Starting seedlings indoors

[Jane0o0]

I need some advice on starting seeds indoors please. I don't really have many windowsills so could you sit your trays on a kitchen counter? I'm using the 15" and 24"cm cell trays to start my tomatoes and peppers and marigolds off but how long do I keep them indoors for before moving to my greenhouse and putting them in grow bags.

I'm in Newcastle thanks

[carly]

I think it would be your last frost date? I’m sure someone will correct me though. You can find this date online.
I won’t sow mine indoors until mid March then transfer out to greenhouse in may.

[chris_m]

I need some advice on starting seeds indoors please. I don't really have many windowsills so could you sit your trays on a kitchen counter?

How close to a window is the counter you're thinking of using?
I tried my first sowings ever last year and had the trays laid out on a table in my lounge, ranging from 18" to 5' from the patio doors - and the poor things got dreadfully leggy, even those that had been closest to the glass. Obviously, insufficient light

This year my first sowings (just various early-sowing flowers and some strawberries so far) are under a grow light and look far happier.

[veggiechicken]

You can germinate your seeds almost anywhere but, as soon as you see the seedlings emerging from the compost they need light - and that means at least a windowsill, if you don't have a grow light of some sort.
Once they're on the windowsill they need to be turned round a couple of times a day as the seedlings grow towards the light.
My tomato seedlings are on the bedroom windowsill but they wont be going outside into the greenhouse for a couple of months yet.
If you don't have the windowsill space, its better to wait a few more weeks before sowing.

[nickdub]

The other date you have to work with is when you can reasonably move your seedlings to an unheated greenhouse. As this depends on the weather its a bit of a guesstimate, but the point is that for plants like tomatoes and peppers if you move them out when its too cold, they will simply stop growing and it can be quite hard to get them started again. I reckon the middle of April is somewhere near this time for where I live most years.
Of course if you can supply artificial light and/or heat you can jump ahead of the weather timetable a bit.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Jane, firstly depends on what you mean by "Peppers"

If you mean "Chilli" then without light and heat you don't stand a chance!

If sweet peppers, and the likes of tomatoes and marigolds, March, April at the earliest, they don't need a long growing season, and will surely romp away once light levels and the normal daytime temperature rises somewhat, so in effect, trying to sow these things early, indoors, to try steal the show, your wasting your time, believe me, I've tried in our colder northern climbs and failed miserably!

[Jane0o0]

Jane, firstly depends on what you mean by "Peppers"

If you mean "Chilli" then without light and heat you don't stand a chance!

If sweet peppers, and the likes of tomatoes and marigolds, March, April at the earliest, they don't need a long growing season, and will surely romp away once light levels and the normal daytime temperature rises somewhat, so in effect, trying to sow these things early, indoors, to try steal the show, your wasting your time, believe me, I've tried in our colder northern climbs and failed miserably!

So start them beginning March or middle when temps and light changes?