Planting now - eager but confused!

[WeedItAndReap]

This is only a slight variation on a popular topic, so apologies for any crossover.

I've got a small unheated greenhouse (4' x 4'). I also have a temperature controlled propagator in there.

What I'm interested to know is whether, for things like Aubergines and Chillis that you can start early without them getting too big, starting them now is possible? Some of the seeds imply you germinate them from January in the propagator but then take them out once germinated. Does that assume you have them indoors, or in a heated greenhouse? Or is it that, once germinated, seedlings can cope with colder temperatures - just not frost?

I can't do anything indoors as my cats love chomping plants!

Thanks for any advice offered. I don't have to plant this early if there's no benefit, but... well...

[Alison]

Aubergines, chillies, etc are tender so will not survive low temps. I will sow mine in a heated propagator in my utility room towards then end of Jan / early Feb but they will stay inside until about May.

[WendyC]

The problem at this time of year is not providing enough heat but enough light to stop them going leggy. You could germinate your seeds in a propogator but then you will have to maintain over 10 degrees in your greenhouse til April. If you have them indoors (and the cats don't eat them) there's not enough for them. The earliest I germinate tender crops is early March for my tomatoes but there is always a risky period when they have to go in the greenhouse. It's always a gamble. Personally I'd hold off.

[Penellype]

Agree, unless you can house them with some heat at least until May, it would be best to wait. I've just planted some peppers (today) but they are going to live in the house all year, so that is quite different.

[Kristen]

Aubergines, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers, Melons and similar all need a minimum of 10C. Below that they will stall, will not resume growing promptly when the temperature climbs again (i.e. you would be better off sowing when the temperature is above 10C ) and will be stressed - which is likely to lead to disease, a bit like human immunity being able to protect you when you are healthy, but catching everything going around when you are run down.

They need more light than is currently available too. That's a bit less of an issue, as they will "cope", but they will grow "leggy" (drawn stretching towards the light because the low-light makes them think that they are growing under some shade that they just need to get "above" for better light). That causes stress too.

Mine are indoors under artificial light. I don't have my propagator in the greenhouse for similar reason - too cold - I prefer to insulate in house / garage and provide artificial light, rather than trying to heat greenhouse. I haven't done good cost comparisons, but even if you heat a greenhouse (or propagator in a greenhouse) you are still left with the poor light issue from November to February, and a glass house with butt-joints between glass panes is a lousy building, from an insulation perspective, compared to a nice area in the garage boxed off with Celotexor Polystyrene boards, or similar

[WeedItAndReap]

Thanks everyone. As I thought! That's fine. Every year I'm eager to start, but I know I have to wait until March really! Then I've got to try and fit in all the veg and flowers

[Shadylane]

Can't you construct some kind of cat proof housing? Maybe a propagator with big holes drilled in it, so air can get in but not the cats. I'm starting my chillies soon and they'll stay inside until April I reckon. They certainly won't get temps above 10 degrees in the greenhouse but they'll cope. We get night time temps as low as 6 or 7 in June some years, so they may aswell go out as you can't coddle them forever. The tomatoes have been put out even earlier. I used to keep stuff in until May, traipsing them in at night and back out in the morning for months on end. Right faff it was. I don't bother now and I raise hardened tommies that point and laugh at a frost.

There's no problem waiting until March, but if you can find a way to keep the cats off it might be worth starting a few early.

[kathyd]

IF you decide to start them off a bit early, maybe you could make a window-ledge sized frame and cover it with chicken wire or something, to put over the plants and keep the cats off? But easiest just to wait as others have said

[Trix]

I'm itching to get started too - I might have to start a few early but I do have nice sunny (cat free)windowsills to use. As I'm still new to all this I'm planning to start a couple early and a few more later and see how they compare. If I get failures then it's all about learning for next time!

[Jay-ell]

Same here. I'm thinking that I need half a dozen plants, seed packet says 120 seeds so that gives me a few seeds spare in case I need to resow later on.