Seedling Progress

The seedlings are progressing. Some doing well, some questionable. It's actually snowing outside again. Another 1-3 inches expected! Since I spent yesterday planting container bulbs, I will sow some seeds today inside. I usually place a fan near the plant rack to provide ventilation and it's supposed to help with stockier plants. 

There is so much to learn about growing plants from seeds inside. I find it interesting. I was reading that florescent bulbs don't stay the same from year to year. Even though you may not need to replace bulbs for general lighting purposes, their efficiency for growing plants and the spectrum of light is not the same over time and plants may benefit from a new bulb each year. The ones I have are from last year.

Seed Rack. One more shelf on the bottom is left. When all the seedlings are transplanted all the shelves will be full.

Begonia, those that survived are doing nicely. There will not be many to give away. I will keep most myself but if I do give my mother and sister one they will still enjoy it and not miss getting more because they get so large. My sister will want more.

Vinca and panises.

Vinca and pansies. I am wondering if any pansies will survive?

Looking like a vinca. I'm disappointed more didn't survive. I wanted to start more but maybe during the summer to grow inside for color in the fall. They normally bloom inside before they go outside in the spring. It isn't recommended to let annuals bloom inside and to pinch off the blooms but I don't. Letting them bloom didn't appear to change how they preformed last season.

Impatiens. I have a tray of 72 but this set germinated before any of the others and got leggy. I cut the cells apart and took them out and put them on telephone books to elevate them to keep them from stretching more. They look healthy though and hopefully will all stand up. I don't worry a lot about impatiens. They aren't too fussy.

Coleus are starting to show color. I have some that are dark.

Yes I do water the pansies.

Geraniums and impatiens put back on the heating mat to see if more germinate. I did not remove the seeds that germinated. Hopefully the dome will not cause them to dampen off. I will keep a close eye on them.

Ivy leaf geraniums. They started to germinate in 3 days and look real healthy. Some of the  smaller seedlings that are just germinating look deformed. I guess not as healthy seeds. I hope they all germinate so there will still be a good number of plants. I planted 22 seeds and so far 10 have germinated. Initially I took the top of so they don't get leggy but decided to put the top back on and put them back on the heat mat. Maybe not the correct thing to do but lets see what happens.

Petunia seeds to be will sowed. A little of each. They will go in egg carton trays in the kitchen window. They seem to like cool temperatures. They did well germinating in the window last season. I started them later this year in the hope that they won't be so big and all over the place.

These are the last flower seed I plan to start inside. vegetable seeds are waiting to be sowed which will be new for me.