[Casey76]

Two weeks ago I sowed my first seeds (courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes - all according to packet instructions... I'm are a bit ahead of the UK weather wise due to being further south).  They were sown in compost specifically for veg as at the time I had been unable to locate any seed compost, so although it was a bit fibrous it should have been OK.  They are outside in a blowaway on a south facing wall, and average daytime temps have been 20C, with lows of 5C over night.

So far, not a hint of life

Last week I planted some more, including tomatoes and peppers, mostly from unopened packets, even if the seed itself may be 2 years old.  Again, nothing... zip

Yesterday I found and bought some seed compost (9€ for 40L  ), so do I go and sow everything again, or stick to varieties I haven't yet planted in the hopes that some of the older sowings will come up (and risk being over run)

Should I clear out my seed box and throw away everything more than a couple of years old?

[Sparkyrog]

those temperatures sound to low for germination without some added bottom heat Imo.

[mumofstig]

Bring them inside, it's too cold at night still, even in a blowaway - as Rog says

[surbie100]

The lovely people at RealSeeds have a natty soil temp germination guide: http://www.realseeds.co.uk/Germinationhints.html

[Casey76]

The daytime temps are warmer than the inside of my house.  Overnight my basement drops to 6C.  I don't have internal window sills, which is why they are outside

Patience it is then...

[JayG]

The lovely people at RealSeeds have a natty soil temp germination guide: http://www.realseeds.co.uk/Germinationhints.html

The very lovely people at chat.allotment-garden.org have a link to an even more detailed one! 

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?action=seored;u=http%3A%2F%2Ftomclothier.hort.net%2Fpage11.html

Agree about the overnight temperatures - too low (any published soil temperature for best germination assumes it's fairly constant.)

Even with no windowsills I still think they would do better inside the house (not the basement!) - they would need moving into daylight as soon as they appear though of course.

[surbie100]

The very lovely people at chat.allotment-garden.org have a link to an even more detailed one! 

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?action=seored;u=http%3A%2F%2Ftomclothier.hort.net%2Fpage11.html

Agree about the overnight temperatures - too low (any published soil temperature for best germination assumes it's fairly constant.)

Even with no windowsills I still think they would do better inside the house (not the basement!) - they would need moving into daylight as soon as they appear though of course.

The loveliness is not questioned but it's in FAHRENHEIT JayG! I am a Celcius girl, I have no idea what those numbers mean....

[NewSteve]

The very lovely people at chat.allotment-garden.org have a link to an even more detailed one! 

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?action=seored;u=http%3A%2F%2Ftomclothier.hort.net%2Fpage11.html

Agree about the overnight temperatures - too low (any published soil temperature for best germination assumes it's fairly constant.)

Even with no windowsills I still think they would do better inside the house (not the basement!) - they would need moving into daylight as soon as they appear though of course.

The loveliness is not questioned but it's in FAHRENHEIT JayG! I am a Celcius girl, I have no idea what those numbers mean....

Once upon a time every schoolgirl would have known the conversion!

The proper version is to subtract 32 and multiply by 5/9 of course, but for an approximate version you can subtract 25 and divide by 2. So

95 = 35
85 = 30
75 = 25
65 = 20 etc.   

[Casey76]

Come on Steve, "one upon a time" was quite a long time ago now!

I'm fast approaching 40, and I was taught metric at school from the very beginning.  We never learned Farenheit for temps, just as we never learned yards and miles as linear measurement, nor pounds and ounces for weight.

Certainly after living on the continent for 10 years, imperial measurements are a long way from what comes "naturally."  I do know the conversions if needed, but Farenheit just confuses me.  I tend to think of it being: 32F Freezing point of water. 75F pleasantly warm out side. 212F boiling point of water and that is it

[tosca100]

I agree with the night time temps being a bit low. I have started my 'tenders' indoors but accidentally left courgettes and squash out in the little greenhouse where they sulked in hibernation. Brought them in and they have germinated. Here in BG we have had daytime temps in the mid twenties but falling to below 5 at night.

However the neighbours are starting to put early tomatoes out in large plastic cloches, but close them up and cover them with blankets and rugs overnight. No need for us to do that, they will send tomatoes and cues over when they are ready.

[JayG]

Forgot about the generation gap when it comes to C and F  - being keen on science I was brought up quite familiar with both, so over the years I've found that most of the range of temperatures you encounter on a daily basis I have come to know off by heart.

0C=32F, 10C=50F, 16C=61F, 20C=68F, 25C=75F (-ish) I find particularly easy to remember - for most practical purposes, including gardening, you can guess the rest unless you happen to live somewhere like Canada or Spain! 

[surbie100]

I'm fast approaching 40, and I was taught metric at school from the very beginning. 

Me too Casey. I had to search for a link in Celcius too. You'd think by now it would be 'normal'. *ducks and runs*
 

[NewSteve]

I'm nowhere near 40, but for some reason still think of food in pounds and ounces. Probably because I order burgers by the pound and beer by the pint - I know what a quarter pounder looks like but I have no idea how much 100g is!

Similarly on the plot. I was very annoyed to learn that the wood for my raised beds comes in 1800mm lengths when I'd measured everything up in feet. I mean, 1800mm is almost 6ft but not quite, and it adds up to a big difference over the length of the plot. Bah! 

[Sparkyrog]

I'm nowhere near 40, but for some reason still think of food in pounds and ounces. Probably because I order burgers by the pound and beer by the pint - I know what a quarter pounder looks like but I have no idea how much 100g is!

Similarly on the plot. I was very annoyed to learn that the wood for my raised beds comes in 1800mm lengths when I'd measured everything up in feet. I mean, 1800mm is almost 6ft but not quite, and it adds up to a big difference over the length of the plot. Bah! 

The standard for wood is simple if your buying in packs ! 2100= 7ft 2400=8ft and they increase by 300mm a time which is roughly a foot 5700 mm is longest I have ordered .

[NewSteve]

I'm nowhere near 40, but for some reason still think of food in pounds and ounces. Probably because I order burgers by the pound and beer by the pint - I know what a quarter pounder looks like but I have no idea how much 100g is!

Similarly on the plot. I was very annoyed to learn that the wood for my raised beds comes in 1800mm lengths when I'd measured everything up in feet. I mean, 1800mm is almost 6ft but not quite, and it adds up to a big difference over the length of the plot. Bah! 

The standard for wood is simple if your buying in packs ! 2100= 7ft 2400=8ft and they increase by 300mm a time which is roughly a foot 5700 mm is longest I have ordered .

Yes, except it's not quite a foot, a foot is 305mm. Which is annoying when you've marked out the ground in feet!