inside I can use. On my pack it says sow outside in March - nothing about sowing indoors but I will have a go.

Yes, seeds are up. First of the chilled ones just breaking the surface. Angelica gigas.

That's good nutcutlet that your seeds are up they look interesting plants looked them up. More keep coming up of mine

How many different seeds have you sown?

I have sown 4 different types indoors still waiting for some to come out of compost yet but did not sow them too long ago.

Hi gardengirl, I should think there are about 30 pots out there. Lots of new aquilegias, some aconitums, corydalis, daphnes, other angelicas. They're certainly getting a chilling now. I shall check them every day. I get quite excited when they start germinating. Have to get OH out to look. 

That sounds a good lot of seeds you have sown, getting a chill now definitely all stuff in garden in the snow here. I keep turning my seedlings as keep facing the light from the window and some more keep coming up. I guess seeds decide when they want to appear. So they don't all pop up at once.

Are your pots in a green house nutcutlet or are they outside?

Overall my seeds are doing well, particularly wall flowers, forget me nots and Calendulas. There's been some casulties, the small seeds/seedlings - Aubrettia and the white snapdragons, lost some to damping off but not all

Hi hollie hock. Some of the seeds started outside in autumn and are now in the cold greenhouse. Angelica gigas has germinated from this lot. Another batch was sown in the greenhouse at the new year, I expect germination when this cold spell is over. 

I didn't expect the angelica to germinate yet, I think it will be Ok but if we're forecast severe cold I might put it in the workshop or somewhere not too warm. It won't be bothered by a bit of a frost though.

Today the seeds from the Hardy Plant Society came. Have to look through them tomorrow and sort them into chill and wait til spring.

Hi Gardengirl, what I do find amazing is that a whole potful will germinate over night. 

nutcutlet, the angelica and the corydalis look like lovely plants. Do you think that most biennuals seed benefit from a chill? Been reading stuff on line and got me thinking

Some of the corydalis are lovely, cheilanthifolia I like and ochroleuca. They seed around the garden. What they really like is to be sown fresh. I can't keep those lovely blue ones though. Even when people give me large lumps from their garden,they last a year or so then dwindle away. When I collect my own seeds I sow them straight away, germination can be very quick like that. This won't apply to tender plants but I don't grow any. I think traditional biennial sowing advice is to sow when this years plant is flowering but that would mean either buying more seed or storing it for nearly a year. Doesn't sound like natures way. Sow it when it drops I reckon.

hollie hock wrote (see)

nutcutlet, the angelica and the corydalis look like lovely plants. Do you think that most biennuals seed benefit from a chill? Been reading stuff on line and got me thinking

Hollie -no they don't the chill effect is to break the dormancy-only applies to few seeds-so the run of the mill biennials like wallflowers sweet Williams are usually sown as normal-around April-when the current ones are flowering is a good reminder

I am surprised you are sowing wallflowers in January

I generally have a few wallflowers on the go for most of the year, they were one of the first plants that I grew from seed.They are so easy,quick and forgiving plants to grow. Wallflowers are tough and I think generally you can get them to grow and flower throughout the seasons. I've had really good results with an early sowing time.

Have to say that I really enjoy growing Biennuials, although at the time of sowing you think it will be ages before you see the flowers but then it comes round just as quick

My seeds of white snap dragon and white ragged robin are up 2 of each that is good they have just started to show themselves.

Anyone else got more seeds coming up?

Yes, another of the Angelica gigas appeared today. When this cold is over, any day now, I expect a mass germination.

I shall also put all the cuttings back outside and any of the 'iffy' plants before they get softened up in the greenhouse. I can always bring them in again if very cold comes back. It'll be the closest I've been to any gardening for some time. 

Morning folks, thats my Caulies up Still no Aquilegia though  Hoping they are just being lazy.

Won't be long now Sam. I haven't been out to look yet.

I know You have experience with Aquilegia Nutcutlet dont you? Do they take a while to germinate?