Germination Question

I planted salpiglossis and malva seeds in the same propagator which is on my windowsill. The malva seeds have germinated but the salpiglossis seeds have not. The question is, will the malva seedlings be okay if I leave the lid on until the others germinate? Darned if I know!

 

I'd get the Malva out quick and cool them down, if my memory serves me correct they are pretty hardy and can easily go leggy.
Salpiglossis is on the otherhand fairly tender, so needs a bit of warmth.

 

Okay, I'll do that tomorrow. Thanks Pete.

 

Cling film, in place of propagator lid, can help when you only want to cover half a tray.

I do my best to only share seeds in a tray if they have the same germination times (but you need records of germination times from previous years for that advice to be much use!!) and I use quarter-sized seed trays and lids - so mostly they have only one, or sometimes two, varieties in them.

 

In general I don't think it matters that much Tiarella. Though traditionally people do remove the covers soon after the seeds have germinated

I think many of us have the same problem, one way or another. I have a heated propagator (in a light box), and have 24 3" pots of seeds in it. Some of the seeds have germinated well, but I have left them in the propagator (in the heat and light) for a month or more to grow to a decent size. It's partly a matter of space. If I took them out and potted them up - I don't know where I would put the.

But the main problem, is that some seeds germinate at irregular intervals. I have several pots of Brugmansia for instance. They are very big seeds so you only get 10 or less per pack, and I am loathe to waste any. But one will germinate, and the next one may not for another 3 weeks. In the process of removing one large seedling from a small pot, you risk burying some of the other seeds and forfeiting them. So I have maybe one 2" high seedling in a pot with four other seeds that haven't germinated.

You must take the cover off at least once a day, to give them some fresh air. Otherwise I generally don't have any problems.

 

I often put up to three different types of seed in the same tray - I do try to have, for instance, three varieties of dahlia or snapdragons or whatever, but don't always have three (as with salpiglossis) so put something else on the end. This is mainly for reasons of space (only one viable windowsill) and also that I don't want huge quantities of anything. I also sow seeds in 3" pots if I only want a few plants - it all depends on what it is. As you say, Peter, I don't suppose it matters that much in the long run - they'll either succeed or they won't. It's fun trying stuff though!!

 

I think the main problem in having seedlings covered is the danger of damping off. Still humid air is an ideal breeding ground for mould. The method I use to minimise this is to spray with a copper compound (anti fungal), and I also remove the top several times a day. This is mainly excessive enthusiasm to see if anything new has germinated since I looked half an hour before. But it does also have the benefit of ventilation.