Thanks for the insights Kristi. My immediate response is "gee I'm glad I don't have to go through all of that". But there's a lot of other good stuff in there too, so thank you!
We always have lots of below freezing temps, frost almost daily, and sometimes lots of snow. This winter, however, was the coldest I can remember in several years. Many days with single digit temperatures (F) and well into the negatives (C). As a result, plants I'm used to seeing in flower by now haven't flowered yet and I'm afraid some of my fall planted seedlings didn't make it. That's typically the best time to plant perennials here. Day length at winter solstice here is 9 hours and 20 minutes.
Great post, Kristi! I started gardening like you, just a few plants on a balcony, and now I’m hooked on seeds too. Love how you break it down, from simple direct sowing to the science of germination. It’s cool to hear it’s really just seeds in dirt, makes me less nervous to try. Your tips on triggers like temp and light are super helpful, I’ll check my packets closer now. Direct sowing sounds right up my alley, less fuss than indoor stuff. Thanks for keeping it real, even pros buy plants sometimes! I’m grabbing some bean seeds this year, you’ve got me excited to start.
Thank you. If seeds germinate but the seedlings don't grow, I wound tend to think it's a problem with the medium. Do you remember what medium you were using that time?
Yep! I was using fancy potting soil that was not specifically for seeds. In the past, I was doing soil blocking and I was also using a very specific soil, but it was different from what I used the most recent time. I just bought a bunch of seeds starting potting soil to see if that would be better.
Good luck with your new medium. Don't forget that seed starting mediums typically don't have a lot of nutrients. Once the true leaves start to grow, you will have to think about fertilizer or potting up into different medium.
I know. That’s why I was using potting soil. I’m currently trying half and half. I’ll have to figure out the proportions of my fish fertilizer for babies though…
Thanks for the insights Kristi. My immediate response is "gee I'm glad I don't have to go through all of that". But there's a lot of other good stuff in there too, so thank you!
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Do you have frost at all during your winters? How short is your shortest day?
We generally get 4-5 light frosts. Some grass gets frost burns, but no real damage to other plants. Shortest day is 10:24.
We always have lots of below freezing temps, frost almost daily, and sometimes lots of snow. This winter, however, was the coldest I can remember in several years. Many days with single digit temperatures (F) and well into the negatives (C). As a result, plants I'm used to seeing in flower by now haven't flowered yet and I'm afraid some of my fall planted seedlings didn't make it. That's typically the best time to plant perennials here. Day length at winter solstice here is 9 hours and 20 minutes.
Great post, Kristi! I started gardening like you, just a few plants on a balcony, and now I’m hooked on seeds too. Love how you break it down, from simple direct sowing to the science of germination. It’s cool to hear it’s really just seeds in dirt, makes me less nervous to try. Your tips on triggers like temp and light are super helpful, I’ll check my packets closer now. Direct sowing sounds right up my alley, less fuss than indoor stuff. Thanks for keeping it real, even pros buy plants sometimes! I’m grabbing some bean seeds this year, you’ve got me excited to start.
Thank you! Good luck!
this was such a jam packed read with so much helpful info, i’m a new gardener this year so i found this especially inspiring ☀️✨
Thank you! I'm happy you found it helpful.
This is great. I had a thing this year where many of my seedlings germinated but then didn’t grow. Just stayed small, eventually died. Maybe too wet?
Thank you. If seeds germinate but the seedlings don't grow, I wound tend to think it's a problem with the medium. Do you remember what medium you were using that time?
Yep! I was using fancy potting soil that was not specifically for seeds. In the past, I was doing soil blocking and I was also using a very specific soil, but it was different from what I used the most recent time. I just bought a bunch of seeds starting potting soil to see if that would be better.
Good luck with your new medium. Don't forget that seed starting mediums typically don't have a lot of nutrients. Once the true leaves start to grow, you will have to think about fertilizer or potting up into different medium.
I know. That’s why I was using potting soil. I’m currently trying half and half. I’ll have to figure out the proportions of my fish fertilizer for babies though…