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Germination


Russethouse
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This year I have tried to grow a few things from seed, I bought a little windowsill electric propagator but even so some results are patchy. Tomato's were OK 100% success, but Ipomnea were between 50% & 70% and even nasturtiums were only about 40%.

Is it me ? Any tips ?

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Gay, I don't know about Nasturtiums but you could try soaking the Ipomea seeds overnight.

It may just be a dodgy batch. I had a bad lot last year, but with this years pack I've had a lot more success, probably 95%, and that was without soaking, or any heat.

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LOL I'm trying a batch of nasturtium seed I  have soaked and they are worse !

Last year I only grew a variety of Ipomnea called 'Grandpa Otts', I had about 50% germination with them, with or without heat. This year I have also tried a variety called 'Flying saucers' which have germinated better and are making much taller leggier plants.(of course last year my husband thought the ipomnea were weeds so I lost a few that way [:(][:(])

Even Sunflowers are tempermental...............

A few years ago I was much more into the gardening thing and I seem to remember that a seed company  used to publish expected germination rates either on the packet or in the catalogue......

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You definitely need to either nick or soak te morning glory seeds (I'm growing some of those this year too - Star of Yalta variety).

You shouldn't need to soak the nasturtium seeds though - how old are the seeds?  Have they been kept in a cool dry place? 

Hastobe 

Btw: the Ipomea seeds were free with the Cottage Garden Society seed exchange - the CGS ( http://www.thecgs.org.uk/) is a UK based organisation but has members in France, Italy and a few other places... - if anyone is into seed swapping.

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The climbing nasturtiums are last years, but I am also growing a new (to me ) variety called 'Milkmaid'. As they looked quite big seeds, I thought I would give soaking a try.

I have quite a few seeds that came free with Amateur Gardening, but some are slow germination, 'Verbena Darlyensis' (sorry spelling !) look as if it could take ages, and others are annuals and we just do not have room to prepare seed beds. ( I give them to my neighbour)

You don't see too much in the way of seed at UK garden shows........

 

 

 

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[quote user="Tresco"]

You definitely need to either nick or soak the morning glory seeds

[/quote]

LOL - that's how I avoid having to beg people to take some seedlings away with them!  Did you get a good percentage germination Tresco?  Although the seeds I sowed were free I had another packet of commercially produced seed so I followed the instructions on that packet...  The CGS seeds were quite old but I got quite a good germination rate so was pretty chuffed.  Just have to find a willing recipient for the surplus now [Www]

Hastobe 

 

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[quote user="Russethouse"]

You don't see too much in the way of seed at UK garden shows........

[/quote]

So true - seems lots of people just buy bedding plants nowadays.  I love growing from seed / cuttings.  Half my garden has been grown that way - which has saved me money but also given me lots of memories.  I have plants that have come from so many different friends over the years as a cutting, seeds or a straightforward swap - a walk through my garden reminds me of them all.

Hastobe    

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[quote user="Russethouse"]

...we just do not have room to prepare seed beds....[/quote]

Seed beds! We had them all over the house, near every window last year. The whole house had a fine layer of compost all over. It was quite charming [:$]

This winter/Spring seems/ed even longer. I didn't bother, and everything has gone straight in the ground.

I was lied to, about the (supposed) 4 week long winter.[Www]

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LOL - there has been many an occasion when MOH has proudly shown me the efforts of his labours in the gardens - all my seedlings carefully weeded out and shrivelling in the sunshine.  In fact a particular incident with rather a large quantity of (carefully collected) nasturtium seeds comes to mind.  I have tried to tactfully suggest that he limits his gardening to digging holes and mowing lawns....

Hastobe

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[quote user="hastobe"]  I love growing from seed / cuttings.  Half my garden has been grown that way - which has saved me money but also given me lots of memories.  I have plants that have come from so many different friends over the years as a cutting, seeds or a straightforward swap - a walk through my garden reminds me of them all [/quote]

I keep a record of where I got everything from, so I have things like 'Yellow Hollyhock from Teds garden, Lingfield' 'Spanish Rose from wall in Wirral near Mrs so and so's house',  'Maltese Cross from Bun-T's garden, Sheffield'.

I also have Daffs that were bulblets from the first things I ever planted, very grudgingly: Daffodils for my dad the Autumn before he died. I didn't even know which way up was the right way then. [:$] That was the first year he couldn't plant his own bulbs, and now I have their babies, here!

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[quote user="hastobe"] Did you get a good percentage germination Tresco?  [/quote]

Sorry, I missed this. Not bad this year. Some things, none of them came up. If that happens I assume I have done something wrong.  Still, some of them I can't think what I have done wrong, as they have been fine in the past, for instance Cosmos.  Great big zero this year. [:(]

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This is my first year trying to grow seeds here, all sorts of sources, UK and French.

I'm amazed at how well they have all done - was at a BBQ yesterday trying to give them away.  I've just put the seeds in trays and root trainers, some veg in small coir pots to plant them straight out and so far have had to put in three more raised beds.

Probably the best seeds so far are the Heritage Seed Library (part of HDRA), Seeds of Distinction and the French pea and bean seeds.  But have two large trays of capucines and more species sunflowers and cosmos than I know what to do with - if only I can get the Passion Flowers of the World seeds to germinate, now that would be good.

Interesting how many people aren't interested in growing from seed themselves - suits me fine, think giving stuff away/swapping are still two of the joys of gardening. 

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>>Interesting how many people aren't interested in growing from seed themselves - suits me fine, think giving stuff away/swapping are still two of the joys of gardening. <<<

Me too Tony, my neighbours have just got into gardening so any extras can go their way.

I really started because I wanted to grow the Tumbler tomato's in baskets and last year I didn't see plants available to buy, but this year I have seen them at 60p per plant, I need 8, as it is I have 16 plants, (as long as they do not suddenly all damp off) seed left over and plants to give  away.

My mother recently commented on what it must have cost her to keep her greenhouse heated through the winters, when really what she wanted was a few trays of bedding plants, I don't think economy really comes into the equation, its the pleasure of doing it.

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Just been looking at my seedlings, should I be feeding them anything ? The tomato plants are OK but the stems look rather skinny and the Grandpa Otts ipomnea are looking aren't doing very much, they are a bit slow. At present they are just in seed compost.

[8-)]

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I don't normally feed my seedlings until they are pricked out and

getting to a reasonable size - in theory the seed compost should have

sufficient nutrients for the first few weeks or so.  You say they

look spindly - are they getting plenty of light? 

Hastobe

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