Help MBE grow his dinner 2012

alixandrea

Angelfeathers wrote: »

I'd go with MBE on this one and suggest they might be getting too warm? Perhaps move them to a non-south-facing windowsill, if you have one? (Please note, this is very much a guess!)

Thank-you Angelfeathers, I have a feeling you may both be right. I will plant a few more seeds and move the tray somewhere a bit more shaded. I'll let you know if that works!

Alixandrea

emiff6

alixandrea wrote: »

Hi all, most of my seedlings seem to be going OK, but I'm having problems with my cabbages and broccolis. They seem to be fine as seedlings but as soon as they get their first set of true leaves they keel over on me. They're getting enough water, sitting on a south facing windowsill inside the house... I would have thought I was doing everything right, but something's definitely going wrong...

Everything else is going OK, I keep getting terribly excited every time a seedling pops its head above the compost.

Alixandrea

Last year I started all my seeds in trays/ground outside, as I dislike having trays all over the windowsills. But that meant I seemed to be a couple of weeks behind folk who used their windowsills, so this year I'm following a different rule.

I'm sowing the seeds in trays as usual, but as soon as they show a bit of green above the compost, I put the tray outside under a plastic cloche (no greenhouse). And I do mean as soon as - don't even wait for them to straighten and raise their little heads.

My thought is that while they may need the heat to stir the seed into life, perhaps they don't then need it as warm to keep growing once they have started.

At the best, if they don't die (and of course I'm not germinating greenhouse stuff as I don't have one), they will not go leggy and will be straight, not bent over towards the light as on a windowsill.

I'm hoping for sturdy little Spartans!

So far to receive this treatment are squash, stocks, lupins, sweet peas, hyssop, anise hyssop, cabbage and kale, and French marigolds, and gardener's delight tomatoes. So far so good, just hope they hold out if the predicted chill/snow arrives, but I can give them a blanket of fleece if necessary.

gazza975526570

Angelfeathers wrote: »

I'd go with MBE on this one and suggest they might be getting too warm? Perhaps move them to a non-south-facing windowsill, if you have one? (Please note, this is very much a guess!)

All brassicas hate warmth - really there is no need to have them inside at all, particularly once germinated. I germinate mine in an unheated greenhouse and as soon as they are out they sit on a potting table i have in the garden. Once they have grown i then pot them on into individual pots up to the frist leaf and plant them where i grow them 3/4 weeks later

mrbadexample

emiff6 wrote: »

So far to receive this treatment are squash, stocks, lupins, sweet peas, hyssop, anise hyssop, cabbage and kale, and French marigolds, and gardener's delight tomatoes. So far so good, just hope they hold out if the predicted chill/snow arrives, but I can give them a blanket of fleece if necessary.

I know Sambucus is a big advocate of getting them out in the cold nice and early, and I wouldn't argue with that, but I fear for your tomatoes with the forthcoming cold snap that's predicted. Can you bring them in overnight?

lemonjelly

I'm too impatient for this time of year....
Sneaked a peek in the greenhouse, to find nothing has changed since 2 days ago when I last looked...
Not one of my 14 tomato seeds has germinated. I'm going to start ranting at the family next...

mrbadexample

lemonjelly wrote: »

Not one of my 14 tomato seeds has germinated. I'm going to start ranting at the family next...

If I was you I'd buy plug plants. :whistle:

aliasojo

lemonjelly wrote: »

Not one of my 14 tomato seeds has germinated.

If it's any consolation, I bought a packet of geranium seeds and only one solitary seed germinated.

One teeny tiny geranium seedling all by it's lonesome. I put it beside the tomatoes in the hope it would feel less lonely.:rotfl:

Little_Vics

does anyone know how I can find out when my area will be frost-free? We've got snow forecast for next week, so I'm quite glad I've done no planting yet.

Quince and Damson are DEFINITELY coming next week, so photos will no doubt follow.

aliasojo

Little_Vics wrote: »

does anyone know how I can find out when my area will be frost-free? We've got snow forecast for next week, so I'm quite glad I've done no planting yet.

Quince and Damson are DEFINITELY coming next week, so photos will no doubt follow.

http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/main/weather.asp

Little_Vics

Mid MAY?? Blinking heck.