cover sown seeds?

[WiZeR]

Hi all, this is another novice question i'm afraid.

I attended an allotment training day on Sunday where we covered sowing seeds. In the class we sowed some seeds in various ways and was advised to put them in the boiler cupboard at home. I sowed some of my own seeds tonight and placed all the trays in the boiler cupboard, but I wonder if I should cover them at all? Newspaper? or just leave them open? Also should I be watering them? If so how often?

(Yes, I should have asked this question on Sunday)

Cheers

[nick the grief]

Hi Wizer, they'll be in the dark anyway if there in a cupboard. If they are above a boiler or Hot water tank I would have stood them in a tray of water and then put them in a platic bag to make sure they don't dry out fro the bottom as it's a pretty fierce heat in there & dry atmosphere, Don't forget to check them daily and as soon as they start to germinate take them out or you'll end up with long spindly week shoots that are no good.

Some seeds need light as well as heat and these might be a problem in the cupboard unless you can rig a light op on a timer to give you 12 hours of light or there abouts.

[Lesley Jay]

Wizer I have never heard of an allotment training day. Can you tell us more about it?

[WiZeR]

Thanks Nick, the seeds sit below the boiler with no light. I suppose I could leave the door open, it will get some light from the windows. If I am putting them in polythene bags, I take it they need to be clear? What about watering, the ones I sowed yesterday seem a bit dry, should I water?

Lesley, I did a write up on the training day on my website:

http://www.wizer.co.uk/?p=21

[nick the grief]

I would Wizer as they won't flourish without it.

As you've sown them I'd stand the seed tray (I assume) in the sink or bath with about 1/2" of water in (boiled & left to cool, but not cold, would be good) as if you water from the top you could wash the seed all over the place. When the surface looks darker & moist it will have taken it's full capacity and you can lift it out for the excess to drain away.

Then put it in a bag with a seed label at both ends, this will stop it sagging onto the compost in the middle. I wouldn't leave the door open as you'll loose heat and the may be in a draft. Just keep an eye on them.

Hope this helps.

[WiZeR]

most helpful, thanks very much

[andrewo]

Allotment training, this sounds interesting, tell us more.

[WiZeR]

It's all here Andrew:

http://www.wizer.co.uk/?p=21

Was a very interesting day and well worth it for begginers like me.

[Amanda1]

Wizer, I'm so annoyed I didn't know about that allotment day. I live in South Norwood and although I don't have an allotment, just a garden, I am new to vegetable plots and would have enjoyed the experience. Are you local to the Norwoods? Where is your allotment?

[Alice]

Hello Wizer, I always put my seed trays in a plastic food or freezer bag with a label standing up at each end and seal the bag with one of those clips for freezer bags. It keeps all the moisture in and I don't have to water them. Seeds seem to germinate very quickly. The lettuce I sowed on Sunday were visible on Monday and are well germinated today and they were just sitting on a north facing window sill. When seeds are well germinated I remove the clip from the bag and leave the seedlings in it for as long as they are doing well there. Always seems to get good results. I do my dahlias this way every year. Do remove seeds from heat as soon as germinated or they will be sick and spindly. Hope this is of some use. Good luck.

[WiZeR]

Hi Amanda, I live over in North Kent, just the other side of Shooter's Hill. There is another training course in March. Their web address is http://www.spahill.org.uk/

Thanks for that Alice, I will get some freezer bags tonight.

[andrewo]

Does anyone know if they do allotment training in the North? Around Manchester?

[nick the grief]

Contact the local lottie assocs/council Andrew, if they don't maybe you could spur them into action - Don't try too hard though you might just win the job

[suee]

I've read all the above info - but when should I consider potting up my tomato seedlings? They're about 6 cms tall and a bit spindly. Should I now take them off the warm sunny south facing window and perhaps put them on a north facing one?
Thanks everyone, Sue.

[andrewo]

Don't worry if tomatoes are a bit spindly, this could be too much heat, to too much water. They are forgiving plants, when you come to plant them, plant them deeper, so the first pair of leaves are 6" from the soil level, the stalk of the plant underground will send out more roots.