Home sown seedlings (lighthearted)

[hohohowheniscmascoming]

I was feeling really pleased with myself for my little cosmos seedlings. They are a tiny bit leggy so will repot. I don't have a greenhouse.

Then yesterday I went to a nursery garden centre and they had 6 or 8 cosmos seedlings that were so thick stemmed and bushy they were like little trees for about £4. And honestly I thought "why do I bother?!"

But anyway I will nurture my little ones. I know they will grow I've done them before but I have seedlings envy/inadequacy

Those of you having trouble with your tomato seedlings, have you tried using a heat mat to help things along? Made all the difference for mine - suddenly near-perfect germination rates. Also a small grow-light for extra help in those early March days. I hear you all about nurseries, but haven't found the varieties I want there (getting better though.)

I wish I was your friend 🤣

You could grow things the slugs don't like. They haven't touched my snap dragons, convonulous or love in a mist seedlings at all.
Aquiliga, foxgloves, scabious, mostly left alone, the odd nibble but still alive.

The lupins, cosmos, sunflowers etc are all in the greenhouse waiting for a dry stretch.
They have been a nightmare this year, I feel very sorry for any new gardeners, it's not usually like this.

My problem is brassicas. Sprouts, purple sprouting and brokali all still at the seed leaf stage. Turned a bit purplish on the edges.

Yes mine have done bugger all too!
I have a sprout that sprouted 2 months ago and still only 4 tiny leaves and less than an inch high!

I don’t expect this list is exhaustive

I hope not, that can only be a tiny percentage of nurseries etc.

I agree with a PP. Cosmos are loved by slugs and snails and I fear that they won’t make it through this year, however bushy they get . Not that you would have known that when you started them off.

My foxgloves got badly chomped by slugs and snails this year. Cosmos never stood a chance. And as for the marigolds ... They even went for the heuchera and the brunnera, which they usually turn up their tiny noses at.

I’ve given ip with Brunnera. The fully grown plant is OK, but they nip the new shoots as they emerge in the spring

this year the snails even nibbled on the tomato plants.