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Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

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Original poster

My seeds are growing - ridiculously happy

30 replies

Rugbylovingmum · 17/03/2011 13:06

Okay, I know that seeds are meant to grow, that's what they do but I have never grown anything before (although I have helped several plants along to an early grave) and I am stupidly excited about my little seedlings . I have beetroot, peas, tomatoes and pak choi growing happily on my windowsill and my caulis and peppers are just showing a tiny bit of green. I know that I can grow some of them straight outside when the weather is a bit better but I thought I'd start some inside too and have an extra chance to get plants surviving through until picking time (following my dad's wise advice!).

I have never tried to grow veggies before but my dad growing his own veggies about 10 years ago and the food straight from the garden always tastes amazing - plus my DD loves 'helping' grandad in his garden - so I thought we'd give it a go this year. I'm also giving courgettes, broccoli, squash, potatoes, lettuce, strawberries and blueberries a go - all our favourites!

OP posts:

kreecherlivesupstairs · 17/03/2011 13:14

Me too, although the only things showing signs of life here are the radish seeds.
DD and I planted five sorts of flowers and radish, strawberry, tomato and chillis. Lucky for the radishes that they came up, she was set to throw them all away after a day.

Original poster

Rugbylovingmum · 17/03/2011 13:28

LOL at your DD. My DD is only 17 months so her interest is minimal until there is something there to eat . She loves digging around in the garden with her little fork/rake/trowel set my parents bought her though so these little seedlings might have had a hard time once they are big enough to go outdoors.

OP posts:

AlmaMartyr · 17/03/2011 13:42

I get stupidly excited when my seedlings appear and start growing. DH bought me a chilli growing kit for Christmas and I now have about 35 baby chilli plants around the house :) Can't wait until it's a bit warmer and they all start fruiting.

AlmaMartyr · 17/03/2011 13:42

TaffetasWnakyCoatheadJumpsuit · 17/03/2011 14:44

Its great isn't it? Your part in the creation of life. I love growing stuff from seed - so rewarding. DH calls the plethora of seedlings my babies. The DC don't like that.

Mirage · 18/03/2011 15:45

Great stuff,well done.-I still get stupidy excited and I've been growing stuff for 28 years and it is even part of my job.In fact I'm off to poke about in my shed with my propogator in a few minutes.

If anything does fail,just chalk it up to experience and have another go.I make cock ups all the time.I planted my cucumbers far to early this year [taken in by a warm spell] and they all got chilled indoors and died.You think I'd know better by now,but I still put stuff in too early and end up with billions of seedlings that can't go out yet.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 20/03/2011 07:13

That was going to be my question. When can we plant them in the garden?
I must report the growth of a single tomato too. A little sprout about 1cm tall.

TaffetasBack · 20/03/2011 07:41

Depends what kreecher - half hardy stuff, after the last frost which in the UK is anytime in May dependent where you are. Hardy stuff - most from April, but needs hardening off first if used to the warm comfort of indoors. So put outside for a week or so during the day, take in at night, then plant out after that.

Tomatoes will need potting on, if they start to get leggy, just bury them further into the next pot so they are not as straggly, iyswim.

Meglet · 20/03/2011 08:20

And me. I've got them all on my kitchen windowsill so they're doing quite well.

I did manage to kill off several of the spinach seedlings yesterday when I planted them into a big pot in the garden, then 2yo DD started chucking soil over them.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 20/03/2011 09:21

We are in north Belgium so I don't know how it differs. I will have to do something with the radishes. We didn't expect them to go so wild so quickly.
I doubt we'll be here still to reap the rewards of the toms, we are moving to the UK in July/August so will miss the fruiting. DH will be under strict instructions to care for them and he can bring them over to us when he visits.

frazzledblob · 20/03/2011 10:03

glad its not just us getting excited about growing seeds

This is our first attempt at veggies. DD 5 is so excited, they were only started yesterday and she keeps asking to check to see if they have grown yet!

We have strawberries, cucumber, rhubarb, beetroot, cauli, and carrots so far.

I might add some more but it is going to be a challenge as we don't have a huge garden so we are going to try growing all of this in a variety of containers.

Ephiny · 20/03/2011 10:14

I'm going to start my tomato seeds this weekend, I get very excited about this stuff too :)

Also got raspberry and strawberry plants from last year, will grow lettuce, spinach and rocket again, maybe courgettes if I can find space for them!

frazzledbob - I think growing in containers is actually better for some veg, e.g. carrots, they're much happier in some nice compost in a big pot than in the heavy/stony soil you get in a lot of gardens.

Watch out for snails with the strawberries, they ate most of mine last year :( so I'm going to have to find some way of protecting them this time...

Original poster

Rugbylovingmum · 20/03/2011 14:21

Hi all,

I'm glad I'm not the only one getting excited . My peas, beetroot, pak choi and tomatoes are all looking great (a bit leggy maybe but better since I took the lid off the propagator) and my caulis are now popping their heads through. Nothing from the sweet peppers yet but I'm going to sow my freebie bell peppers this week.

It is really satisfying to check them each evening and see how much they have grown . I'm just hoping they survive when I move them to bigger pots/the garden. We have 3 greedy pigeons hanging around the garden most days so I guess I'll have to put some netting over some of the stuff - what do pigeons go for?

OP posts:

llynnnn · 20/03/2011 20:58

Ive planted tomatoes, cucumber, courgette, beans and basil seeds today with the dds. They are all on the window sill now, really hope they grow well this year, tried last year and got about 4 cherry toms and 3 green beans! Not a great yield!
I really don't know what I'm doing though, its a total fluke if anything will become of them! Always get very excited and have big plans at this time of year though!

AliciaFlorrick · 21/03/2011 08:52

My pots have all started coming up this week too, toms, peppers and brocolli have started to germinate and I've shoved some carrots under the cold frame in the garden and planted out some parsnips and spinach last night.

Am in France so the ground is a bit warmer here. This is my first year of gardening so I'm very excited.

I too call my seedlings my babies (and I talk to them every night when I check them)

AlmaMartyr · 22/03/2011 07:25

I call them my babies too! They're all growing in the baby's room at the moment because it gets the best sunlight. I have some salad onions outside but they haven't germinated yet. All my garlic's growing nice and big too. I don't really have any space for anything other than chillis this year though

frazzledblob · 26/03/2011 12:47

We have signs of life! two little green shoots in the cucumber tray!

we are so excited, but there is nothing showing in the other trays yet

Hope everyone elses 'babies' are doing well

rugby we avoid the pigeon problem with two big fat ginger toms on duty sunbathing in the garden!

littleducks · 26/03/2011 12:51

I am a bit ashamed to join this thread

But I have killed mine

I had some lavender and sunflower seeds that sprouted and have now totally disapeared

What did I do wrong?

They were watered and happy, I didnt put them outside as it was cold and they have gone

nickelbabyhatcher · 26/03/2011 12:59

your post has made me feel happy (OP, not littleducks :( )

whatever you do - do not let them die to frost. Frost can hit as late as june, so please cover your seedlings at night when they so outside

:( Littleducks - if it makes you feel any better, i normally kill all mine too.
It's never too late to start again.
they might have been overwatered.
start again with a new batch (and new soil) the compost should feel sticky to the touch, but not wet.

Chil1234 · 28/03/2011 18:34

I planted a packet of Delphinium seeds in little pots in the conservatory and waited... and waited... Two weeks went by. They were warm, well-watered. [confused} Thinking it must have been a dead old packet I bought a fresh packet and planted those in more little pots. The next day 'ping' the first lot appeared as if by magic.

Anyone want some spare Delphiniums?....

nickelbabyhatcher · 29/03/2011 13:33

I did that with pepper seeds once!
i ended up with millions !

Chil1234 · 29/03/2011 15:34

That reminds me! Chilli Peppers!!! I've got two monsterly big tubs on #2 Deck and been wondering what to put in them this year. Some chilli plants with canes would be just the thing. (They grow OK outside don't they?) Thanks!

nickelbabyhatcher · 29/03/2011 15:34

they do, but again, keep them inside until after frosts.

BornToFolk · 29/03/2011 15:40

I get soooo excited when seeds come up! It's a little miracle each time. I point out new seedlings to DS and he gives me this face .
So far I have tomato seedlings but I've also planted courgette, cucumber and pepper and some herbs. I've got lots of flower seedlings too - I have a whole bed to fill so I went to the pound shop and got a few packets.

Original poster

Rugbylovingmum · 29/03/2011 16:04

Hi all,

I LOVE that I'm not the only one getting excited about seedlings. Yesterday I moved my tomato and pea seedlings into bigger pots - I had started them in one of those trays with the tiny modules - then I hovered anxiously over them all afternoon hoping I hadn't killed them . DP thought it was hilarious but I was so pleased that they looked good this morning. I have 12 tomato plants and a trough full of peas so it's looking good so far.

My pak choi and cauli seedlings are doing well but my wise father told me to leave them alone (I keep feeling like I need to DO something) until they are bigger and sturdier. My beetroot seedling are looking quite thin and spindly but if they die I'll plant seeds directly outside when the weather is better. The sweet peppers (the long thin ones) are growing slowly but surely and I planted some bell peppers and a pot of cut and come again lettuce yesterday. I forgot about chillis though, I might just pinch a plant from my dad's greenhouse . I have some carrots, leeks, broccoli and rainbow chard to have a go at next then potatoes to plant at easter. I also want to get some red cabbage.

I am having a rough few weeks at work and it is so nice to come home and check my seedlings then wander round the garden planning where things will go.

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