Hi can you give some advice on seeds ?

[newstart]

Hello again ,

I am try my hand at sowing some more seeds. I have a seed chart which talks about times , stratification etc etc. I have a south window in my house which I could then grow them indoors at that correct temperatures. I wondered if this was okay to do in autumn if the temperature is correct for the type of seed sown. Also even better I have a north facing bay window which would have no sun for more than 2 hours in the early morning. Would this be better ? and can I use capillary matting in trays for better results. I thought south facing light may be a bit much but it may be good at this time of year.

Thanks all hope you are keeping well.

David.

[Maggi Young]

David, if you are sowing seed of hardy perennial plants or rock garden type plants then I would suggest you sow them in pots outdoors  and leave them outside over winter and hope for wonderful things in spring. Nothing to be gained and a lot to be lost from sowing hardy plants indoors at this time. (at any time really).

For half hardy or tender plants then I'd suggest following the notes from the commercial suppliers of such things. 

[newstart]

Hi that's very interesting thank you. I had a look at the seed charts on the internet. It shows good success with winter stimulation. I could put them under a shelf out of the rain outside. They are herbaceous hardy perennials not rock garden plants. The chap who did his seed germination tests at this link http://theseedsite.co.uk/germination.html and this http://theseedsite.co.uk/list7.html looks to be doing under a shelf outside with a covering at the back and the sides but open at the front. May be he wants to control the amount of water getting on them. That is different to rock garden plants which are left outside from what I did a college. You guys are better than 100 colleges of course , experience is best.

I have a chap in Spain sowing some seeds I picked out but it took 2 months of getting him on and off to finally do it. Had I spoken to him in July and not August it may have given him more time. Problem being he will send them as plug plants in April taking 6 weeks to get to a 9cm pot size. That aside I am trying to germinate fast growing species by mid feb as ready plugs. Probably not possible. I do have soil warming cables and a heated propagator I made. I could list them for you but I am not sure I can ask about my business here.

Thanks Maggie.