As previously mentioned (in the post: 'It Begins...') now is the time to start germinating a few seeds (including tomatoes, onions, spinach, leeks, cauliflower and flora <-- I refer to flowers, not margarine.
PROBLEM
In the past I have fervently sown a glut of seeds into pots, only to then realise that I do not have enough trays to place underneath to contain the water [which obviously must be applied to the said seeds in order for them to germinate]. Has this happened to you? Don't want to fork out for expensive pieces of plastic at the gardening centre? The latter makes me exceptionally angry, i.e: why, why gardening centre/ supermarket are you charging me £3 for a piece of black plastic with a rim, WHY?
I have some suggestions.
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| Plastic trays proving their use |
SOLUTION
Rummage in your bin/ recycling for:
Food trays - from takeaway food; mushrooms, minced meat [wash well], fig trays, biscuit trays, etc
Lids - from ice-cream tubs, jars
Yoghurt pots
Little tubs that have contained things like coleslaw, hummus, etc.
The plastic sliding cover helps create a little greenhouse-condition inside for the seeds.
Dear Paupers plot. I thought in my infinite wisdom that putting some cling film over my seed pots would help create a sort of greenhouse effect. However, I think all I did was make them mouldy :S Heyalp.
ReplyDeleteThere are a few things which could have caused this: Were the pots plastic or biodegradable ones? Was the cling-film on too tightly? Generally it's the natural fibre pots that often go a bit mouldy, especially if they're overly moist. If using cling-film I tend to lay a sheet over a group of pots, gently, and secure it with pebbles round the edges. I'd say for you to do now: try and scrape off as much mould as you can, then put either a loose sheet [as above] on, or find something see-through and plastic to put above them like a roof - i.e you could stand them in a transparent takeaway tub, and place another one on top [this lets a teeny bit of air in]. Alternatively, just don't worry about covering them :) Hope this helps.
DeleteThank you, I will just leave the cover off I think! It was the fibre ones. I will just have to wait and see if the seeds come. If not then I have so so many pots of mouldy seeds around the house! Fingers crossed. xx
DeleteYou could save money and not drink so much port!
ReplyDeleteoooh, but it is such lovely stuff :) [they were throwing them away at work]
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