Germination

[likeregularchic]

Hello,

I'm about as new to gardening as you can get, and i've been trying t start some seedlings with jiffy pellets but I've noticed today tha birds have been coming and ruining them. I've been looking into covere propagation trays like this

but i've also rea that some people keep their seeds out covered in the dark until the have sprouted. It which case it probably wouldnt be best to get a tra with a clear cover. So i'm just wondering if anyone could give advic on whether it's best to keep them in the dark or in the light? Also, is it generally better to keep them indoors until they hav sprouted too? I've read a few mixed reports on these things.

Thanks for any help

-- likeregularchic

[BetsyB]

"likeregularchic" wrote in message news: [e-mail]...

Why not use an empty egg carton, fill with loose soil plant and cover with plastic wrap. when they begin to sprout, open one corner of the plastic wrap, increasing the opening every day. When you have 4 leaves move the whole thing outside for a few days then plant.

BetsyB

[Kay Lancaster]

Depends on what you're growing, but I often "presprout" outdoor garden seeds inside in moist sand before seeding them out into rows in the garden. Gives 'em half a chance against the slugs around here.

What are you trying to grow? Where will you be growing it? What is the soil temperature outside now, and average day and night temperature? What temp is the house? Where are you more likely to be able to control the soil moisture?

An old seed germination faq I wrote long ago:

[simy1]

At this time in the northern emisphere you can grow seedlings outside as well as inside. Inside is for starting seeds in the cold season. Inside you will have problems with damping off (seedlings die, the stem having wilted), with not enough light, and with the seedlings not having UV protection (they need to feel the UV to start producing it). These problems generally are absent outside. The cover tends to promote damping off so I use the covers as trays and never cover my seeds.

If it is only the birds bothering you, cover the trays with chicken wire. Some seeds, incidentally, need light to germinate. Most other seeds are indifferent. No seed needs absolute darkness. All seeds need a minimum temperature and moisture. I do sprout my seeds inside in near darkness but only because I use the top of my fridge, which is warm, to sprout them quickly. In the summer, the same seeds are sprouted outside in full sunlight.