I hope this goes in here!!

I purchased a plastic, greenhouse with clear dome lid and 50 peat cups.
It's instructions were not too clear.
After I plant and dampen and close the top, am I going to need to open and dampen any more before I see sprouts? Will it's self-generating moisture collection on the dome be enough water until seeds pop up?
Thanks for any help.

depends on how long your seeds germinate, just check em every week, or two,

i hate hitting repley by acadent!

good luck with your dome! whatcha planting in there?

I have something similar Shirley, just keep an eye on them and if they start to get dry, add water! You are gonna be peeking in on them to see their growth anyhow so I am sure nothing will dry out.

I'm planting Cinnamon Basil, red Impatiens, lavendar Impatiens, deep blue Convolvulus,blue Columbine and harlequin mix Columbine, and Kenny is sending me some yellow St Johns Wort, peppermint stick Zinnia, and Jobs Tears.!!

I was thinking that with the dome and under a grow-light it would make it's own moisture enough until they sprout and then I'm suppose to prop open the domb and keep them moist.

Becareful ......gro lights do take up lots of moisture.
Better check everyother day with the finger in the soil.......Lights evaporate the moisture.
I have several.

Should I not use a grow light over the seeds, then...wait until I have sprouts and then use a grow light?!

With the dome on..the light should not be a problem...But I would be more concerned with too much moisture inside the dome, which could result in mold which would=seedling death. I would check it daily and regulate it as needed..if it remains to moist then remove the dome for an hour or two. Does this set up have a water tray on the bottom? If it was me I would only mist from the top until you figure out how well it will work out in your environment & with the light. Trial and error is the best teacher, so don't put all your seeds in there at first just try a few that you can afford to lose and experiment with it first. Oh another thing..those peat cups do tend to mold if kept to moist and they do dry out really fast. And also when you get ready to plant the peat pots directly into the soil when you set them out...they are suppose to break down in the soil, but I have found they do not break down all that well, so it is wise to tear the peat pot down the sides before setting into the soil outdoors.

Thank you Comfrey for these words of advise!!! I will certainly pay attention to everything you said!

You're welcome Shirley!!! That is what we are all here for is help each other and to learn from each other.

That's the wrong germination technique for the columbine. Sorry to give you this bad news. The columbine need to be in your refrigerator until they sprout and then you can take them out and put them in a place that gets indirect light until they are ready for transplant. And the refrigerator drys out the peat pots very quickly so plan on watering everyday. At least that's what I had to do.

For me, (and I like the easiest way I can, cause I'm always behind in everything) when I plant my Columbines,
I do them right straight outside....

I just scatter them on top of freshly scratched soil *exposed dirt and no weeds* and I do this
in the FALL time..
There is no fuss, no muss with this way...
Mother nature takes care of alllll the rest...

Oh my goodness!!!

First..Weezie, I can't plant directly outside because I am in an apt. so it will be pots for me.

Second..TK, the packets said to chill the seeds first for a few days, so I laid the packets in the frig...when I sow them in a pot..are you telling me that I need to put the pot with seed into the frig until they sprout?...If the peat pots dry out too fast, can I sow them in to tiny clay pots and put in frig.?

Can you have the pots/containers' left outside
over winter where you are in the apartment???

Yes you can put them in clay pots but anything including plastic which is what I used dried out really quickly. I used yogurt cups and put them in a metal tray for ease of pulling them in and out to water them.

No just chilling them in the packets probably won't get the job done. But then if I don't follow directions to the "t" I don't get good results some people are far more talented than I am. Or luckier.

And they require light to germinate so like Weezie said scatter them on top of the soil don't cover them with soil.

I've heard with the peat pellets some people sit them in pans of water. I can't say I blame them for doing it that way. Otherwise it's really hard to keep them as moist as they should be.

Ok...If they have to have light to germinate, how can I keep them in the frig? (I thought the light goes out when door is shut? )...but really, that is a legitimate question?

I know it is a legitimate question Shirl.
The light does go out when the door is closed in your fridge.
Some seeds need chilling THEN light to jump start the germination. One after the other. And yes, chilling in the packet is very doable.

Shirley,
Asked you this before..
Is there anywhere's now you can have them outside?

I understand your question conpletely. I asked the same one. I don't know how it works but I know that if I sow them on top of the potting soil and stick them in the refrigerator in six weeks there abouts I have columbine.

My soil is to poor to sow them outdoors in the fall although I did try my first and second year. And prechilling didn't net me any results either. But as I said I do not have good luck with plants it is all hard work to keep them alive. I haven't even gotten to the healthy stage yet.

Good luck with your Columbine. Weezie probably has the best suggestion unless your apartment has indoor hallways without windows. I know around here I can't leave anything in a pot outside because someone swipes it.

I can answer weezie and Tk: I have no place outdoors; now patio or balcony...If anything is ever put out in a hallway window someone swipes it.

Well, I'm getting a good handle on what to do, now, with greenhouse and columbine; so, as I proceed with them I will let you know what works, or doesn't work, as the case may be, for me.

It's worth the effort they are such beautiful flowers. Remember the ones that you do in the refrigerator take about 6 weeks to sprout.

Also I've found that a lot of commercial seed packets don't contain the right germinating instructions or incomplete instructions. So I always check here before planting a new type of seed. You wouldn't believe the instruction on the back of a package of Bells of Ireland that I had. I lost the entire bunch of seeds due to bad information. Grrrrrh.

Run me by that sentence again!!!

I meant NO patio or balcony..to set planters on.

Okay, so you only garden in containers/pots,
correct?? And that's in the summer time..

Just out of curiousity, where do you put your
pots/containers for winter???

Columbines' are a perennial.. that will last many season's.. but you have to leave them outside to over winter *pot/container and all*
they're very cold hardy and need the cold to grow.

I grew columbines last year...I only chilled the seed for about a month, then placed in seed starting soil and placed back in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks then placed under lights and I had germination within 7-14 days.

Good Luck Shirley!!!

Thanks Comfry!!

Weezie: I live on the 5th floor of an apt, no patio or balcony to put containers on outside. I will be planting in flower pots inside.
I have figured out, from all the help I am receiving on here, that they require cold.
So...there is a little garden/patio on the ground floor outside our library; I will ask the building manager if I can set them out there, to over winter. I'm sure they will let me.

So now my questions are these:

1. By winter will I cut them all the way back, leaving roots in pot? (or do they form a 'bulb')

2. Will I set the pot out and just let it rain, snow, freeze etc. on it all winter?

3. Will it then sprout in the spring? Then can I
bring it back inside?

They will die back naturally for summer and winter. They will bloom in the spring and fall. They will do best when they are 3 to 4 years old. They live about 7 years total.

When the leaves are brown you may take them off of the plant at the end of there flowering period.

No they do not form bulbs.

Yes just set out the pot and let nature take it's course.

Yes it will sprout in the spring. I have no idea if you can bring it inside. I'm thinking you should be able to since they like partial shade.

Thank you so much TK!! Now I think i have everything set to go!!!

I'm going to have fun, fun, fun!

Your very very welcome.

I have taken all the advise I gleaned from all of you and a week ago I plant 20 seeds in 10 of the peat pots in my tabletop greenhouse.Yesterday there were 20 beautiful, healthy little sprouts!!!!
I had planted Convolvulus; the Blue Enchantment.
Today they are even bigger!!!! I feel like a proud new 'mama'!!!! Thank you all...you should feel like Aunts and Uncles!!!

That is very exciting Shirley!!! Glad they all sprouted for you!

That's awesome!!!
Just make sure the light is close to the
seedlings... cause I think you might still have a weeeeeee~bit~o'time, before they get into the ground..
*remember, morning glories LOVE warm soil*

and if this is the begining of March, you'll have 'til the end of the month, and all of April, and some of May, which is about 7~9 weeks of inside time...

So, keep the light close, and hopefully they won't get spindly!!!

I hope you get some good pictures of them, I love those plants, they are soooooooo much fun to grow and have them climb things..

Weezie, I have no yard and these will be mostly given away to others, but the ones I keep will go into a container or two. The package said:

{Truly a bush-flowering morning glory, growing only 14" high. Their compact habit makes neat baskets.}

I thought of baskets on either side of window, or putting a trellis up sides and over window. How does that sound. They have to stay indoors, as I have no outdoors.

I hope they do well for you inside Shirley! Will be so pretty around a window!

To be totally honest, I have never grown MG's inside...
So, I can not give you a 100% yes or no on it..

My first thoughts would be, those plants *an annual* love sun, and thrive on it* so, I would think they would grow, but would be spindly...

But who is to say, that under the right conditions you couldn't do it..
As long as you had a sunny window, fresh air, good circulation, good nutrition... why not!!!
It might work..

Here's an idea of mine, *sorry, didn't get a finished picture as they didn't turn out great, cause I didn't have pots'/containers' big enough for them to grow enough...*
(and these are regular MG's)








They have some real one's to buy *2 of them* for sale, but for the life of me, I can't remember where I saw it??

Shirley,
Do you happen to have a picture of that window
and what it would look like from the inside????

Oh WOW Weezie, that will look so cool if you can get the MG's to cover it all!!!

I'm searching now to find where I saw those
two for sale..

*Mine are an old kid's umbrella that got shredded, so I striped the fabric and kept
the skeleton*

Okay found it..
S/2 Umbrella Trellis - 53166

I certainly wouldn't have room inside for that!!

To see the Window that I would want to hang them on either side of or let them vine around, look in my PB in the album My Plants and Willies. It is the big window in living-room with all the plants sitting on a table in front of it.

I could use a narrow piece of trellis flat against the wall up each side and across the top.

Oh Wow!! I thought that unbrella trellis would be taller and bigger than that!! Maybe I could talk our manager and maint. dept. into letting me put that in the corner of our patio garden outside our Library downstairs?!! I'll check that out!!

This one??
Shirely\'s window
I just saw something cute in that catalog
I was looking for for those other umbrella's..

Wooden Arbor - 52278
It's about 28" tall...

Yeah, those umbrella's are about as
tall as a yard stick..

*the other one (arbor) is just under
a yard stick*

The site you gave to the wooden trellis takes me to a resized picture of my window?!! I went back to the catalog and typed in that number but it shows 'no results'. I ordered the catalog.

Yes, that is the window.
Sounds like I would use one on each end and two across the top. I would have plants in container on a tiny table at each end of window. Those drapes would have to go. I would put heavily gathered lace or shear curtains on a tension rod set inside the window area.

The window opening measures 83" across = 2yd+1ft
so four of those would be perfect.

In the bedroom, which is where I have the seedlings, the window is 46" = 1yd+10" and I could use three of them in there.
Can't wait to get the catalog!

I fixed it, ooops, I guess that's what I get for
multi~tasking...

Oh well, that wouln't work either. I need flat lengths of trellis, to do what I described.
But that also would be good Idea for the patio garden off our library!! Maybe they would even like that better than the umbrella.

Oh I like the umbrella ideal...I may have to buy a couple of these!

I had hyacinth beans growing and blooming in the house before it was time to set them outdoors last year, so as long as the MG will get enough sun they may do fine indoors.

Thanks!!!

WOW! This morning I checked my little Greenhouse and guess what I found??!!! All of my Impateins seed cups are full of tiny green sprouts, and all of my Basil cups are full of tiny green sprouts!!!! I love this!!!! I've never done it before, and everyone here has helped me so much.. ..This is fun!!!

Oh, and the other thing...these have all come up, healthy and STRONG, and yet I have not been able to get a grow-light yet!!?? I have my little greenhouse on a shelf a foot or two in from my east facing window; gets morning light but no direct sun; and it's cool there near the cold window.
Maybe I planted 'magic' seeds, like Jack n the Bean Stalk?