Re: Lupines? Help!

I agree with mike and others. For all seed without unusual needs I 
use chicken grit (small crushed rock) on top of potting soil. The grit 
goes on top of big seeds and small seeds are watered into the grit. 
Lupines self sow here in a pure rock driveway among other places. 
They plant themselves in summer and I first see them growing in 
the winter. They may sprout warm, however, they are a cool season 
grower. If you get them planted out when it is still cool, they will be 
unhappy during summer. If they survive summer they should be 
large and nice the following Spring.
Another issue for indoor seeding is drainage. If you keep seedlings 
in trays that don't drain for an extended time, regular watering with 
tap water leads to salt build up (and damping off). I like to get seed 
pots into well drained trays where I can over water them heavily on 
occasion. How often this is needed depends on your waters salt 
content and how much evaporation you replace.
  We still use moist vermiculite in snack size ziplocks to mix with 
seed that needs to go in a refrigerator.  Vermiculite is currently 
likely to contain asbestos and so we don't plan to buy any more 
when we run out. I am not sure what we will replace it with, maybe 
sand?  If you use it, keep it moist when you work with it to avoid 
breathing it.        Happy Spring,  KellyO
-- 
        Kelly O'Neill 
          Wet Rock Gardens Flower Farm
  U-Pick and more at the farm (open particular times and by 
appointment):
          2877 N 19th Street
          Springfield, Oregon 97477
To contact us:
    gardens@wetrock.com
      http://www.wetrock.com
         (541) 746-4444
  Business Office for mail or by appointment only:
            1950 Yolanda AVE
          Springfield, Oregon 97477


On 3 Mar 2003 at 21:33, Mike Open wrote:

> I had several years losing thousands of seedlings to damping off. I
> tried using Copper fungicide - no use.  Finally I took the advice of a
> former subscriber to this list and used vermiculite to germinate 
seeds
> (about half an inch on top of normal compost.



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