veg growing Newbies- Feb 2010! lets learn together!

Plasticman

kimmee wrote: »

Aaahhhhh - I've still got the lids on my propogators - should I remove them?

Not sure! I've got a heated propagator and kept the lid on (but opened the vents) and they seem to be going a bit brown. Somebody suggested that I should have removed the lids. Also wonder if I've over watered. Complicated stuff!

misskool

kimmee wrote: »

Aaahhhhh - I've still got the lids on my propogators - should I remove them?

as soon as the seed leaves pop up, you can remove the lids

also take them off the heat.

lynzpower

Miss K

Wonderinbg if you can help. I have in the same propogator 2x mushroom trays & compost with Aubergines (2 of 3 have grown leaves and stems about 2inch long now.

In the other one is chilli seeds and peppers. Nothing has grown in this. I have investigated and noticed I forgot to punch drainagew holes i nthe bottom :mad: Should I sack these off and start again.

What shall I do with the Aubergines now? I have no central heating so the propogator is the warmest place?!?!

Confusing!

misskool

lynzpower wrote: »

Miss K

Wonderinbg if you can help. I have in the same propogator 2x mushroom trays & compost with Aubergines (2 of 3 have grown leaves and stems about 2inch long now.

In the other one is chilli seeds and peppers. Nothing has grown in this. I have investigated and noticed I forgot to punch drainagew holes i nthe bottom :mad: Should I sack these off and start again.

What shall I do with the Aubergines now? I have no central heating so the propogator is the warmest place?!?!

Confusing!

The first set of leaves are called seed leaves and the next set are true leaves. I normally grow plants in a small seed tray insert until they have one set of true leaves. Then I !!!!! them out and pot them into the next size up. If your aubergine has one set of leaves, I'd leave them for a bit until they have the next set of leaves. They have long stems as they aren't enough light on them.

As soon as they have seed leaves (or even a tiny shoot), I take them out of the heated propagator and then leave them to grow on their own. In a house with central heating, it's warm enough for them!

Chillies and peppers take a LONGGGGG time to sprout. 7 days is a minimum and some can take up to 14 days. If it has been over 2 weeks and you can more or less remember where you have sowed them then have a little dig around. If the seed is still intact, pop it back and wait some more. If it's gone soft then it's probably worth popping a few more in.

edit: just seen you have no central heating.....hrms....I'm not sure about that. sorry

kimmee

Thanks plasticman, misskool and lynz - I'm going to take the lid off my chilli's but not my peppers and will hope that they sprout in the next few days. Lnyzpower - I just put 1/2 cm of compost over my pepper seeds which is what I was told was needed. Did you sow them deeper than this?

Yes, it is confusing and complicated but just think how good it will be when we can harvest them (well hopefully :rotfl:)

misskool

kimmee wrote: »

Yes, it is confusing and complicated but just think how good it will be when we can harvest them (well hopefully :rotfl:)

that's what I thought last year. I couldn't grow peas and beans (nothing came up when I sowed in the ground :eek:)

But remember, plants WANT to grow, you're just helping them to move on a little.

This is only my second year so I'm learning lots as well still.

lynzpower

Point taken about the lighting - thanks Ill move the propogator tomorrow

Just a quicdk Q about oregano. On the packet it says sprinkle thinly, then thin layer of compost - so far so good. Then it says when the seedlings are big enough !!!!! out ( or words to that efffect)

I really was confused, I didnt think you pricked out seeds for herbs such as oregano?

lunar

Sorry Lynz, i dont have any answers for you, probably just more questions!!! I guess you could use a hotwater bottle or one of those microwave bags under the trays to give some heat in the house, just make sure not to make it too hot.

For anyone who saw my strawberry bag on page 10, do you have any ideas what else I can use these bags for, I have 4 more of them to use up. I was wondering about trying tumbeling tomatoes, or would they be too heavy.

lunar

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This contains sweet peas and cucumber, the germinated ones are sweat peas.

lunar

I have been out shopping this morning and picked up Alan Titchmarsh kitchen gardener for £6, so thanks for the tip on that one.

I also got one of those insect houses from morrisons reduced from £4 to £1 as the top was coming off, 1 nail, a hammer and 30 seconds and that was fixed!

Even though its a beautiful day here I wont be getting much done, DS is teething which is making him cranky and he wont let me put him down for long. I have mover my peach and apricot tree into the greenhouse as advised on one of the other threads.

My sweet peas are coming on really well, as soon as they come out of the propogator I think I may start off some tomato seeds in there.