sowing seeds on windowsills

[janeyo]

Hi I have just sowed a few tomatoes on the kitchen windowsill. I will do a few more in a week or so. Is it too early to do some peppers on the window sill too?

Not got a greenhouse so they will have to be coddled til they can all go outside. Got a shed with big window, and a worktop right under it, would this do as a halfway house before the cold frame? It has carpet down and the chickens water gets put in there at night and it doesn't freeze when it's really cold.

Don't want to waste all my time and effort if they stand no chance, but got itchy fingers!

janeyo

ps am in cambs if this makes a diff to timing

[Alison]

I always sow my peppers before my toms and have some that I sowed back in January which are now doing very well. Many of them need a long season in order to crop well so I suggest getting some started. Mine will be going into a greenhouse so will get more shelter when they go out but seeds sown now for outdoor production although it does depend a bit on variety.

[Cutecumber]

Tomatoes, once germinated, need plenty of light and a minimum temperature of 12-15 degrees C. They are happiest when the temps are around 20-22 degrees.

Whilst your shed is probably ok during the day (except if temperatures really plunge) you will need to be bringing the tomatoes indoors at night.

The same applies for peppers, though they might be a little more tender still.

[Alison]

Whoops, missed the bit about the shed, must read more carefully - sorry!

[grasser]

hi im new on here my first question is how long should i leave tomatoe plants in heated prop they are about 4 inches tall now and quiet stocky ?

[grasser]

second question i goy perrers in there to do i treat them the same they have just sprouted 2 leaves on them thanks im realy new at this game

[Cutecumber]

grasser - the tomatoes need temperatures of about 15-20 degrees, not falling below 10 degrees - so you need to find somewhere bright where you can keep them warm enough. If the only place is the propagator then they'll have to stay there.

peppers prefer slightly warmer conditions ideally, but otherwise they are similar.

[veg4681]

At this time of the year, the window sill is definitely not working for me with extremely poor germination and if not, wasted seeds. My DH says there's some draft creeping through the window . I think the success on window sill may vary from home to home (some people swears by it) and my house is probably not kept warm enough .

[pjh75]

My peppers took over a month to germinate in an unheated propogator in an unheated greenhouse (sowed in late Jan) - I was about to throw them away, but after consulting on here, advice was bring them inside into the warm... I was about to do that, but then noticed a couple poking through and now they are doing great. My tomatoes took just over 2 weeks in the same location (sowed 10th Feb).

pjh

[snake the squadie]

i have just put my toms and peppers on the window sill (had some funny looks from the lads) i normaly do it in mid feb and never had any probs. mine is warm and south facing

[spud57]

we sowed our toms on 10 feb and they grew really well, have now potted them on and still on the window sill. best i sow my peppers tho

[si'sraisedbed]

I have got toms in unheated propagator on the kitchen windowsill. First lot came through fine, second lot poked through (apart from Tigerella, do these take longer? Mind you they are older seeds...), yesterday, 2nd March and were sown 26th Feb, so less than a week! Found an outdoor Pepper at Sainsbury's yesterday so only just sown it but it's designed to go outside so hoping for the best.

[si'sraisedbed]

Tigerella came through while I was at work yesterday, so all three varieties germinated in less than 7 days, just waiting for the chillies now.