I, too, sowed half of my Yvonne's salvia seeds via WS jugs and some under lights in the basement in a heated germinator. I planted them about 1/8-1/4" deep. My first sprouts showed in 5 days and by 10 days I had 95% of my seeds sprout. I did not soak the seeds. The seedlings are coming along fine. The WS jugs have not sprouted yet (it's 19F out there this morning! Brrrr). Hang in there... Hope they all sprout for you.
Kris

Northerner! :-)
I just wanted to wave and say "Hey"!
Linda

I WS mine last year and my plants never got over a foot tall! :-)
I will try again this year but I also planted some inside--last night in fact.
These were the seeds that I had not planted last year so I hope they are still good. I will let you know how mine make out.
gg

I started mine indoors on January 29. As of March 15, they were 8" or taller. I chopped the tops off to make them bush out. Tomorrow, they will go out to the hoophouse until April 15. I don't care if it snows, I will not bring them back in. I also wintersowed two containers. Will be interesting to see which ones do best.

{{gwi:362716}}

Go ahead, Token. Rub it in... It's just a good thing you are a charming and fun guy, because it would be easy to sometimes just want to whap you topside your head every time you post a pic of something months ahead of us frozen northern gardeners.

About the only thing green outside here is sprout envy! LOL LOL
My bad....;-D Keep them pics comin' !! (*whimper*)
Kris

Well kiddo, to be honest, I started them about two weeks too early. They have been a real pain to keep alive here in the basement. I'm ready to get them outside and in their final resting places.

Kiddo: I'm with you. This Token man needs a lesson about showing others his sprouts. I say we all descend on the 16th Street Cottage and bury that darn camera in an asparagus bed somewhere.

And, while we're there we'll check out his secret cloner and stuff. Hehehe. And we'll steal seeds, too. And measure Yvonne's salvia to see if they're really 8 inches tall.

;-)

Prof

They aren't 8 inches now. I chopped the tops out to see if I could clone more. And I repotted them into larger cups. They're about 4" now.

If you find a cottage on 16th street, let me know. :)

My asparagus never germinated. :(

Oh, alright, so I was off a couple blocks. It's 7th Street. We'll still find you!

Asparagus: Go to Jersey Asparagus and buy some. It's totally worth it and you'll save a few years.

I'll do that just as soon as I get my strawberry bed ready tomorrow. I need to move some plants before they start setting fruit. The two should make a nice combination. Hmmm...I need some pinestraw.

I'm with you, retiredprof. In fact, while we're there, let's look for the REAL Token....I think this guy seems way to "green" if you catch my drift. Makes one wonder just how much cloning is going on in that secret basement lab on 7th street.... ;-D
Kris

It's amazing what one can do with a 4 shelf light rack, some shop lights, some rope light, and a roll of plastic stretched over pvc pipes. Ya'll just wait til summer arrives and all that barren soil is teeming with flowers and veggies.

Kiddo: Don't tell him, but I plan to kidnap him and bring him up to DE. We'll shackle him and get his WSing secrets.

Should I bring my shackles or do you have a pair of your own?

It's no secret if you've been following the blog. I start things from seed indoors and outside. The wintersown stuff will be updated tomorrow. I plan to spend all day outside on my last weekend off for the season.

I've got to cut the grass, plant out that hollyhock that is trying to grow through the plastic sheeting I tossed over my containers last week when it cooled down, and do some serious consideration about whether or not I am going to direct sow or winter sow the hundreds of zinnia seeds I have sitting on my desk staring at me.

Hi to you, Linda. Nice to hear from you. We had a beautiful week of sun and above zero temps. during the day and everyone got ahead of themselves (moi included) and started raking an removing mulch only to be greeted by a blanket of snow this morning!! What a rude awakening!!

I enjoyed reading the exchange and the dissing you ladies gave Token, although it had nothing to do with my question. Why don't you leave the guy alone, afterall, he is an architect?! (Just my little dig remembering the rivalry we Pure Science students had with the Architects in University.)

Anyway, thanks for all the replies. I just get a little anxious starting things indoors and not knowing what is happening. Last night I sowed a few of the seed I had in a coffee filter. That way I can see what is happening and be more calm. This return to indoor growing under lights is a little unsettling - I thought it was a thing of the past when I discovered Winter Sowing, but I guess it does have its place. Will keep you posted.
Northerner.

Linda, I can handle myself just fine. :)

Yvonne's salvia is doing great under lights here. Getting beyond the damping off stage is the hardest part. Now, it's just remembering to water them every day.

When are they beyond damping off stage?

I sowed a few indoors this year as well and I know next to nothing about seed starting indoors.

Karen

Once you start getting your second set of leaves, they can usually handle the fungus. At least that is my experience. It helps at that point to let them dry out a bit between waterings. You don't want them bone dry, but you really don't want them sopping wet 24/7 either. It's almost an artform. LOL

Thanks, token. I really have no idea what I'm doing. But some are getting 2nd true leaves now while some are just sprouting. They look nice and green and healthy now. Fingers crossed.

Karen

Success at last!! This morning after reading all your posts, I decided to remove my container of seeds from the bottom heat position (no lights) to the 'under the lights' position (no bottom heat). I just finished transplanting some sprouted pepper seeds and as I put them under the lights there they were - two little green sprouts!!! In a matter of hours they had appeared, after 8 days. Do they require light more than heat or was it just their time? I'll be able to compare with my seeds sprouting on the coffee filter.
Northerner.

Mine sprouted over a period of two weeks. Some got a late start and incidentally, they were the weakest of the bunch. I culled all but 8 plants that I started indoors since a bunch were wintersown.