Hello

[ina]

I covered my basil because the instructions didn't tell me not to and they all germinated! I often sow it direct in the ground and no probs that way either!

Well, MMM, I suppose different rules apply to France... I meant you shouldn't try to grow basil outdoors in Scotland. At least not for the next 20 years or so, after that maybe global warming has done the trick and we can grow it outdoors here, too. Unless there is a specially hardy variety around that I don't know about yet?

Can't say anything about the germinating - must admit, I've never tried it with covering up, but it does work with light, so I just assumed that's how to do it! Just shows you, I shouldn't believe everything printed on the packet...

[Millymollymandy]

On reflection, when you say covering, do you mean covering the seed with compost or completely covering it over (i.e. putting in the dark)? My packet (English) says to cover the seeds with sieved compost but that it needs light to germinate - which doesn't make a lot of sense if it is covered with soil or compost!

[ina]

That's what I mean with stuff on the packets not always making sense... They automatically print "cover with sieved compost" or soil or whatever on any packet, and then they remember, it's basil, and it needs light... I've often found that they say "thin to one plant every 30cm", even if it's stuff like rocket or spinach or carrots - at that rate we'd not be growing much in our gardens! So common sense is what we need to apply. If it works for you with compost on the seeds, fine. Mine are in a pot in the livingroom, and even if they are not covered, they don't get much light. East facing window, and we've not had much sun in the last week. Temperature in the room 14 degree at the last check. I wear my woolies in summer, too...

Ina

[TheGuerillaGardener]

Hey is this some kind of mind reading board or what? Or is there just a traditional learning curve that everyone follows.

I was considering planting basil but like I said I was going to just stick it in the ground to see what happens but you've saved me from wasting my time. Never thought about whether I could grow it outdoors or light or anything.

So when you say basil seeds need light, Ina, do you mean I sprinkle them on top of the of the soil/compost and don't cover it with anything at all, not even compost or soil?

Also I do have ground I can use. I live in a tenement, with three other flats in it but no-one really looks after the garden so I can probably do what I want to an extent as long as it looks nice and doesn't affect how others use it. The people upstairs came down and started putting weedkiller all over the place after I dug and weeded the borders. I think they felt obliged to contribute but I would rather they didn't, especially if they use chemicals - especially anything produced by certain evil corporations that I won't name here.

[couscous]

I can't think of any herb or vegetable seed that you sow on the surface.
It's only things like lobelia seed, which is microscopic, that needs to be surface sown.

Generally I follow the line that the bigger the seed, the deeper I plant it. Things like basil and lettuce, etc. only require a couple of cms of soil on top.

There are a few seeds which do require to be geminated in the dark. But that doesn't apply to anything for the veg or herb patch.

Best tip for germinating is to put the compost in the seed tray - or pot, water, sprinkle on seed, cover with 1 - 2 cms compost. Place in clear plastic bag - or place sheet of glass on top (to prevent compost drying out) and remove when seeds have germinated.

Another tip: Always sow bean seeds on their sides. That way they won't rot.

[ina]

Basil really does germinate without soil cover - but it seems it doesn't really matter whether there's soil on it or not... I'll try both ways next time and see what happens.

There must be quite a lot of weeds that germinate in light as well, otherwise, why would so many of them multiply by seeding themselves out again and again??? I certainly don't go round covering the seeds up carefully !

I've never had any luck with lobelia. Don't know what I'm doing wrong, maybe I'm too generous with the seeds (as you say, it's microscopic), but my plants never looked like the ones you buy , so for this year I've given up...

I also have a bit of a problem trying to make neighbours understand that I don't share their enthusiasm for absolutely weed free areas. All these offers of spraying my drive, as it's going green - so what? I'd rather have it green than muddy.

Ina

[ina]

Just to announce the beginning of the experiment: Yesterday I sowed two pots of basil; identical pots, same growing medium, seeds from the same packet; one pot with seed on top, one with seed covered by about 1cm of soil. They are in my sunniest window (east facing), and if I forget to water one, then the other gets forgotten, too... So it's assured they get the same treatment.

I'll keep you posted as to the results, but on the herb and veggie forum. I'm quite curious myself now!

Ina

[couscous]

Why don't you cover the pots with a clear plastic bag - that way it won't matter if you forget to water them. Just remove the bag when they've germinated. I'll be interested to hear how your two different sowings get on.

Next year, with your lobelia, try sowing them in a straight line in a seed tray. That way they are much easier to prick out. Would also suggest you get a propagator - a little something on your Christmas Prezzie list perhaps or you can make one yourself using just a 40 watt light bulb. Lobelia really do need to be started off in warmth in Jan or Feb!! Mind you, all my early sowings in the propagator got frosted in the garden in May and June. Back to the drawing board.

[TheGuerillaGardener]

Well despite all the good advice you've been giving me I've decided to cheat by throwing caution, expert instruction and good advice to the wind.

I went out to do the garden today just to keep it tidy as all our dandelions and buttercups upset the neighbours when they stray through the fence and I decided what the hey. "I went back indoors grabbed a few packs of impulse buy seeds and a pack of compost I bought cheap from Poundstretchers.

I took the chive and mustard seeds out and sprinkled them on the bare soil and covered them with a sprinkling of compost, watered them in and left them to see what happens.

So this is my first attempt at growing anything in the garden. I'd no idea if they suit my soil, climate, etc., until I realised the next door neighbour has grown chives. The mustard I have no idea about but what the hey. I'd never do it at all if I waited till I knew I was doing it right. :) It's fun to just wait and see what happens as long as I'm not counting on nice crop of chives and mustard.

[ina]

Ian, I think you have intuitively done something very right. Both mustard and chives grow well around here; I've got chives growing everywhere, because the neighbours let theirs flower and it keeps seeding itself out, so it must be very easy to grow! And we had lovely mustard at the farm where I worked in your area, so that should be fine, too. (I'm not much of a mustard fan myself, that's why I have none in my garden at the moment, but I might try it as green manure later on.)

Couscous, thanks for the tip with the lobelia. I think I started it off too late, and then had it in bunches, so couldn't really get at it... A propagator is not a bad idea. I'm too stingy to heat my house "properly", I find it nice and cosy at 16 degree in the living room, and that's just not enough for most seeds! And I've got a clear fruit punnet as a cloche over the pots of basil, so most of the moisture is kept in and it's nice and warm. (Which it is today anyway!) The uncovered seed has gone a lighter colour and swollen a bit so far.

Ina