Sowing direct or starting off on a windowsill?

[GingerKatieSparkles]

I've got a bunch of stuff on the windowsill in those little plastic module trays and beginning to think it wasn't such a good idea (long story, involves peas, small children and the inside of loo rolls). But then it is damn wet and randomly really cold outside... what do you do to get stuff started? Chuck it in the ground and hope for the best, raise it carefully indoors, or something inbetween?

[MKG]

For a start, you could get a few layers of newspaper between the sill and the trays - that'll keep a couple of degrees of cold away. Some form of Heath Robinson polythene tent would also help a lot, as would taking the chill off any water you throw at the plants.

Failing that, have you thought about turning your house around so that the window faces south?

[Millymollymandy]

It depends what you have sown. A lot of veggies shouldn't be planted outside until all risk of frost has passed. If they've been started off inside they will then need to be hardened off outside in a cold frame for a couple of weeks before planting.

Late May to early June is best planting time for frost tender plants. Unless you are in Scotland when it may be later in June!

[ina]

What I sow direct, I generally cover with fleece... Otherwise, as MMM said, it can't go out before June. On the other hand, starting things off on the windowsill is also a bit of a problem if you have cats - who just think that any tray with compost in is a perfect loo!

[eccentric_emma]

my cat somehow manages to perch on plant pots as well. you'd think it wouldn't be comfortable but that doesn't stop her.

do you think an old blanket over seeds to keep away the cold would work?

[maggienetball]

Because I grow organically, I try to grow everything from seed indoors/in greenhouse/under cover until things are big and strong enough to not be totalled by a slugs first bite and have built up a little resistance too.

I have had so many seed failures sown directly in the ground over the years that I really find this is the best way for me. Survival rate is much better too.

[PeterNZ]

Fom a gardeners perspective (my previous life) there are a lot of plants which need colder temperatures and should be sown directly into the soil. They will do much better than on a windowsill. I'd say Peas, Beans, Carrots, definitely spinach are some of them!

Cheers

Peter

[SarahJane]

Fom a gardeners perspective (my previous life) there are a lot of plants which need colder temperatures and should be sown directly into the soil. They will do much better than on a windowsill. I'd say Peas, Beans, Carrots, definitely spinach are some of them!

Cheers

Peter

Is that why my beans (that I have planted as seeds in an unheated greenhouse) havent appeared yet?
My peas have though.

[ina]

True - some seeds went out without cover. Some, however, are great to germinate - and then the little seedlings get caught out by snow...

[frozenthunderbolt]

cats - who just think that any tray with compost in is a perfect loo!

the solution to this problem is toothpicks and wooden skewers. lots of 'em. works a treat.

[Mal]

My mange-tout appear to be trying to be taken over the world from their little newspaper pots on the windowsill, I can't believe how quick they were up and off.

However, my little windowsill propagation area is now home to a population of those little flies (fruit flies?) scurrying round, plus the occasional mushroom going mad and sprouting out of the newspaper. Not sure what the answer is - I went with newspaper pots to avoid using more plastic but OH is not happy with the fly situation, nor the fungus.

[hamster]

Fom a gardeners perspective (my previous life) there are a lot of plants which need colder temperatures and should be sown directly into the soil. They will do much better than on a windowsill. I'd say Peas, Beans, Carrots, definitely spinach are some of them!

Cheers

Peter

I've heard that mice are rather fond of pea seeds and was planning to start them off in pots to avoid them getting munched. I've run out of indoor space now, but if I started some off in small pots, would they be okay outdoors?

[MKG]

Noooo! Never start mice off in pots.

[hamster]

Oh, yes, of course. Silly me.

[Thurston Garden]

I sow most of my seeds in seed trays/cells except:

Root crops such as turnip, swede, carrot, parsnip and radish. These don't transplant well and need to be sown insitu. I am lucky to be able to sow at the very least my carrots direct into a special bed inside my big tunnel - carrot fly can't get at them there! This year I am trying parsnips in toilet roll tubes. Hopefully that way I can get them off to an early start (some hope -they have not germinated yet!) and plant them out later without disturbing the roots

Cucs, marrows courgettes and pumpkins are sown individually in 3" pots.

Peas and beans are grown on in Rootrainers, toiler roll tubes or old plastic rhones - planting in rhones allows you to slide the whole row of plants direct into the ground when they are ready to plant out.

Brassicas & leeks are sown in full seed trays and divided up and planted out direct from the tray. Most others (including onion sets) are sown into either 40 or 60 cell inserts, the type that fit into a standard seed tray.

I have heavy clay soil and this method allows me to germinate seeds in a controlled way and plant the strongest plants out when the conditions are right.



You can maybe make out the 3 grey rhones in the background on top of my hot frame with peas in them.




Here I have potted on my toms and peppers. My squashes are in the 3" pots at the back left with beans an peas in the Rootrainers just behind the heater.