Advice for first time GH owner

[mrscorpio]

Hi Everyone,
I have just built a 2nd hand greenhouse in my garden.
My kitchen window sill is now covered with seedlings. I thought I would have a go at lots of things the first year then be a bit more particular next year, when I know what I can grow easily.

I have seeded, Toms - various types, Chillis and Peppers - various types.
Cucumbers and finally Courgettes.

Have I seeded my courgettes to early? I have already pricked them out into 5" pots as they got big really quick. I could always seed some more later on if needs be - I plan to grow them in large pots in the greenhouse.

Any advice would be helpful

[elsie-scot]

It helps grapes to answer your question if you put your location in your details, so it comes up when you post.

Really still too cold to put any of them out overnight, but you can put them into GH through day and take back in at nighttime, as long as it is warm enough through day.

Oh and welcome to the vine

[mrscorpio]

Hi Elsie
Thanks for your reply. Im sure I will have many silly questions over the coming weeks, but many have already been answered by reading this forum.
Im in the West Midlands.
However I was thinking of growing the courgettes to maturity in the GH. I dont mind keeping them in the window at the moment as I realise the GH will get cold at night. I was thinking end of April of putting them into the greenhouse permanently in large pots.

I do have a GH heater (paraffin) so could use this in april if it dropped cold.

My concern was that I am a month early in the planting of the seeds as they have grown so quickly in the window. They were seeded 10 days ago and are about 4" high already.

[Capsid]

It's not so much the lack of heat or protecting from frosts that are of concern when sowing early, but more of day length. There are really not enough hours in the day and the seedlings get too leggy.

[Alison]

You are a bit early for the courgettes, I won't be sowing mine until the middle of next month. Have tried an earlier sowing but only seem to get a week or so earlier fruit and it's a lot of plant to keep somewhere in the meantime.

[mrscorpio]

Hi Alison
Thanks
I will start some fresh ones next month - I have loads of seeds. I hate waste so I may stick the others in the greenhouse to get back some windowsill space. If they survive I wont know what to do

[Dane End Dolly]

Hi Alison
Thanks
I will start some fresh ones next month - I have loads of seeds. I hate waste so I may stick the others in the greenhouse to get back some windowsill space. If they survive I wont know what to do

I do know what you mean, i have got all my south facing windows covered in seed trays and tables by the windows covered in seed trays coz at night i am not confidant there will be no frost. I will not be sowing my courgettes until mid next month as they romp away and i do not want to put them out until june

[Bigmallly]

Looks like I've been a tad too eager .......

[Capsid]

Looks like I've been a tad too eager .......

Wow. That looks good.

[Bigmallly]

Thanks Capsid, I just hope I haven't been too keen.

[elsie-scot]

most of us are also keen to get going and have windowsills full of seed trays

You can pot leggy seedlings deeper, I won't do it with courgettes as they can rot, think shouldn't do it with cucumbers either, but not sure, this will be my first year growing them. I'll start my courgettes end of April. Def can try moving courgettes into GH if you want and see how you get on, we all learn that way

if you go into user CP - green bar at top, click on edit details, scroll down and add west midlands to your location bit, then it will come up each time you post

[mrscorpio]

Thanks everyone for making me feel welcome to this forum. I am impressed with the speed of your helpful comments. I put the courgettes in the GH last night and will assume they are dead this morning ( not had chance to look ) due to the frost last night. This will teach me a lesson and I will plant some more seeds next month.
Im just so eager to get going now I have built my greenhouse.
Im sure I will be giving plants away as I sowed extra of everything.
Out of 30 toms 29 have come up. 4 out of 4 courgettes, 4 out of 4 cucumbers. Chillis/peppers a bit slow - at the moment only 7 out of 28 ( but thats all I need as its one of each variety)

[Bigmallly]

Looks like you are gonna have some happy friends & neighbours.

[blito]

Thanks everyone for making me feel welcome to this forum. I am impressed with the speed of your helpful comments. I put the courgettes in the GH last night and will assume they are dead this morning ( not had chance to look ) due to the frost last night. This will teach me a lesson and I will plant some more seeds next month.
Im just so eager to get going now I have built my greenhouse.
Im sure I will be giving plants away as I sowed extra of everything.
Out of 30 toms 29 have come up. 4 out of 4 courgettes, 4 out of 4 cucumbers. Chillis/peppers a bit slow - at the moment only 7 out of 28 ( but thats all I need as its one of each variety)

i know what you mean with that - from one 29p pack of tomato seeds i now have approx 120 seedlings! similar story with chillis and peppers!
Mind you, i have collegues at work who also do the "grow your own" thing so we do plant swaps etc tp give us all more variety

[elsie-scot]

I've got too many tomato seedlings too, trying a few different types, and pretty much every seed I sowed has germinated. We have a village sale towards the end of May , so thinking I'll try selling some then.
Gave my brother some chillies, peppers and tomatoes last year, but SIL says they aren't having any this year as they make too much mess! I think the mess is worth it