Hello,

I'm about as new to gardening as you can get, and i've been trying to start some seedlings with jiffy pellets but I've noticed today that birds have been coming and ruining them. I've been looking into covered propagation trays like this http://www.twowests.co.uk/TwoWestsSite/product/SGPS.htm but i've also read that some people keep their seeds out covered in the dark until they have sprouted. It which case it probably wouldnt be best to get a tray with a clear cover. So i'm just wondering if anyone could give advice on whether it's best to keep them in the dark or in the light?
Also, is it generally better to keep them indoors until they have sprouted too? I've read a few mixed reports on these things.

Thanks for any help.

"likeregularchic" wrote in
message ...

Hello,

I'm about as new to gardening as you can get, and i've been trying to
start some seedlings with jiffy pellets but I've noticed today that
birds have been coming and ruining them. I've been looking into covered
propagation trays like this http://tinyurl.com/bpqvt but i've also read
that some people keep their seeds out covered in the dark until they
have sprouted. It which case it probably wouldnt be best to get a tray
with a clear cover. So i'm just wondering if anyone could give advice
on whether it's best to keep them in the dark or in the light?
Also, is it generally better to keep them indoors until they have
sprouted too? I've read a few mixed reports on these things.

Thanks for any help.


--
likeregularchic


Why not use an empty egg carton, fill with loose soil plant and cover with
plastic wrap. when they begin to sprout, open one corner of the plastic
wrap, increasing the opening every day. When you have 4 leaves move the
whole thing outside for a few days then plant.


BetsyB

with a clear cover. So i'm just wondering if anyone could give advice
on whether it's best to keep them in the dark or in the light?
Also, is it generally better to keep them indoors until they have
sprouted too? I've read a few mixed reports on these things.

Depends on what you're growing, but I often "presprout" outdoor garden
seeds inside in moist sand before seeding them out into rows in the garden.
Gives 'em half a chance against the slugs around here.

What are you trying to grow? Where will you be growing it? What is the
soil temperature outside now, and average day and night temperature? What
temp is the house? Where are you more likely to be able to control the
soil moisture?

An old seed germination faq I wrote long ago:
http://tinyurl.com/caljs

At this time in the northern emisphere you can grow seedlings outside
as well as inside. Inside is for starting seeds in the cold season.
Inside you will have problems with damping off (seedlings die, the stem
having wilted), with not enough light, and with the seedlings not
having UV protection (they need to feel the UV to start producing it).
These problems generally are absent outside. The cover tends to promote
damping off so I use the covers as trays and never cover my seeds.

If it is only the birds bothering you, cover the trays with chicken
wire. Some seeds, incidentally, need light to germinate. Most other
seeds are indifferent. No seed needs absolute darkness. All seeds need
a minimum temperature and moisture. I do sprout my seeds inside in near
darkness but only because I use the top of my fridge, which is warm, to
sprout them quickly. In the summer, the same seeds are sprouted outside
in full sunlight.