“Don’t be in a Hurry with your Seeds!” by David Tarrant
February is often the month when we get carried away and start to sow annual seeds too early for the season ahead. The key factor to think about when sowing seeds is to count how many weeks it will be before it is safe to plant them outside. In climates such as ours on the west coast this is usually around the third week of May, while in cooler areas it may not be until the first week of June.
Usually twelve to fourteen weeks growing time is just right for the average bedding plant. However, it must be stressed that having the correct conditions is vital for success. All seedlings respond well to being sown in a temperature around 18-20 Celsius. But once germinated, they need much cooler temperatures: around 12 by day and down to 8 or 10 degrees at night. During the day, supplemental light for thirteen hours is a great help. It can be as simple as two fluorescent tubes, one warm white and the other cool white, mounted in a moveable holder so that they can be adjusted to be 30 to 40 cm from the seedlings – this will prevent stretched growth. Good air circulation is essential at all times to prevent fungus attacks and damping off.
Rather than being too hasty to sow seeds this month, concentrate on preparing a room – either a spare room or in your basement. Better yet, get your cool greenhouse ready for a mass sowing next month.