What to put in the greenhouse?

[smallblueplanet]

Not bought any shallots or garlic yet or they could go in modules in the greenhouse. More spendies soon then!

[Alison]

Planted a few early aubergines, peppers and chillies a couple of weeks ago, only a couple of each seed but most of them are through already, 3 out of the 4 aubergines are through and one is already showing signs of a second set of leaves. All the peppers are through and just some of the longer germinating chillies to go. That's in a heated propogator until they germinate and then on the window ledge after that. Won't be planting toms or cucs or the remainder of the peppers for over a month yet, probably nearer two as I've learned from past experience that I'll run out of space and only really gain about a week in when they first fruit.

[veg4681]

SBP, Bet your aubs, peppers, chllies and even tomatoes will germinate before mine (if they ever!) even if you sow yours later. I don't know but fruiting vegetables just HATES me. The only thing that has germinated so far is my Yard Long Beans. Beans seem to like me, maybe because I have a fart face .

Anyway how often do you water your sowed seeds? I think I haven't been watering enough, if ever. I thought covering the pots with plastic bags would make it humid for the soil to remain moist but why no complaint from Mr Yard Long Bean.

[smallblueplanet]

When the seeds are in the heated prop they sit on a piece of capillary matting and that keeps them moist.

What you gonna do with germinated beans. :S

[momol]

Veg,

I am doing some chillies and several seeds germinations test (since thursday) in my propagator (my first time using propagator), apparantly, some chilies seeds germinates in 4 days ( today !)...make sure your seeds are viable. The watering is only done once during sowing.
Carefull for your YL beans, it is too early now, he will end up very leggy....

Momol

[veg4681]

Veg,

I am doing some chillies and several seeds germinations test (since thursday) in my propagator (my first time using propagator), apparantly, some chilies seeds germinates in 4 days ( today !)...make sure your seeds are viable. The watering is only done once during sowing.
Carefull for your YL beans, it is too early now, he will end up very leggy....

Momol

Then it may be possible that my seeds aren't viable but my chillies are the most current stock and he's still sleeping. I thought so too that watering is only done once during sowing and I did water them well then.

Anyway just to be on the safe side, I water them liberally today risking the possibility of rotting the seeds which has also happened to me before. I'm so bl**dy annoyed I may be forced to invest in a heated propagator. Like I say, fruiting vegetables absolutely hates me, even my courgettes took a century to germinate last year and so did the butternut, then there's the tomatoes. If I get a heated propagator, it may not be big enough and may even need 2 of them .

The only consolation is thank god I started sowing early enough to catch my downfall to give me enough time to take other actions.

Don't worry about Mr Bean, he's the least of my worry!

[hypnophil]

hi veg!
have you sown beans early before?
do they fruit earlier?
i ask because lots of people say wait til april etc.. but with the crazy weather i wondered if it worked for you before?!

[veg4681]

hi veg!
have you sown beans early before?
do they fruit earlier?
i ask because lots of people say wait til april etc.. but with the crazy weather i wondered if it worked for you before?!

I haven't sown beans early before. Sorry for the misunderstanding but my beans are not like your usual European beans (French & Runner). Yard long beans are common in Asia and need longer warmer climate (not surprisingly the seed packet shows sowing period from as early as Feb).

Even then I'm not counting on success and any beans that I may get to harvest will be a bonus and the same skepticism goes for soya beans. The early sowing is useful for me to find out how long germination will take place and if seeds will germinate as I can't guarantee their viability with seeds from swap in very limited qty...as I only sow one seed per veg variety . Just trying to cover my back.....

[smallblueplanet]

Then it may be possible that my seeds aren't viable but my chillies are the most current stock and he's still sleeping...

It could be that they're not germinating cos the conditions aren't right for them? How warm is it day and night where you have them?

[kentvegplot]

Don't get too worried about the chillies - I was about to throw mine out last year when I found something on a web site which warned me they could take as long as 6 weeks to germinate, even in the correct heat. Lo and behold, mine came up properly after about 29 days, every single one germinated and they are now all over-wintering in the ghouse.

Tell me again, why was it I thought I needed to buy more chili seed this year

[veg4681]

It could be that they're not germinating cos the conditions aren't right for them? How warm is it day and night where you have them?

Yeah most likely the temperature is not high enough for germination in the boiler room. I've just put a weather thermometer that you hang in your hall in there and it's never showing 20 centigrade but between 15-18!

No patience, February is coming and I've asked DH to collect a heated propagator on the way home. Also I'm taking a gamble with just one seed sowing per pot as I can't risk more (only have 3 seeds per variety for some tom/pepper/aubs) which by count of that veg type, they still make up good numbers. The seeds that don't germinate just means that few varieties out of the same veg type will not make it which works as a natural selection and eases my own workload. So now you understand how important the early sowing has been for me, it's about learning, understanding, predicting and above all about covering my back so that I have something to fall back on.

BTW are most propagators deep enough for a 3" pots. Surely this must be the minimum height requirment?

[smallblueplanet]

BTW are most propagators deep enough for a 3" pots. Surely this must be the minimum height requirment?

Ours was - a Sankey 300 - but if not then start then in multicells, you'll get more in the prop in one go? Let us know what prop you get, it'll be interesting to see how they do in it. We'll start ours next weekend.

[veg4681]

Ours was - a Sankey 300 - but if not then start then in multicells, you'll get more in the prop in one go? Let us know what prop you get, it'll be interesting to see how they do in it. We'll start ours next weekend.

Mine's going to be Sankey Growarm 100 as 300 is not just more expensive (don't want to spend more than I have to) but the DIY store only sells the former, any problem with that? I thought the Sankey one sounded better than the Stewart brand.

[smallblueplanet]

Think the 100 is half the size of the 300, so getting some small cells/modules would make it easier to start more seeds? Not sure whether 3" pots will fit as easily as the top on ours slopes?

We only got ours (about 7 years ago) as they were half price in Focus DIY (�20 rather than �40! ).

Propagation > Propagators > Sankey Growarm 100 Heated Propagator

Link for info, not price - Sankey 100 - Dimensions:- Length 38cm x Width 24cm x Height 19cm

Sankey 300 - Dimensions:- Length 57cm x Width 38cm x Height 25cm

Are there any deals on the Net?

Sankey-Electric-Plant-Propagator

[momol]

Veg & SBP,

Interesting propagator subject . I got mine last summer and haven't used it for growing/sowing seeds...but has been using it for fermenting process (fermenting beans/tofu and glutinous rice wine) .
I tested the seeds germination with it last week, works nicely. Mine is a small one, long and narrow ( for window sill) but has no thermostat.
Have a look: https://www.vreeken.nl/2007/index128...hp?urloptions=

Momol