Plant Patch
Looking Ahead to Spring
At this time of the year when the days are getting longer we begin to think of spring the early birds have their seed potatoes sprouting and will soon be making a judgment as to planting time. We perhaps are thinking of packet seeds and baby plants.
Seed Germination
Most seeds in the correct conditions germinate in 14 days. They then need to grow on for another 2 weeks before being pricked out i.e. spaced out. The growing on stage will now vary greatly depending on the variety of plant and the conditions under which they are growing. It could be 8 weeks for a begonia semperflorens and only 3 weeks for a lettuce seedling. Knowing that one can not plant out a begonia before all risks of frost have passed ie somewhere about the middle of May it then follows that the begonia with a 3month growth period should be sown in mid February .The lettuce if planted out at the same time, with a 6week growing period need only be sown at the beginning of April.
Conditions for Germination
The conditions needed to germinate seeds in February or April are warmth,moisture air and light. Warmth and light in April are much better, the seeds are easier to germinate and grow away after they have been spaced out much more readily.The main difficulty of sowing seeds in February is that even if the seeds germinate the next stage of growing on is problematic.Seed sown into a seed tray may need to be spaced out into 10 seed trays so space becomes an issue.To grow the seedlings on requires a constant temperature day and night .Whereas it was easy to keep one seed tray at a constant temperature in propagator now we have perhaps 10 trays so temperature is an issue.When the seeds were germinating they needed little light,once they are spaced out and beginning to grow they need light ,the back bedroom is now no longer light enough.What’s to be done? Choose seeds that can be sown late and yet will come into flower fairly quickly. Use small plantlets rather than seeds.Sow some varieties direct into the soil. Acquire a greenhouse that can be heated, provide maximum light and adequate space.It could then be used for a crop of tomatoes, but that’s another story.!
Plant Patch 14 February 2006