Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: rookie1 on May 05, 2017, 11:29
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Hello everyone. I sowed some sweetcorn seeds and most germinated well and are currently between 3 and 4 inches tall (see pic). They are currently in a west-facing bedroom window and I turn them every day, keeping them moist. Are they in the right position or should I move them somewhere else? Am keen to make sure they're good and healthy before planting out in, say late May/early June? Last year I bought plants, but wanted to try my own this year.
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Whilst it may seem light to you, as your iris adjusts, there is only a fraction of the light coming through that window than you'd get outside.
Try placing some aluminium foil behind the plants to reflect light back. This can almost double the amount of light and save you having to turn the plants daily.
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Thanks DD - will rig something up this afternoon (feel a Blue Peter moment coming on) - presumably I do need to keep them indoors until close to planting out time, but harden-off for a few days prior?
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Yes, I wouldn't put them out yet, way too cold overnight & windy to boot! Not long sown mine and just waiting for them to pop up. I don't like sowing too soon!
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I do not want to be a spoil joy, but these look like the seedlings that are going to break at soil level at the first breeze. I should think, you do not just want to harden them, but grow them from start a bit tougher. As of now, could open that window on them every day, for example.
As DD says, do not grow them too early, I haven't sown mine yet. They get skinny, running after light.
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Hi Gobs. Yes, that was my worry and what prompted my query. I'll do as you suggest with the window and may also sow some others as a back-up. Are you sowing yours indoors and when?
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They do look spindly for sweetcorn. I think they may be hunting for light.
Plenty of time to sow more.
I sowed my second batch a week ago and all have germinated.
My first batch I sowed April 10th and April 20th in the greenhouse are doing nicely;