Indoor seed growing kit

[Barrawarra]

Now entering second in new home with lovely and massive garden that I totally don’t know what I’m doing with but looking forward to getting to know better this year. We have a veggie patch and I had some successes and failures last yr, this yr want to start earlier and grow various things indoors first then harden off when ready.

I’ve been looking at buying something like this www.amazon.co.uk/Christow-Greenhouse-Portable-Growhouse-Reinforced/dp/B07MC525L7/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=M0RZ1YHOTE0&keywords=4+tier+mini+greenhouse&sprefix=4+tier+mini+greenhouse%2Caps%2C77&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1644740749&sr=8-4

And using inside with no cover on just to maximise growing space by a window. Then using it open with cover as part of the hardening off process, and sure it’ll have other uses.

Does this sound like a sensible plan, or are there things I am missing?! Any other tips to succeed at starting planting now, very welcome.

I have a couple of those, but have you somewhere genuinely flat and sunny outside to put them?

They take surprisingly few trays, I have a tower of shoe racks in my porch for seedlings, and then move the taller plants out to the racks when they need the height.

I am thinking of trading up to something better looking when mine disintegrate, they aren't the prettiest, TBH.

Yes do have lots of space and south facing. Is scotland though so less sun than some!

I thought that, looking at pics, that probably they don’t take as much as you’d like. So is it normal at this stage in the yr to just be sowing various things in trays and having them dotted around the place where you can fit them?

Well proper people have greenhouses and coldfranes and all that, but I have

1 A space on the floor in the sun room for my partner to roll his eyes at, with a heated propagator and a tray or so of seedlings on the floor waiting to move out to

2 the shoe racks in the porch, and then when large enough, to

3 the outdoor shelves, currently housing some bits and pieces waiting for planting in gifting,

4 also some sweet peas in loo rolls on a sunny window sill.

My main trouble is lack of flat space outdoors, esp in the sun. It does get a bit insane in the last weeks before I can start planting things out.

So here are 1, 2 and 3.

Oh they didn't post. 1 and 2

And 3

Have you toddlers or cats? As they might just chuck all your lovely seeds on the floor.

Happily, my toddler days are far behind me! And the cats thus far content themselves with trying to stop my nepeta from getting above ground. I did wonder if they would mess with the ones on the floor, but so far so good.

Oh you can come and train my cats then, Bert ! They'd find that all irresistible.
What have you got in thus far? My sowing fingers are itching...

OP my neighbour does exactly as you said-inside first, then outside. They have to be weighed down a bit outside as they can blow away. I only use mine outside, because cats.

What I like is that you can lift out the odd mesh panel when the plants get too big for one shelf but it is too cold to plant out.

I think @MrsBertBibby's shoe racks would be a better option.

I sow seeds in small pots not huge seed trays and dot around window sills ( I haven't got radiators under my windows so it's not too hot for them). Prick out into seed trays and put in conservatory.

So far I have sown lychnis coronaria, dahlia, helianthus, thunbergia, antirrhinum, gaura, giant scabious, red hot pokers, sweet peas, rudbeckia.

My hollyhocks and my hibiscus trionium were a total bust

I have a few cuttings from the autumn and some overwintering seedlings knocking about too.

Night phlox is next up. I have gone a bit mad with seeds, but I try to have some bits for my dad's church plant sale, and to give to friends. And it is fun to see what you can persuade to grow!

I never sow anything this early as I end up still nuturing it indoors long before it can be planted out. Late March for most things.
Earlier for tomatoes and chillis.
My late FIL used to sow everything at Easter. The fact that it's a moveable feast seemed to pass him by .

Is lychnis suddenly super fashionable? I'm not sure I'd heard of it much before and suddenly it seems to be EVERYWHERE. Maybe I need some lychnis. It is very pretty, but it needs a long season doesn't it?

I like your list, Bert. I think it IS time for me to get growing

Lychnis coronaria are hardy and self seed at will in my garden at least - I don't think they need a long season although I am in the SE. They just pop up where they like and flower their arses off for months

This lychnis is a packet I got at Chelsea, called Angels Blush, white with a pink eye.

No idea if it's fashionable! My dad's always had lychnis, both pink and white.

That sounds lovely Bert

Ooh I have found my people.

I have a heated propagator, like the one up thread, in my bedroom with growlights, a mini indoor greenhouse in my bedroom too (my other half loves me really). On the windows, I have these metal bathroom hanging storage things (cheap in wilkos) stuck to the window with suction hooks.

So far I have had success with tomatoes, dahlias, sweet peas, basil, cosmos, broad beans, salvias, geraniums and petunias.

I intend to move out the greenhouse when it warms up to outside.

I have growlights in a windowless utility room. Almost all my windowsills have houseplants on, and all the south facing ones are patio doors so I'm quite stuck for space. Apparently I'm not allowed to block the doorway with loads of defunct baking trays full of pricked out seedlings..... (Not that I listen)

New this year I have a small lean-to greenhouse. Anything hardy goes in the greenhouse as soon as it's up (I'm hoping this strategy will work). I have spinach, lettuce, broad beans, marigolds and sweet peas in the greenhouse; tomatoes, chilli, physalis, cornflowers, and far too many aubergines inside.

Absolutely OP a great idea! As it’s south facing windows the light will be good and they will get off to a great start. When you go to harden them off either take them out during the day and bring them back in at nighttime (especially if frost is predicted) or make sure they are well protected in a sheltered area with the cover on - and if it’s getting particularly cold that night pop a blanket on them too!

If you have seedlings that are going “leggy” then you can also make a light box for them by taking a cardboard box and cutting it in half diagonally at the sides - so you have a base and back and sloping sides and cover all the inside with foil to reflect the light you do get. If not make sure you turn the plants regularly so they don’t lean over to reach the light.

Well done with your garden - I run a land education charity down south (but too far from Scotland!) however we have lots of free videos on our you tube channel - search Abberton Rural Training. Good luck with your growing season!