Lobelia from seeds - best approach

[veg4681]

I've just destroyed my Lobelia seedlings as I couldn't be bothered to transplant them from the heated propagator with their miscroscopic size. Ideally I would like to sow them in a pot where they will grow until planting out time. Is it best to grow in 3" pot but how many seeds and how thinly or thickly should the seeds be scattered? Will this work without using a heated propagator, if yes when is best for good chance of seeds germinating.

Or can you propagate from cuttings that I tend to get self seeded plants from my garden?

[rustylady]

I've given up with lobelia too. Mainly because of the minute size of the seed and seedlings. If you really want to grow your own get hold of the cell trays that hold about 20 plants (each cell about 1" square at the top) Sow a thin scattering of seeds, germinate and leave them unthinned. I don't need too many plants so I'm afraid I've taken to buying them from the garden centre or market. Too many things I really want to grow to waste propagator space on flowers (mostly).

[areia]

i always cheat and buy the plugs and transplant then straight away into peat pots from which they go straight into the baskets once they are happy in the pots and its warm enough, though i know with plugs you are bound to lose a few, the seed i just find to fiddley

[smallblueplanet]

Just sow a thin covering of seeds onto compost in a quarter tray and let 'em get on with it.....I'd post a piccy of ours but I am sans camera atm.

[lottie dolly]

as you all say it's a fiddley buisness,in the past i have not bothered with thinning,but just broken the mat of seedlings into peices,the rough size of what it would have been,had the seeds been in separate pots from the beginning,this was done when putting them into their final place,and had no problems at all,i think it's because there is a lot of seeds in a confind space,and very fine root system,this was a success even when the roots had nowhere else to go.

[Snadger]

Fill seed tray with compost. Cut a lump of cardboard the same size as tray. To make a template,mark out on cardboard a lattice of pencil lines about an inch apart in both directions. On each intersection make a hole.

Soak the compost, lay the cardboard (or drilled hardboard) on top. Drop a tiny pinch of seed through each hole. Take off cardboard and sieve compost over seeds.
This should give you numerous little clumps of seedlings. I don't sow lobelia now , but thats the way I used to do it!

[lottie dolly]

thats a good idea snadger,puts the deed right where you want it.

[Alice]

Hello Veg 4681, I havn't grown lobelia from seed for 40 years. It's such a fiddle faddle and so cheap to buy that it's just not worth it. I would just head to B & Q when the weather gets warmer.

[Madasafish]

I sow differently. I take a 40 section tray (normally used for pricking out) and put compost in each section. Sow Lobilia lightly on top. Cover with plastic cover .. and leave to germinate . Grow on in greenhouse . Then pot on sections.

Easy peasy.

[spud57]

Just sow a thin covering of seeds onto compost in a quarter tray and let 'em get on with it.....I'd post a piccy of ours but I am sans camera atm.

Yep, thats all we did and they seem to be coming thru fine.......

[veg4681]

I sow differently. I take a 40 section tray (normally used for pricking out) and put compost in each section. Sow Lobilia lightly on top. Cover with plastic cover .. and leave to germinate . Grow on in greenhouse . Then pot on sections.

Easy peasy.

40 cell tray I do have NOW and I will give it a go again. Sounds a bit like PW advice on how to go about Spring Onions growing business, sow, grow and use them in small clumps.

[Mooky]

I plany mine in guttering, keep warm then when ready to plant I dig a mine straight or curvy to transfer then just slip them out.

[kezza]

droopy lupins

I am growing lupins and they are quite small at the moment, whilst in the pots some of the leaves are drooping and curling and basically look dead.
I've cut them off. Is there something I should be doing.