Sowing in the house

[Allotmenthacker]

I was picking up some pots today to plant on some seedlings, and the chap in the shop was kind enough to recommend square pots, as they're better for saving space. As I'm doing most of my advanced sowing on windowsills, this is perfect advice for me.

I was wondering if anyone else had any tips on space saving solutions and sowing in the house.

My wife is starting to get a bit edgy with how many seed trays I have dotted about the place.

I've also got all my potatoes chitting on cupboard tops...

[Bigmallly]

I am using these as I am limited for space.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...rop_68678.html

[Dotty Sarah]

The most important thing that I always forget about sowing in the house is that you don't just need enough room for your tiny seedlings, you need to save enough room for them to keep getting bigger until it's warm enough to move them outside!

[veggiechicken]

I do most of my sowing indoors. Until a seedling shows itself, you don't need to keep the the pots on the windowsill - they can be under the bed, on top of the wardrobe .....it really doesn't matter. But once you seed that little green shoot, then it needs as much light as you can give it. And the bigger it is, the more light it needs. So keep your lightest window sills for the well grown seedlings and keep turning the rest to stop them leaning into the light.

[ancee]

I've a big windowsill in the kitchen and have managed to get two rows of square pots, one infront of the other. To make sure they won't fall off when someone opens the blind I have a row of sellotape from one end to the other to hold them in place It's tiled so it won't pull off paint or wallpaper My daughter has two plastic wilkinsons propagators on her windowsill, son has a row of trays on his, we're full on our bedroom windowsill, only windowsills not being used are the one in the front room (radiator too big = too much heat) and the bathroom as we'll knock them off as bathroom is tiny :0 Happy Days

[polc1410]

You don't need to chit potatoes so you can save space there. Chitting happens in light not darK??

[rustylady]

You don't need to chit potatoes so you can save space there. Chitting happens in light not darK??

Agreed you don't need to chit potatoes, but if you have already bought them you need to spread them out in a cool light place. If you keep them dark and warm they will still sprout but will produce long brittle white shoots.

[Newton]

I have some chiili plants in the wilco square pots........great to start with then the advantage disappears as the leaves spread beyond the pot and e spacing is dictated by the plant!

[Fluorescent green]

Sowing indoors reduces the available light, for me that is a problem, as I dont have much to start with. I have a plastic greenhouse outside, held down with dungy cords, as people say that they get blown away.

[Scarlet]

I use a blow away without the plastic cover - I just don't listen when the OH moans about mud and plant pots!

[salome2001]

pregerminate your parsnips in toilet rolls and plant out as soon as you get seedlings showing their little heads (toilet roll and all). If you fold your toilet rolls in half lengthways you can shape them into square tubes which sit together better in a tray (collect them through the winter and store then folded, you can stick a number of folded ones inside one "open" one and save space)
Works for peas too.
(I got this tip from the vine but can't remember who to credit)

[salome2001]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]34689[/ATTACH]
I use a blow away without the plastic cover - I just don't listen when the OH moans about mud and plant pots!

I looked at those in Wilko today, DH wants to build shelves to sit on the windowsill of the conservatory, these shelves are too wide, sadly, for our sills.