Your "secrets" for growing from seed

[Bluewolf]

Okey dokey

I am now concidered "impoverished" so no going to the Garden Centers for me..

However..I do have a popcorn can stuffed and I do mean stuffed with different packets of seeds
Some bought some traded a couple of those bags that are called"hummingbird mix/wildflower mix


I suck at growing from seeds..I had tried several times to start seeds in the trays in the house
they sprout but are spindly and either dry up or drown

I have a spot in the alley that runs amuck with weeds and I usually have to go out in the blistering heat of July August and wack it all down before we get a "weed ticket"
so this morning I am gonna go out and HARD prune the lilac back there and there are also two roses that haven't bloomed due to neglect

Now I am allergic to lilacs but..the bush is huge and blocks a window that someone could gain access to our garage so I will leave it and just not go over there while it is in bloom

anywho the rest of that area is kinda slopped and covered in that white rock
not really that thick and I am gonna sprinkle all the seeds that I don't really care about back there and what ever comes up comes up and if there are any perenials that I like I will move

but the seeds I do care about I need help with

can I just move the mulch out of the way in spots and plant some seeds?

and then there are moonflowers and sunflowers

I know I need to score and soak the moonflower seeds I have done this in the past and nothing

and I have been trying sunflower seeds forever
I have some beautiful "Vanilla ice" sunflowers along with red ones that I really want to gorw but can't seem tog et them to do anything

any suggestions?

Thanks

Wolfie

 

[Bluewolf]

That's SUPPOSED to read Secrets FOR growing from SEED

I just can't seem to smell this morning worth a darn

 

[Blueaussi]

It's usually best to put sunflowers out in the garden where you want them to grow, and you can do that with moonflowers, although I do start them inside sometimes. The trick is to plant them at the correct time for your area, and to keep them evenly moist while they're sprouting. This strip you're talking about...when it rains, does the water stand there or drain well? How much sun does it get all day?

As to starting inside, I suspect your seedlings aren't getting enough light if they get spindly and die. It is very difficult to get enough light for seedlings to grow properly without artificial lighting. There are very few windows that get enough light to start seeds properly, especially if the seeds are for full sun plants.

Here's my seed starting set up, it's an old picture, but you get the drift.

 

[Kya D]

I am just like you I have a lot of trouble starting seeds and hardening them off.
It is something I have never been able to do well

 

[SandiB]

Hey Wolfie
I start lots of my seeds with the jiffy seed starting pellets, especially the sunflowers but have luck w/most I have tried this way. After you follow directions w/pellets & add seed..just put them in trays & sit outside and let nature have it's way (water if needed of course) When ya get healthy sprouts.. plant the whole thing & watch them grow
Ohhh..don't forget to mark them..I use mini blind slats writing name and height, sun or shade.

 

[RonsGarden]

I start almost everything under my growlights!
The only problem I came accross was damp off! It is nasty fungi that attacks seedlings at the soil level! The seedlings look healthy one day and are bent over the next! I use No-Damp to spray the soil surface to kill this fungi! Works like a charm! I'm normally against using and created chemicals, but there is no organic way to go as far ascan tell.
I tried using a mixture of 3% hygrogen peroxide and water with minor success. Have to spoon it over the soil surface rather then spraying since getting the solution, even a very diluted solution, causes some damage, or mutation of the foliage!

 

[Dor]

Damping off has been my problem also Ron. So far out of 18 I have 3 peat pots with seedlings lying flat this spring. I just got up and removed them. I will try the No-Damp if I can find it at HD or Lowe's. I wiped the rest of my peat pots with a diluted bleach and water solution so I can do more sowing.

 

[Bluewolf]

It's usually best to put sunflowers out in the garden where you want them to grow, and you can do that with moonflowers, although I do start them inside sometimes. The trick is to plant them at the correct time for your area, and to keep them evenly moist while they're sprouting. This strip you're talking about...when it rains, does the water stand there or drain well? How much sun does it get all day?

As to starting inside, I suspect your seedlings aren't getting enough light if they get spindly and die. It is very difficult to get enough light for seedlings to grow properly without artificial lighting. There are very few windows that get enough light to start seeds properly, especially if the seeds are for full sun plants.

Here's my seed starting set up, it's an old picture, but you get the drift.

That's a mighty fine lookin Rig you gots there Bluesie but I don't have a place for somethin like that plus I don't have the monies to buy one

 

[Bluewolf]

Hey Wolfie
I start lots of my seeds with the jiffy seed starting pellets, especially the sunflowers but have luck w/most I have tried this way. After you follow directions w/pellets & add seed..just put them in trays & sit outside and let nature have it's way (water if needed of course) When ya get healthy sprouts.. plant the whole thing & watch them grow
Ohhh..don't forget to mark them..I use mini blind slats writing name and height, sun or shade.

Well Sandi..I might try doin it that way just starting them outside
and let Ma nature take care of them for me "IF" I can find my pellets

I've got tons of them...somewheres.....

 

[Bluewolf]

Oh yeah Bluesie...this area is on the west side of the garage it gets
around 1:00 sun till err..hmm..lets say heck I don't know
I know it isn't all the way till the sun don't shine cause there is a house and tree on the other side of the alley but it does get most of the warmest sunniest part of the day...

and it kinda slopes so it is well drained...

 

[Kya D]

Ms Blue you might check out this site. They tell how to winter grow seeds outside. They also offer free seeds and everything can be planted in containers that have been recycled. Tons of other things of interest too
http://www.wintersown.org/

 

[Bluewolf]

Ms Blue you might check out this site. They tell how to winter grow seeds outside. They also offer free seeds and everything can be planted in containers that have been recycled. Tons of other things of interest too
http://www.wintersown.org/

Been there done that 4 years ago...

gonna just try and start them here in a couple three weeks and see what happens

 

[Flower4Yeshua]

I think you will do fine...when I first started germinating seeds...I guess i was just to dumb to know better but I had no problem with out all the fancy stuff...make sure you get a good potting mix....usually can find ones that are for seedlings...then warm place to start...I would do a try at a time and place them on top of the fridge...very warm up there...once the little guy's and gals popped up down they cam e and up went another...you can cover with plastic wrap or baggies...but make sure you keep the soil moist...not wet...then once up ...when ever there was a nice sunny day out doors they went...nice sunny window will do though...6 to 8 hours of light is best...but even if they get a little leggy...it's ok..don't give up...to harden off take at least 4 to 6 days our doors all day and bring in over night...then leave out in pots at least two full days before in the ground...don;t know why but this always seemed to help mine make it...I think you will be thrilled with all your own babies in the ground...Oh and sunflowers do prefer direct sow....but I have transplanted them and had no troubles...I find if you keep it simple you do best...I shall be cheering for you to make it...

 

[Bluewolf]

Flower..that's the problem I don't have a "top of the fridge" that's where I keep my cereals and crackers
and I don't have any accessable windows to put them in front of

but I am going to try the putting them out during the day and bringing them in at night not really concerned if they bloom this year..just want the plants

and am going to try alot of "direct sowing" using only part of the seeds I have

Thanks for the tipsies

 

[Blueaussi]

Try talcum powder for damping off.

"The talcum powder formulation delivered to tomato seeds as a seed-coating was the most effective biocontrol treatment. It suppressed damping-off in 10-day-old tomato transplants by almost 90% compared to 30 and 22% damping-off reduction when alginate beads or starch granules were delivered concomitantly with tomato seeds. Seed-coating with powder formulation of the biocontrol agent was as effective as drench application of the fungicide, oxine benzoate (No-Damp), in controlling Rhizoctonia damping-off and superior to the commercial biocontrol agent, Streptomyces griseoviridis (Mycostop), applied to tomato seeds as seed-coating. "

Although, I think if you keep your seedlings warm and moist, not wet, you won't see much damping off. I rarely have any damping off problems, and I don't treat with anything.

 

[Flower4Yeshua]

Flower..that's the problem I don't have a "top of the fridge" that's where I keep my cereals and crackers
and I don't have any accessable windows to put them in front of

but I am going to try the putting them out during the day and bringing them in at night not really concerned if they bloom this year..just want the plants

and am going to try alot of "direct sowing" using only part of the seeds I have

Thanks for the tipsies

that will work my dear...

 

[Flower4Yeshua]

oh you know I just had a thought...they do have those heating mats...not sure how much they go for...Randy uses them ...but I have in the past just used a regular heating pad...just a thought

 

[Blueaussi]

I use seed starting mats on all my seeds that like it warm. They're kinda pricey, but I like using something that can get wet and that is easy to clean. If you google a bit, you can find all kinds of homemade set ups that work as well and aren't expensive to throw together.

 

[Randy]

Well, Sailor, I wish you lived close enough to us so we could fix you up with a grow facility. I made one for my older daughter using 1" square tubular steel and rigged the light so the height could be changed easily. I don't have any pictures of it though. I think I built that about 20 years ago.

 

[Bluewolf]

Well, Sailor, I wish you lived close enough to us so we could fix you up with a grow facility. I made one for my older daughter using 1" square tubular steel and rigged the light so the height could be changed easily. I don't have any pictures of it though. I think I built that about 20 years ago.

aaawww that's so tweet!!!

I'll think of somethin I always do...

I do have a heating pad that I don't use much...