Re: Learning seed propagation...
- To:
- Subject: Re: Learning seed propagation...
- From: M* T*
- Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 05:14:16 -0400
Well, Allan, when I used to grow veggies and a lot of annuals, I used
to start them in pure vermiculite and in flats or whatever I had
handy. Worked fine, since they were pricked out at first true leaves
and potted on.
Now, I tend to sow in 3.5 inch pots because smaller pots or flats of
tiny compartments tend to dry out too quickly on me.
I use Pro-Mix for seeding with a top coat of granite grit about 1/4
inch - sometimes a bit more thick. There are pros and cons with peat
based media like Pro-Mix, but at least it isn't full of weed seeds:-)
Peat tends to break down after a season and can remain soggy if
overwatered. I will add additional grit or even perlite (tho' I am
not fond of it) sometimes for additional drainage.
I soak most of the seed anymore with a drop of dishwashing
liquid...seems to help. Don't do this with dust fine seed nor with
seed of the lily family or asters..but anything with reasonably sized
seed.
I use tweezers with a curved end on them to pick up the seeds and
place them in the pot, so I can space them at least an inch apart
each way. Some small seeds for bulbs that I know will not get large
immediately are spaced a bit closer. Generally end up with 6 to 9
seeds per pot of most medium sized seed.
For dust fine seed, I tap it out on top of the grit and water it in.
If it germinates too heavily, I just pull out the excess so the
remaining seedlings have enough space to grow.
Most perennial seed does not want high heat - much of it wants cold
stratification or a warm/cold/warm period or oscillating temps...with
germination at 60F to 68F - normal room temps.
A lot of annual seed benefits from warm temps as the plants are
basically of tropical origin.
Once seedlings germinate, most perennials benefit from cool growing
temperatures - there are exceptions, but you get stronger plants,
although they grow more slowly...that is actually good for them.
The trick with perennials is to learn how the plant would germinate
and grow in nature. Is it a plant whose seed matures in spring,
summer or late summer-fall? Try to sow the seed at the same time it
would be sown naturally, if you can obtain it then. Does it need a
cold period? For seeds needing cold stratification, the easiest way
is to sow them and put the pots outside for the winter and let Mother
Nature do the work. You just have to make sure the pots don't dry
out. I cover flats of pots with screenwire tops that I make from
rolls of screenwire - easy to do as you can cut it with scissors and
tack it at the corners with fine wire...keeps weed seeds, leaves,
debris and critters out of the pots.
Otherwise, damp paper towels in a zip-lock baggy in the fridge take
up less space than pots and are easier (for me) to monitor than
putting them in a handful of damp peat.
For plants wanting warm germination, I start them inside and (now I
have it) put them in the greenhouse on a bench. I don't cover my
seedling pots as I can tell when they need water since the gravel
turns white. Have covered pots with plastic wrap and plastic domes,
etc., but don't any more. Think I used to do that mostly for the
veggies and annuals.
I prick out and transplant into individual pots, generally a 3.5 or
4" pot, but sometimes larger or deeper, depending on the plant, when
they have true leaves or when I get to it:-) If I am really tardy,
have been known to simply plant the whole pot of seedlings in a much
larger pot and let them grow on and then separate them later. If you
space your seeds in the seedpots, and transplant in a timely fashion,
there isn't that much root damage.
When I sow in flats (which I sometimes do for really large quantities
of seed), I try to space evenly so I can simply cut out cubes with a
sharp knife. some roots are lost, but those within the individual
cube are not damaged at all and the seedlings grow more roots
quickly.
I use my home made potting compost for potting on - basically a mix
of screened compost, rotted woodchips, leaf mould and granite grit.
Have not suffered any damping off problems with this - must be quite
free draining as all potting compost should be.
I think air circulation is of prime importance with seedlings - run a
small fan over them if you have lot of flats of them inside. You
have to monitor watering closely as the air stream will dry out pots
quickly, but moving air is good for plants.
Wintering small pots over without a greenhouse is a challenge. Your
lovely cold frame should work. I'd be inclined to fill the bottom
with sand or mulch and plunge the pots in it and forget about them
except to make sure they don't dry out. With a cold frame, the trick
is not letting it overheat. If you cover it with old rugs, black
plastic, old bedspreads, etc., it won't, as the sun won't penetrate,
and the pots will winter over just fine in a dormant state. Gets
tricky as spring comes on but it's still frosty. Pots will start
into growth sooner in a frame than they would in the ground, so you
have to open and close the frame so that they get light and plenty of
ventilation but don't freeze, once they start into growth...
You can also make a temporary plunge bed from scrap lumber, concrete
blocks or even bales of straw. Fill it with mulch and plunge your
pots and forget about them. I find that this works best with at
least 4" pots and larger is better, but I think Gene Bush plunges
smaller pots - don't you, Gene? Now, you're in zone 4 and that is
considerably colder than where I am, but I still think it would work.
Dormant plants just need their roots protected, not their tops.
Unless you plan on putting tender annuals in that frame, I see no
reason to heat it at all....or are you thinking of trying to start
seeds of tender annuals in there?
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor: Gardening in Shade
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