In article , K
writes
Why clay pots?

I find slower germinating seeds do better in them, perhaps they are
warmer in the winter or maybe they hold moisture better?



I usually put long term seeds into plastic trays inside a sealed
plastic bag, because otherwise I always forget to water them. That's
what I'd be afraid of using clay pots.


I leave the hardy stuff to over winter so don't need to keep watering
them. It's just as easy to water them as the plastic ones when the
weather is dry.


Wouldn't the higher nutrient of the stronger stuff in the base simply
leach upwards? Would it be a problem if it did?

Thought it might burn the more tender seeds.



How deep is your pot or seed tray for this? Even an apparently tiny
plants can have an extensive root run, which in a seed tray just goes
sideways and gets tangled in all the other seedlings (speaking as
someone who doesn't always pot on as quickly as I should)


Well I was only thinking of doing it in fairly deep pots, as I also
forget to transplant them as quickly as I should!

--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message
...
In article , K
writes
Why clay pots?

I find slower germinating seeds do better in them, perhaps they are warmer
in the winter or maybe they hold moisture better?
Janet Tweedy

You may be right about the warmth bit but if anything clay pots dry out much
faster than plastic.Perhaps it is the latter that avoids water logging and
consequently less
chance of the seeds rotting.

On Tue, 30 Jan 2007 23:11:03 +0000, Janet Tweedy wrote:
I'll send you the info that I have in my library !

I have it in my The New Small Garden by Lucas-Phillips circa 1979!
Seed compost
2 parts by bulk sterilised loam
1 part by bulk peat (moss or sedge)
1 part by bulk sharp lime free sand

To these are added, per bushel, 1 1/2 oz superphosphate of lime and 3/4
oz ground chalk or limestone

Yes, that's the one,
aint u just gota love the persistence of these "bushels" !

PS
There is another way,, :-
save your spent composts of previous year (after you have pricked out
your seedlings or dumped the surplus )
Sterilise it ( re-enter the microwave)
top up with a modicum of superphosphate
sow seeds for new year

Saves messing about with new loam, peat and sharp sand.

(but maybe I was just born too close to a northern border LOL!)

In article , WaltA
writes

There is another way,, :-
save your spent composts of previous year (after you have pricked out
your seedlings or dumped the surplus )


I wouldn't be able to as by the time I transplant most of the compost is
in the rootballs
good idea though in theory



--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk