I've just bought and planted some basil seeds and tumbler tomato seeds.
20 of each have gone into a cheap propagator from B&Q (includes base
tray, seed tray insert and clear plastic lid). I have used B&Q seed compost.
Where should I now put this ? Should it go into the airing cupboard (not
sure of exact temperature, but quite warm), a 'normal' cupboard (just
lower than room temp) or by a large window in the kitchen (West facing,
located in Suffolk, window gets good sunlight) ?
I am tempted to go with the windowsill - is this 'correct' ??

(sorry that this is such a novice question !!)

"NC" wrote in message
news
I've just bought and planted some basil seeds and tumbler tomato seeds.
20 of each have gone into a cheap propagator from B&Q (includes base
tray, seed tray insert and clear plastic lid). I have used B&Q seed
compost.
Where should I now put this ? Should it go into the airing cupboard (not
sure of exact temperature, but quite warm), a 'normal' cupboard (just
lower than room temp) or by a large window in the kitchen (West facing,
located in Suffolk, window gets good sunlight) ?
I am tempted to go with the windowsill - is this 'correct' ??

(sorry that this is such a novice question !!)

The seeds will geminate quicker with a bit of warmth aring cupboard-
not all seeds need warmth but toms and basil will benefit from it. Once
the seeds have germinated the shoots will need as much light as possible
to produce food through photosynthesis. So put the propagator in the
warm cupboard and leave it in there until any seeds have germinated.
Inspect the compost very closely once a day. Should be no more than a
week. Then bring it out during the day and leave it as close to the
window as possible during the day and put it back in the cupboard at
night. Warmth within reason helps all biological processes, and it will
prevent the compost surface becoming too cold over night and promoting
fungal growth - damping off. To this end keep the lid on at all times*
until the plants are fairly robust, and keep the compost damp by spraying
with warm water in a plant mister. Moving the propagator around will
do no harm to the seedlings at all - providing there are no shocks -
turn it around every day if possible. * I do this anyway. This alone
may be controversial.
After a few years when you get the hang of it you can learn
which corners you can cut. Anyway warmth to encourage germination
- light and no cold at night to promote growth and inhibit damping
off.

michael adams

....

michael adams wrote:
"NC" wrote in message
news
I've just bought and planted some basil seeds and tumbler tomato seeds.
20 of each have gone into a cheap propagator from B&Q (includes base
tray, seed tray insert and clear plastic lid). I have used B&Q seed

compost.

Where should I now put this ? Should it go into the airing cupboard (not
sure of exact temperature, but quite warm), a 'normal' cupboard (just
lower than room temp) or by a large window in the kitchen (West facing,
located in Suffolk, window gets good sunlight) ?
I am tempted to go with the windowsill - is this 'correct' ??

(sorry that this is such a novice question !!)


The seeds will geminate quicker with a bit of warmth aring cupboard-
not all seeds need warmth but toms and basil will benefit from it. Once
the seeds have germinated the shoots will need as much light as possible
to produce food through photosynthesis. So put the propagator in the
warm cupboard and leave it in there until any seeds have germinated.
Inspect the compost very closely once a day. Should be no more than a
week. Then bring it out during the day and leave it as close to the
window as possible during the day and put it back in the cupboard at
night. Warmth within reason helps all biological processes, and it will
prevent the compost surface becoming too cold over night and promoting
fungal growth - damping off. To this end keep the lid on at all times*
until the plants are fairly robust, and keep the compost damp by spraying
with warm water in a plant mister. Moving the propagator around will
do no harm to the seedlings at all - providing there are no shocks -
turn it around every day if possible. * I do this anyway. This alone
may be controversial.
After a few years when you get the hang of it you can learn
which corners you can cut. Anyway warmth to encourage germination
- light and no cold at night to promote growth and inhibit damping
off.

michael adams

Lovely - thanks for the quick reply.

NC wrote:
michael adams wrote:
"NC" wrote in message
news
snip

Where should I now put this ? Should it go into the airing cupboard (not
sure of exact temperature, but quite warm), a 'normal' cupboard (just
lower than room temp) or by a large window in the kitchen (West facing,
located in Suffolk, window gets good sunlight) ?
I am tempted to go with the windowsill - is this 'correct' ??

(sorry that this is such a novice question !!)


The seeds will geminate quicker with a bit of warmth aring cupboard-
not all seeds need warmth but toms and basil will benefit from it. Once
the seeds have germinated the shoots will need as much light as possible
to produce food through photosynthesis. So put the propagator in the
warm cupboard and leave it in there until any seeds have germinated.
Inspect the compost very closely once a day. Should be no more than a
week. Then bring it out during the day and leave it as close to the
window as possible during the day and put it back in the cupboard at
night. snip

Lovely - thanks for the quick reply.

The other possibility is a spare room window sill, if you have a
radiator underneath the window which you can leave on at a low but
steady heat. I'm told that Basil likes 'bottom heat' (cue Fawlty
Towers jokes!) and this arrangement would suit both plants. The
possible problem with your kitchen window sill might be that there
isn't enough warmth under the plants at night or on the cold days we're
getting now.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon

"Sacha" wrote in message
ups.com...
NC wrote:
michael adams wrote:
"NC" wrote in message
news
snip

Where should I now put this ? Should it go into the airing cupboard
(not
sure of exact temperature, but quite warm), a 'normal' cupboard (just
lower than room temp) or by a large window in the kitchen (West
facing,
located in Suffolk, window gets good sunlight) ?
I am tempted to go with the windowsill - is this 'correct' ??

(sorry that this is such a novice question !!)


The seeds will geminate quicker with a bit of warmth aring cupboard-
not all seeds need warmth but toms and basil will benefit from it.
Once
the seeds have germinated the shoots will need as much light as
possible
to produce food through photosynthesis. So put the propagator in the
warm cupboard and leave it in there until any seeds have germinated.
Inspect the compost very closely once a day. Should be no more than a
week. Then bring it out during the day and leave it as close to the
window as possible during the day and put it back in the cupboard at
night. snip

Lovely - thanks for the quick reply.

The other possibility is a spare room window sill, if you have a
radiator underneath the window which you can leave on at a low but
steady heat. I'm told that Basil likes 'bottom heat' (cue Fawlty
Towers jokes!) and this arrangement would suit both plants. The
possible problem with your kitchen window sill might be that there
isn't enough warmth under the plants at night or on the cold days we're
getting now.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon


For next year maybe, a good bet might be a cheap heated propagator -
worth looking out for in the DIY sheds and always worth the money
IMO, even without a thermostat they're a quantum leap, and covering
in plenty of bubble wrap overnight.


michael adams

....

The other possibility is a spare room window sill, if you have a
radiator underneath the window which you can leave on at a low but
steady heat. I'm told that Basil likes 'bottom heat' (cue Fawlty
Towers jokes!) and this arrangement would suit both plants. The
possible problem with your kitchen window sill might be that there
isn't enough warmth under the plants at night or on the cold days we're
getting now.

The hot water pipes run under the floor of the airing cupboard, so it
should get a good amount of bottom heat. Doubtless sitting on floors
tiles in the kitchen would have been very bad....
Do I need to maintain this 'bottom heat' even when I have repotted the
little plants into larger pots ?? I might find this difficult...

I dont grow very much from seed - but that may because I dont have a
good place to do it.... I'll have a look at them.

wrote in message
ups.com...
The other possibility is a spare room window sill, if you have a
radiator underneath the window which you can leave on at a low but
steady heat. I'm told that Basil likes 'bottom heat' (cue Fawlty
Towers jokes!) and this arrangement would suit both plants. The
possible problem with your kitchen window sill might be that there
isn't enough warmth under the plants at night or on the cold days we're
getting now.

The hot water pipes run under the floor of the airing cupboard, so it
should get a good amount of bottom heat. Doubtless sitting on floors
tiles in the kitchen would have been very bad....
Do I need to maintain this 'bottom heat' even when I have repotted the
little plants into larger pots ?? I might find this difficult...

No. But in principle the higher the temperature - up to say 70%
farenheit at least, the faster most biological processes will work.
To grossly oversimplify the less internal heat is required to actually
make the chemical interactions work, the more fuel can be converted
into plant material etc. With less external heat everything slows
down to maintain an equilibrium. In grossly simplistic terms
its an ongoing exchange between matter and energy. But slightly
cooler temperatures won't be catastrophic. Also many plants require
a warm - cool tempearture gradient over the 24 hour cycle in any
case. As that's what happens in nature.

Once they're in larger pots in fresh compost the danger of damping
off - through the surface of the compost being cold and wet -
which attacks the base of the stems - should have passed.


michael adams

....