What is the average temperature when you guys germinate in the UK?

[childofmelee]

7 hours ago, catweazle1 said:

C.O.M if you want to try and give them the best chance, make sure the medium is really airy and porous, so that there is less chance of suffocating water barriers drowning the seeds and young plants. The plants are growing so slowly and the water evaporates much less in the cold. Bigger air gaps can mitigate this issue. I've been growing my indoor plants at 12c earlier in the year with 50+% perlite mixed in. It is insulating as well. Working with plants in the cold is an ongoing side interest of mine.

 

That's some good advice about keeping the medium airy and porous due to water evaporating much less in the cold.  I'll mix in some perlite.

[childofmelee]

6 hours ago, Oakapple said:

Definitely would be hugely risky to germinate outdoors- We can get frosts as late as May, and also young delicate seedlings are like curry to a pisshead to snails , slugs and herbivores.

Germinate indoors, in a warm place {20 degs centigrade }bring on the baby indoors, and harden her off outdoors gradually. 

 

I'd definitely start the seedlings indoors but that isn't an option for me unfortunately.

[childofmelee]

6 hours ago, disco survivor said:

On the fruit and veg side, I always germinate in damp cotton wool and into a sealed sandwich bag. This then sits on a cloth in a heated propagator (cheap one from Wilko's). I start germinating veg seeds in Feb. I've geminated my first auto grow in exactly the same way and had 100% success. (I don't float seeds in water first unless seed dispersal in water is part of the plants natural process - tropical vines for example). 

 

6 hours ago, disco survivor said:

 

Now that you mention it, I'll think about germinating using cotton wool or paper towels.  Then straight outdoors as soon as the seed pops.

[Madmacca]

I pop my seeds indoor in tissue then straight away  pot them outdoors 

Middle of April. Grow them as seedlings and transplant to my spot middle of may.

Not had an issue for 4 years

I personally think that they going outdoor best to start them outdoors.

Done really well.

Edited July 30, 2023 by Madmacca

[Madmacca]

Think mychorrhizal funghi definitely makes em hardy.

Also if it's 5 degrees obviously not but had em outside 8 degrees and grown big girls 

Soil and health definitely plays a part 

[Madmacca]

Also that wind and coolness early on  sets em up for greatness imo  during the last month or so

Edited July 30, 2023 by Madmacca

[catweazle1]

An idea that comes to mind on the heat issue outside is somehow using the heat from the composting process in situ with the plants. Finding material and micro-organism species that is the most energetically/thermally  favourable to that aim could be something to look into. If ground temp is 6c, a few more degrees for a month or two could make it feasible and enable earlier planting.

 

Starting them at home in deep narrow pots, a foot tall or so, that are used for starting trees would give them better drought resistance later in the season if that's an issue for anyone.... longer the taproot, the better.

Edited July 31, 2023 by catweazle1

[Oakapple]

20 hours ago, childofmelee said:

 

I'd definitely start the seedlings indoors but that isn't an option for me unfortunately.

In Nature the plant wouldn't have been started indoors- In Afghanistan up in the high mountains there wouldn't be a fussy person coaxing them along, they'd be left to their own devices- 

But as with poppies, the wild plant produces a ton of seeds to fall on the ground so there would be a high chance of germination.

Years ago my son made some ground bait with hemp seed from pet shop and swilled out the bucket onto the garden.

We had loads of hemp plants appear, {useless to consume} but they looked so graceful.

The old neighbour said ''Isn't that pretty, what is it?''.. So clearly they do grow by being scattered on the ground and 'Ignored'. 


Choose a sunny , sheltered site, don't plant too deep  and good luck  
 

[Oakapple]

@childofmelee If you haven't a 'Safe' place indoors for whatever reason, you could possibly get away with having the seedling in a peat pellet and nurture it along while it is a very vulnerable baby -
It's only when they get to a week or so old that it's obvious what they are.

In the past I have tried growing while in a Hostel in a different era - but the owner of the hostel saw  and removed them. {He was a decent bloke though- just said ''We could get into trouble for allowing it''}