Don’t forget everything is also written down in your Handy Grow-A-Long Hanbook ebook.
BIENNIALS!
Sweet William, Sweet Rocket, Canterbury Bells, Cow Parsley you need them all for EVEN more earlier easy to grow flowers this Spring
We will take it nice and easy sowing a couple of varieties each weekend into the Autumn. There really is no rush, our goal is to have all the seedlings at just the right size to overwinter safely.
I have been busy busy washing my greenhouse to clean out any pests and diseases before the new plants go in and maximise the light by clearing any green algae and dust from the windows, this will make a real difference as light levels dip.
Started too soon and they may well die before you have a chance to plant out in Spring. Some varieties panic when started too early and will begin flowering meaning it’s game over and you’ll have to start again and potentially miss the sowing window entirely.
No need for heat mats or propagator lids, the greenhouse is plenty warm and humid enough and you could inhibit germination.
Some seeds like it really quite chilly, here is a video explaining which seeds benefit from a spell in the fridge ahead of sowing.
To chill or not to chill
Seeds that need chilling are:
Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) *new, Larkspur (including Petite), Ammi majus and Visnaga, Orlaya grandiflora and Wild carrot (Daucus carota)
Put them in the fridge before we start. Late Winter will will also chill Malope and Eucalyptus
There is also a quick checklist section in your handbook.
Handbooks are available on all orders that included £25 or more on seeds (excluding postage) as a special thank you for ordering your Grow-A-Long seeds with us!
We couldn’t be here without you!!
Handbooks are accessed from your account dashboard. Either ‘orders’ or ‘downloads’ it’s in both!
The last parcels are already on their way and should be with you this week ready to get started!
Lots of love Zoe & Neil
Seeds to chill Now
Getting Started
You can watch all my Shopping List Videos here:
Ahead of our seed sowing Marathon I thought we’d just have a quick chat about compost
While the temperatures are still quite warm I like to water my seed trays from underneath.
This fully hydrates the compost to stop it drying out as quickly.
Prevents seeds that need light for germination from being accidentally buried under the soil surface. Helps with wasting water. Helps prevent soil capping, this is where a hard crust or cap can develop on seed trays that are constantly watered.
Getting started
Fill seed trays or cells to the top with soil, tapping gently as you go so the soil settles and there are no trapped pockets of air and water.
You can place in a tray of water to moisten but not soak. You can also overhead water but do this before sowing so you don’t dislodge your carefully sown seeds.
Compost mix should be thoroughly damp, but not dripping wet.
Get your label ready, you forget very quickly what you have sown so write them first.
Sow seeds according to the instructions, a general rule seeds requiring darkness for germination should be sown twice as deep as the seed is large. Make a small hole with a pencil or dibber.
‘Dust like’ seeds are sown on the soil surface and often benefit from light to germinate.
Sow 1 or 2 seeds to each cell, you can remove the weakest if both germinate later.
I do not use heated propagation mats for Autumn starting or propagator lids. The Autumn greenhouse will naturally be warm and humid enough.
Check seedlings daily and water (from underneath if possible) when the soil appears dry. this is very important for seeds needing light for germination. The watering could push them below the soil surface into darkness. This will then prevent germination.
No matter how carefully you sow, extra seeds will appear and you must remove these extra seedlings, if you don’t your seedlings will be cramp and crowded and won’t have the space to grow on well.
Some seedlings resent root disturbance such as Larkspur and Nigella and are not suitable for pricking out.
As young plants grow, they need to be fed. Liquid seaweed is a gentle water on feed suitable for young plants.
Eventually your seedlings will outgrow their trays, we will start poting on into a larger cells or pots in late Winter.
Be care not to mother your plants too much, this can reduce their hardiness. On warm days even during winter open the greenhouse. Ait flow is vital for a healthy environment.
Before planting out in late Winter / early Spring we will harden plants off by setting trays in a sheltered spot outside, increasing the amount of time they are out each day.
This helps the young plants acclimatise to outdoor temperature fluctuations and toughen the leaves so they can cope with the outside environment. Failure to do this can cause plants to go into shock.
Watch out for greenfly, slugs and snails. your newly sown plants will be full of delicious sappy growth. They can be mown down overnight.
This page will be updated every week during the growing season so you can follow along in real time.
Detailed variety specific information of all the steps from seed to flowering is contained in our Grow-A-Long handbooks.
