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Post by Jasmine on Jul 16, 2011 16:34:27 GMT
I'm reading An Ear to the Ground:Understanding your Garden by Ken Thompson. He is a Senior Lecturer at Sheffield Uni and got fed up writing Science papers that only 12 scientists would ever read. He is a good writer; explains things clearly and is quite blunt and funny! Anyway, this is what he has to say about seedlings, I thought it was quite interesting and explains why self seeded plants often do much much better than the seedlings we nurture... 'Although plants don't like too much wind, they have evolved to cope with its effects by growing shorter, thicker stems. It's not the wind itself that causes this, but the movement of the plant, so exactly the same effect can be produced by shaking or stroking. If you gently stroke or shake a tray of seedlings, they will go on to grow into stockier, more compact and generally stronger plants, which are less likely to keel over in the first squall than plants grown in perfectly sheltered conditions. In fact, of course, it's the plants grown in still air that are abnormally weak and spindly, having been deprived of a stimulus they would normally expect to receive in the real world.' Has anyone got any good ideas for a trial and we could see if a bit of a breeze is a good thing or not i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/undecided.gif I keep wafting my seedlings in the lobby with a flattened cereal box everytime I go past! i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/cheesy.gif |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jul 16, 2011 16:46:24 GMT
I found this very interesting. I'd be keen to take part in a trial but will have to have a good think about it. It would need to be done when it's still summer or with hardy plants so the seedlings could be outside.
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Post by Jasmine on Jul 16, 2011 17:16:09 GMT
It might even be that spring is best as summer sown seeds tend to get done outdoors don't they and that's where they over winter too.  |
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Post by Rosefriend on Jul 16, 2011 17:37:58 GMT
The thing also is that there are seeds that can only be done indoors - well for me at least.
So, - it has to be a fan....wonder how much difference it really makes - real wind and artificial wind??
RF
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Post by Jasmine on Jul 16, 2011 17:40:28 GMT
None at all I reckon if shaking the tray or stroking the seedlings is good enough |
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Post by Auricula on Jul 16, 2011 17:43:09 GMT
Cosmos might be a contender, they grow leggy very quickly, and are a doddle to germinate |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jul 16, 2011 17:50:02 GMT
Except for me this year, I lost the lot.  Cosmos is something that I grow every year and I'd have some spare seeds if we did go ahead with them.  |
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Post by Jasmine on Jul 16, 2011 18:04:59 GMT
Cosmos might be a contender, they grow leggy very quickly, and are a doddle to germinate It's interesting you should mention cosmos Auricula. Mine were all munched by next doors bunny and I saved a few that had potential to sprout again as they had some leaf axils left. I also sowed again weeks after the first lot and now you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference except the bunny munched ones have 2 stems! The second lot were germinated and grown completely outdoors. |
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Post by Rosefriend on Jul 16, 2011 18:08:39 GMT
I've still got some Cosmos seeds and can collect some more...seems we are all drifting in the same direction..
I also lost all the indoor sown ones - only the outdoor ones grew!!
RF
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Post by Amber on Jul 16, 2011 19:30:29 GMT
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Post by Jasmine on Jul 17, 2011 7:31:14 GMT
So Cosmos would be a good one to experiment with then?
I guess that means spring time. I might try 3 ways - a few indoors, a few that get wafted or stroked on the way past and some outside.
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Post by Rosefriend on Jul 17, 2011 7:39:24 GMT
I'm OK with Cosmos in Spring but I have another idea as well.
A few of us sow our peppers/chillies for the following year in August/September....and then in Jan/Feb as well.
Perhaps we can do something there - the Aug/Sept ones get wafted/or not and vice versa....it would also be a trial as to how quickly they grow, - warmth, light etc??
RF
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Post by Jasmine on Jul 17, 2011 7:42:22 GMT
Good thinking RF. I wasn't going to do overwintered peppers again as I think LG was right - mine got RSM. As soon as someone mentions it though you forget what you decided! ;D
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Post by Rosefriend on Jul 17, 2011 7:53:32 GMT
Mine don't get RSM but white fly. As I have mine in the bedroom I didn't really want to spray them where we sleep so I started spraying them once/twice a week in the shower and I got rid of all the bugs, down the plug 'ole, so to speak.
I watered them at the same time as well...seemed to work last year...
RF
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Post by Ladygardener on Jul 17, 2011 8:00:47 GMT
I managed to get my Peppers through without any little visitors this year by spraying them maybe a couple of times a week, often just the air around them if you know what I mean.
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Post by Jasmine on Jul 17, 2011 8:52:44 GMT
Did you spray with just water LG?
I stick my houseplants - the few I have - in the shower to clean off the dust, water them and spruce them up. Will do the peppers that way this year.
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Post by Ladygardener on Jul 17, 2011 9:20:29 GMT
Yes just with water Jasmine. I mostly watered them from below as well. I was well pleased that the rsm and whitefly left them alone. |
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Post by Auricula on Jul 17, 2011 9:23:47 GMT
I'm definitely in for the cosmos, but not the peppers. I am terribly allergic to them ( any form of capsicum) even the smell |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jul 17, 2011 9:25:22 GMT
I think Cosmos would make a really good trial as so many folks grow them. |
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Post by Barbara on Jul 17, 2011 9:35:52 GMT
I remember on GW one night, one of the presenters, ( I'm not sure who) said the same thing, he was wafting his tomato seedlings with the back of his hand. |
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Post by Jasmine on Jul 17, 2011 15:08:19 GMT
It's obviously quite a well known scientific fact - I've just not heard it before  |
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Post by Barbara on Jul 18, 2011 12:59:20 GMT
Well you can't know everything Jas.  |
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Post by Jasmine on Jul 18, 2011 15:15:49 GMT
Certainly not at this end of the term! ;D I know what day it is! ;D
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Post by Auricula on Jul 18, 2011 15:17:06 GMT
When do you finish Jas....you'll have plenty of time for wafting then ;D
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Post by Jasmine on Jul 18, 2011 15:35:05 GMT
Friday - 4 days to go!  Not that I'm counting in an unprofessional sort of way! ;D |
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Post by Auricula on Jul 18, 2011 15:45:18 GMT
Perish the thought!! ;D
Will you go in next week, to sort things out? That was always my most favourite time of the year....peace, quiet, no kids, coffee biccys and a good clean up ;D
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Post by Jasmine on Jul 18, 2011 17:17:17 GMT
No, I'm orf down to the dungeon on Wednesday to have a sort out and tidy up (it's the old cellar at my new school and it's dead creepy but I will be going with some of the TAs - safety in numbers and all that! ;D )
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Post by Auricula on Jul 18, 2011 18:11:38 GMT
Wooooooooooohh!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by Jasmine on Jul 24, 2011 21:17:19 GMT
I've been wafting my seedlings in the lobby every time I think about it and the linums have all bent over...don't think that's supposed to happen |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jul 25, 2011 7:33:58 GMT
Mine did that too but I think it was too hot for them yesterday. They're ok again now Jasmine, hope yours are too. I've put mine into a shady part of the mini growhouse.
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Cosmos is something that I grow every year and I'd have some spare seeds if we did go ahead with them. 
