8 replies to this topic

[Richard Bunn]

I've gone back through the Ping pages for years and can't find any information on this.  

Here's the story.  

As can be predicted my greenhouse still isn't up due to weather.  When I bought my grandiflora rosea seeds from Ada he mentioned putting them under the greenhouse staging.  Unable to do this I've worked around it by putting the small-ish seed tray in a mini propagator.  The lid doesn't go on right as the seed tray is too big so I've wired it.  In order to stop them frying I've put them in the part of the yard that gets no sun and it's stood in water.  

I got some of Daniel G's grandiflora seeds and sowed them today in a seed tray that I've put in a shallow tray of water.  Unfortunately I don't have any propagator and am worried about them being washed away in this rain.  Can anyone give some advice on sowing temperate ping seeds outdoors?

[danthecpman]

I Have a mini bog with just P. grandiflora in, they have been in there for 9 years and the seed never fails to germinate outside every year without any special care :)

[Richard Bunn]

Won't the rain bask my fresh peat/perlite/sand (2,1,1) mix around and bury the seeds? I didn't firm it down.

[danthecpman]

it will do yes if its loose medium, have you got a cold frame you can put them in to prevent them getting washed away?

[gardenofeden]

The seeds will germinate fine uncovered, but as others have said they will get disturbed, washed away on occasion, and mixed into other pots adjacent by the action of the rain… and blackbirds, they love rooting around in uncovered pots. You are better preventing rain from hitting the compost, either in a coldframe, or any other sort of rigged covering, but you also want good ventilation so enclosing them a propagator is not the best solution in that respect.

[Richard Bunn]

Thanks guys. So does anybody have an suggestions about rigging up something? I bought a couple of B&Q coldframes last year and when the first wind came they were blown to pieces so I'm reluctant to set up one of those again.

[gardenofeden]

How about a home-made wooden framework, with plastic attached to the top (slightly angled) and netting attached to the sides to allow good ventilation?

[Richard Bunn]

I wish Stephen but I'm physically not able to build that.

[Richard Bunn]

I've put them under the patio table. Will that do? The table can't blow away as it has a load of CP's on top in water trays.