Free Heating Mats

That very kind of you! The first lot died and the 2nd lot have failed to germinate. I have grown them before but for the last couple of years they have all failed. Thank you for your very thoughtful offer, but wouldn't want you to go to the trouble of posting some but could I ask you to share with me your technique for successful germination please @Cuttings

 

Of course, the seed I bye is from a professional supplier, but Cleome are well known to be difficult.
Firstly I use a low nutrient compost, I use Levington F1 seed and cutting, but a good quality seed and cutting compost should do, secondly, the seeds really need lots of light to germinate, so I use LEDs, they also prefer a temprature of 26 degrees C to germinate and always water by imersion rather than sprayer or can. Once germinated, keep the soil to medium wet, soil has a dark brown colour that barely holds together when squeezed, and remove light source, reduce the heat mat or propergator temp to 16 -18 degrees C, once the true leaf is out, they need a stronger than usual feed to initiate good basel budding, but becareful, if fed to much they can go leggy, so I would suggest 200 ppm nitrogen or 50% strength feed fortnightly, if they start to stretch remove from heat and skip a feed or two, for me its a bit easier as I apply a PGR (plant growth regulator), prick out 5-6 weeks after germination into a high nutrient soil (mpc), and pinch after 2 weeks, 1 pinch should be enough, but always control the moisture level so the soil is dark brown, and just about holds together when squeezed together, resume feeding after 4 weeks of potting on.

 

Thanks so much @Cuttings , I will follow your advice and attempt a 3rd batch. I had read that they needed fluctuating temps warm by day and cold by night...this was wrong info then? That has been my mistake!

 

I have read this too, but I think this has been written to combat the plant going leggy, and issued this idea because it works in most cases, however, with our current climate, if the night temp drops to -6, game over. 1 thing I have learnt since leaving college some 30 cough cough years ago, trial and error, its easy for me to rattle off do this, do that, but I grow in very controlled conditions, I can use products that are not available to the every day gardener, so my advice is just that, another opinion, to help someone acheive a task, this is why I am here. I have learnt so much more since I left horticultural education, if you stop learning time to call it a day. An example, the RHS, state grow Echium Webbii from seed, cuttings is not recommended, I have had great success with Echium cuttings, then you learn, the RHS will not recommend cuttings, because some people get an allergic reaction from compounds in the leaves, so for fear of being sued, they no longer publish such information. Trial, error, learn, move on. I used to have a problem growing Cyclamen, until I met a 85 year old gardener, who was an engineer, and had no horticultural training apart from his own garden, he told me, add 5% clay to your growing media, never had a problem with Cyclamen since.
Everyone has a different enviroment to practice and enjoy plants, and it amazes me, how much knowledge is still out there, today you learn from me, tomorrow I learn from you.

 

Thank you so much @Cuttings , I'll sow them tomorrow.....you've given me hope.

 

Shame I'm too late for this. The product looks good tho