Growing annuals - what to do with the seedlings?

[Hazel at the Hill]

This is my first year of growing my own bedding plants for the front of the plot, and I have a couple of questions for all you flowery grapes .

I have 20 cells of each of

marigold
calendula
nasturtium
cornflower
limanthes
californian poppy

which have been sown 2 or 3 seed to a cell and have all germinated on the windowsills - they just have their seed leaves at the mo.

Are they hardy enough to be kept in the mini greenhouse, rather than still in the house with the toms and peppers?

Should I prick out into individual cells (or thin to 1 per module), or can I plant them out in due course as they are?

[Alison]

I only ever sow marigolds and nasturtiums one to a small cell and then pot them on when they get to a reasonable size. Not planted mine yet as I tend to start them off in a cool conservatory and then take them in to the cold greenhouse before hardening off an planting out in about May. Don't know if this is the right thing to do but I find it pretty simple and it works for me. Doesn't really answer your question though! Sorry.

[Flummery]

I usually sow these in a half seed tray and prick into individual cells when they're ready. The ones you list are fairly hardy - I think they'd be ok now with some cover.
I suppose what I'm saying is I'd divvy them up - but I hate thinning!

[HeyWayne]

Glad you asked that, I'm growing bedding plants from scratch this year too. Mine are all in the greenhouse, but guess they won't germinate based on what's been said already...

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks for asking that Hazel, I am also having first try at growing flowers this year from seeds. I think I need a good lesson in how to 'prick out' though as I seem to kill most things I do that to

[Irie Jan]

Thanks for asking that Hazel, I am also having first try at growing flowers this year from seeds. I think I need a good lesson in how to 'prick out' though as I seem to kill most things I do that to

Hi Shirl I wait till my seedlings get a good strong 1st pair of true leaves sometimes just see 2nd set of true leaves on the way b4 pricking out.

If seedlings are started in a seed tray, I carefully use an old dinner fork to gently dig around and lift the seedling with! I then pot on holding only by the seed leaves. Place seedling in middle of part filled pot then top up with compost. Gently tap pot on worktop/bench to level soil, firm lightly with fingers and water in a little.

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks for that - looks like I am gonna need a whole lot more pots

Time to ask on freecycle I guess.

[Alice]

Hello Hazel, in an ideal world your flower seedlings should be in individual modules but as your not growing for an exhibition and as there are only 2 or 3 per module I think they will be fine as they are. You can plant them like that or separate them at planting time depending on how they look then.
If you decide to transplant them then follow Jan's advice and wait until tou see the start of the second pair of true leaves as they will have decent roots by then.
As to hardiness, well the grown plants are hardy but the seedlings are not. I've lost seedlings put into a cold greenhouse too soon. The weather and nights are still pretty cold so I would be inclined to keep them in if you can. Hopefully the weather will warm up a bit soon. When you do put them out be sure to give them some fleece.
Hope you get lots of lovely flowers for your plot.

[Flummery]

Glad you asked that, I'm growing bedding plants from scratch this year too. Mine are all in the greenhouse, but guess they won't germinate based on what's been said already...

It depends on what your bedding plants are Wayem. Last year I grew hardy annuals - sowed them in March in half trays in the greenhouse. They came through fine. If you are talking about summer bedding - petunias, busy lizzies, tagetes etc, you need to wait a bit and maybe give them some heat.

[greendean]

every year i grow hardy annuals, pot marigold, poached egg, etc to fill in gaps and encourage bees.
i sow a full packet in a seed tray and put them in the unheated greenhouse. i let them all grow together without pricking out. when its time to plant out and they have been hardened off i gently tip out the whole block and break off chunks of plants and plant them where i want them to grow. saves time pricking out, i dont forget where i've sown them and you get big clumps of flowers in stead of ones and twos

[tamsin]

I sowed nasturtiums a week or two ago in paper pots then put them out in a plastic greenhouse as soon as they germinated - still doing okay

[coreopsis]

every year i grow hardy annuals, pot marigold, poached egg, etc to fill in gaps and encourage bees.
i sow a full packet in a seed tray and put them in the unheated greenhouse. i let them all grow together without pricking out. when its time to plant out and they have been hardened off i gently tip out the whole block and break off chunks of plants and plant them where i want them to grow. saves time pricking out, i dont forget where i've sown them and you get big clumps of flowers in stead of ones and twos

That's what I like-hassle free gardening

[zazen999]

Mine start out in modules - those with large seeds get 2 or 3 per modules and those with little seeds get a pinch to each.

My OH tries to prick them out but he's now beginning to see that they can just be put straight into the ground in clumps.

All my seeds that would normally reseed themselves if left are sown and put outdoors until they germinate and are then pretty much left until they are big enough to go out in the ground.

[IgglePiggle]

Thanks for that - looks like I am gonna need a whole lot more pots

Time to ask on freecycle I guess.

I've just chucked out a whole bin liner of pots and trays

[MrsC]

Hi Hazel

I tend to grow in individual cells, what size cells have you planted them into? They are all pretty hardy. I have sown some calendula, godetia and 2 types of cosmos into 1" cells (individually) apart from godetia as the seeds are small. These were sown 2 weeks ago in unheated greenhouse and are all doing well. I have a large tub of Californian Poppies from last summer, I collected some seeds and let the rest self seed they have survived the winter on the patio (slightly sheltered) and are good strong healthy 3 to 4" plants. Depending on size of cell and how long you can leave them in for, you could prick out individually if you want, depends how many you want? I grow all my flowers from seeds, this is my first year growing French Lavender which is doing really well ps - got loads of other flowers growing in greenhouse also