Novice question about planting seeds

[Ondine]

I've just bought £20 worth of seeds and am just wondering if someone could reassure me if i'm going sow them correctly - I have googled but there is quite a lot of conflicting advice.

The seeds are cat mint, salvias, geranium, bergenia and sweet cicely.

So my plan is to sow them in pots, then soak the soil completely overnight, then sprinkle a bit of new soil on top then sow the seeds then sift over the top just covering the seeds. Then put cling film over the top of the pots pierced with a few holes and leave indoors in a lightish place until they sprout up.

Does that sound right? Any advice greatly appreciated.

[lincstash]

i never bollox about like that.

i just shove them into seed trays with JI Seed compost, sift some on top, water them and then leave them in the light, either in the greenhouse or conservatory, unless they need a blast in the heated propagator.

[isthatporridgeinyourhair]

Agree with lincs. Clingfilm will encourage fungal diseases.

[Ondine]

It does sound a bit elaborate doesn't it. When you water them to you use a mist spray or just a water can. Wondering as the seeds are so tiny if i'll push them too far down with a watering can.

I haven't got a conservatory or a greenhouse, so just have to put them in the sunniest place I can find but inside is definitely better than say on the decking?

Thanks for your help btw.

[Ondine]

Thanks porridge will leave the clingfilm off, not even newspaper covering - that was another google suggestion? I think for warmth.

[traumaqueen]

I really really hate to say this after you have spent £20, and I did this when I was starting out too, but seeds are not necessarily the best ways of getting the plants you have chosen. Do you want to grow stuff from seed, or do you want lots of catmint/bergenia etc?

The seeds should have instructions on how they want to be sown/whether they need warmth or not. Like the others say there's no need to faff around too much - seeds are either easy or fussy. If they are easy you just shove them in and they do their thing; if they are fussy you have to mess around with the right temperature/depth/watering faff in which case you will either have a lucky hit or you won't.

I do recommend using a seed compost - John Innes No 1 - as it's nice and fine and gives better germination.

[Ondine]

I went for seeds really to economise. I wanted at least 8 of each to create sort of blocks of certain plants together and if each plant is about £5 then I thought I'd save quite a lot if I manage to grow a few.

The seeds I got are from Chiltern and just came in a plain white envelope with no instructions!

I think i'll just sow them and hope for the best. But get some seed compost to give them a better chance.

Thanks for the advice.

[lincstash]

Look at it like this - long before man appeared on the planet seeds did there own thing, they fell where they did and they grew. Seeds have done this for about 800 million years. You can improve there lot by putting them in nice compost with no other plants to compete, giving them enough water and light and heat, but nature really is perfectly capable of doing the biz with or without us.

Chill out, seeds can look after themselves. No elaborate rituals needed :D

[Ondine]

I sound like a complete stress head don't I .

I'm just going to plant them and see....

Though I do leave them inside until they sprout is that right?

[lincstash]

depends what they are, some seeds germinate at a certain temperatures, so they need to be inside. On the other hand, other seeds, like lettuce, hate heat and will go leggy if they germinate too warm. just read the packet, but as a rule, keep them in the porch/conservatory for the moment.

Its possibly going to frost next week, so i wouldnt take any seedlings outside till after easter (well apart from planting my potatoes and earthing them up, which makes them immune to frost, and the broad beans, which are frost hardy.

[Ondine]

Thanks linctash for the info, I appreciate it. I will leave them all inside until I see the first shoots then will put in a sheltered bit outside if weather isn't too bad.

I do have some lettuce seeds from a while ago so will have a go with them too but will start them outside straight away.

[lincstash]

yes lettuce doesnt like too much heat, they will go all leggy .