Planting seeds

Last post 20-01-2009 11:47 AM by helpandadvice. 6 replies.

• 20/01/2009 10:09 AM
  jackiemur Location: southampton Joined on: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 1	Reply | Contact Hi, can you help please. How do i know when planting seeds which need covering to obscure  the light or which to leave open. These are seeds friends have given me from there gardens.

• 20/01/2009 10:33 AM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 9,503	Reply | Contact If your friends have grown them from seed, you could ask them.  If not there is plenty of info available on the web regarding seed sowing or failing that - look at the back of seed packets in the shops and copy the information down for the seeds that you have. sue1002

• 20/01/2009 10:41 AM	In reply to
  Sarah Buxton Location: London Joined on: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 8	Reply | Contact I really sympathise with you on this! Seed propogation was for me the hardest part of starting up my last garden.Plants and cuttings are so much easier. Thing is we'd need to see the seeds to help you with this,because there isn't a rule of thumb. There are seed growing workshops available at Wisley if you can get there ? Sarah Buxton, Director of Finance

• 20/01/2009 11:47 AM

  In reply to

  helpandadvice Location: Joined on: 23 Oct 2008 Posts: 51

  Reply | Contact This seems like a tricky problem, but when in doubt just cover your seeds with enough fine vermiculite to hide the seed, almost all seeds will potentially germinate well.  With very small seeds this means very little vermiculite indeed which is as it should be as small seeds very often appreciate light. See our help and advice profile for more information: http://www.rhs.org.uk/Advice/profiles0301/sowing_seeds.asp Did you know that RHS members may send us a list of their seeds and the advice team will indicate which ones need dark and which ones require light to germinate? As you might expect, we thoroughly approve of this book that tells you all you need to know for a lifetime of plant propagation: RHS Propagating Plants Editor-in-chief Alan Toogood Hardback 320pp. ISBN:1405300612 Price £25.00 Paperback 320pp. ISBN-10: 1405315253 ISBN-13: 9781405315258 Price £16.99 I hope this helps  Guy Barter  RHS Help and Advice RHS Members' Advisory Service

• 20/01/2009 11:48 AM

  In reply to

  helpandadvice Location: Joined on: 23 Oct 2008 Posts: 51

  Reply | Contact This seems like a tricky problem, but when in doubt just cover your seeds with enough fine vermiculite to hide the seed, almost all seeds will potentially germinate well.  With very small seeds this means very little vermiculite indeed which is as it should be as small seeds very often appreciate light. See our help and advice profile for more information: http://www.rhs.org.uk/Advice/profiles0301/sowing_seeds.asp Did you know that RHS members may send us a list of their seeds (Please don't forget to enclose your membership number or address) and our advice team will indicate which ones need dark and which ones require light to germinate? To do this we use the expertise of our seed distribution service. As you might expect, we thoroughly approve of this book that tells you all you need to know for a lifetime of plant propagation: RHS Propagating Plants Editor-in-chief Alan Toogood Hardback 320pp. ISBN:1405300612 Price £25.00 Paperback 320pp. ISBN-10: 1405315253 ISBN-13: 9781405315258 Price £16.99 I hope this helps  Guy Barter  RHS Help and Advice RHS Members' Advisory Service

• 20/01/2009 11:59 AM

  In reply to

  PAUL Location: Corringham,Essex Joined on: 16 Jan 2009 Posts: 1

  Reply | Contact There is a great little booklet available which lists virtually any seeds you'll ever have and it lists the kind of compost/medium , optimum temperature, depth of sowing or surface for each kind. It's published for Thompson & Morgan and only cost 99p when I bought it a couple of years ago. It's been very useful to me, particularly for knowing which seeds like sandy compost etc, but it lists pretty much all you need to know. I'd recommend it. 'The Seed Sowing Guide' available direct from T&M but I've also seen it in garden centres.

• 20/01/2009 01:30 PM	In reply to
  Tee Gee Location: Huddersfield Joined on: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 26	Reply | Contact  To my mind there is no hard and fast rule to this problem.   However their is concensus that very fine seed are generally surface sown.   This is my slant on seed sowing    <url>http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Seed%20sowing/Seed%20Sowing.htm</url>