A really daft question!

LincsBren · 21-09-2011, 08:55 PM

I am not hugely green-fingeres... I can grow stuff, but it's usually of the 'I have a spare 5 minutes so I'll throw some bulbs or seeds in' *indeterminate amount of time passes* 'Oh look, we have flowers - I forgot we planted those!'

So, the garden is currently full of lots of nice tortoise friendly weeds. All well and good now, but once they die off I'll be needing a continuous supply over winter. I have ordered the seeds (not just weeds, flowers, grasses etc - from SW) and will go and get a load of seed trays, window boxes and compost this weekend.

My question really is timing and quantity. How quickly will the seeds go from planting to feed-ready? For those of you that grow feed indoors, how many do you plant up? I am hoping by next winter to have a nice pattern going, but the babies arrive in a fortnight and as they are hatchlings, I know how very important it is I get their diet right for their growth.

**Alan1** · 21-09-2011, 09:04 PM

some of my weeds took 2 years to grow from seed

ziggy's owner · 21-09-2011, 09:16 PM

I grow weeds and mine grow with in days, don't let them dry out and buy top soil not compost best of luck

fifi and the flowertorts · 22-09-2011, 10:28 AM

I put a pack of sw mixed seeds in the fridge for a week, planted them in a 24litre plastic box with top soil late monday aftrenoon, covered with clingfilm and placed in my garden during the day and by a rad at night. checked this morning and some are already sprouting and i dont do gardening. HTH x

ziggy's owner · 22-09-2011, 12:25 PM

I've never put my seeds in the fridge, I just plant and hope, don't cover and I've had a lot of seeds grow

fifi and the flowertorts · 23-09-2011, 09:58 AM

I read on here that some put their seeds in the fridge to make them think that they had gone through the big freeze. Only intended to put them in for 24 hours but i forgot they were in there till i was cleaning the fridge

ziggy's owner · 23-09-2011, 10:57 AM

I never needed to do it and I grow them in the windows, I can understand that but weeds have diff seasons to plants that flower if that makes sense

LincsBren · 24-09-2011, 08:33 PM

Fab, thanks guys. I bought an unheated propagator today and top soil and will plant the first 2 trays tomorrow

emma_mcraf · 24-09-2011, 10:15 PM

I sowed seeds in the unheated propagator and two weeks later they're doing really well. The clover and vetch seem to grow quickest for me but the plantain, dandelion and mixes are doing well too. Good luck, hope they all germinate quickly for you.

Kirkie · 24-09-2011, 11:12 PM

If you've already got a decent weed patch outdoors just put a cold frame over them and they should keep going. All my cold frames have weeds in right the way through.

21-09-2011, 08:55 PM	#1
LincsBren Member Incubating Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Lincolnshire Posts: 128	A really daft question! I am not hugely green-fingeres... I can grow stuff, but it's usually of the 'I have a spare 5 minutes so I'll throw some bulbs or seeds in' indeterminate amount of time passes 'Oh look, we have flowers - I forgot we planted those!' So, the garden is currently full of lots of nice tortoise friendly weeds. All well and good now, but once they die off I'll be needing a continuous supply over winter. I have ordered the seeds (not just weeds, flowers, grasses etc - from SW) and will go and get a load of seed trays, window boxes and compost this weekend. My question really is timing and quantity. How quickly will the seeds go from planting to feed-ready? For those of you that grow feed indoors, how many do you plant up? I am hoping by next winter to have a nice pattern going, but the babies arrive in a fortnight and as they are hatchlings, I know how very important it is I get their diet right for their growth. __________________ Slave to the ark... 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 horses, 2 gerbils and... 2 testudo hermanni boettgeri... sex tbc!

21-09-2011, 09:16 PM	#3
ziggy's owner Senior Member Adult Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: west midlands Posts: 4,152	I grow weeds and mine grow with in days, don't let them dry out and buy top soil not compost best of luck __________________ 2.0.0 spur thighs 2.3.0 hermanns 2.1.1 marginated 0.0.4 leopard 2.8.0 guinea pigs 1.2.0 Springers 1.0.0 hamster 0.0.1 Blue Tongue skink 2.2.0 Beardies And tropical fish Also have baby marginated tortoises for sale

22-09-2011, 10:28 AM	#4
fifi and the flowertorts Member Hatchling Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Solihull west mids Posts: 501	I put a pack of sw mixed seeds in the fridge for a week, planted them in a 24litre plastic box with top soil late monday aftrenoon, covered with clingfilm and placed in my garden during the day and by a rad at night. checked this morning and some are already sprouting and i dont do gardening. HTH x __________________ Fi x 2:0:0 Horsfields 0:2:0 Tunisian Spur thighs 2 cats 2 dogs 4 Kids and a hubby

22-09-2011, 12:25 PM	#5
ziggy's owner Senior Member Adult Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: west midlands Posts: 4,152	I've never put my seeds in the fridge, I just plant and hope, don't cover and I've had a lot of seeds grow __________________ 2.0.0 spur thighs 2.3.0 hermanns 2.1.1 marginated 0.0.4 leopard 2.8.0 guinea pigs 1.2.0 Springers 1.0.0 hamster 0.0.1 Blue Tongue skink 2.2.0 Beardies And tropical fish Also have baby marginated tortoises for sale

23-09-2011, 09:58 AM	#6
fifi and the flowertorts Member Hatchling Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Solihull west mids Posts: 501	I read on here that some put their seeds in the fridge to make them think that they had gone through the big freeze. Only intended to put them in for 24 hours but i forgot they were in there till i was cleaning the fridge __________________ Fi x 2:0:0 Horsfields 0:2:0 Tunisian Spur thighs 2 cats 2 dogs 4 Kids and a hubby

21-09-2011, 09:04 PM	#2
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	some of my weeds took 2 years to grow from seed

23-09-2011, 10:57 AM	#7
ziggy's owner Senior Member Adult Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: west midlands Posts: 4,152	I never needed to do it and I grow them in the windows, I can understand that but weeds have diff seasons to plants that flower if that makes sense __________________ 2.0.0 spur thighs 2.3.0 hermanns 2.1.1 marginated 0.0.4 leopard 2.8.0 guinea pigs 1.2.0 Springers 1.0.0 hamster 0.0.1 Blue Tongue skink 2.2.0 Beardies And tropical fish Also have baby marginated tortoises for sale

24-09-2011, 08:33 PM	#8
LincsBren Member Incubating Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Lincolnshire Posts: 128	Fab, thanks guys. I bought an unheated propagator today and top soil and will plant the first 2 trays tomorrow __________________ Slave to the ark... 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 horses, 2 gerbils and... 2 testudo hermanni boettgeri... sex tbc!

24-09-2011, 10:15 PM	#9
emma_mcraf Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Devon Posts: 11,365	I sowed seeds in the unheated propagator and two weeks later they're doing really well. The clover and vetch seem to grow quickest for me but the plantain, dandelion and mixes are doing well too. Good luck, hope they all germinate quickly for you. __________________ Emma Testudo Hermanni 5.12.2:Theo, Tamara, Tabitha, Harriet, Isabelle, Clara, Oscar, Hugo, Oliver, Florence, Arabella, Esmé, Aurelia, Felicia, Claudia, Atticus, Celestia, Amaris, Tristan and Clementine Budgies: Jasper, Ivo, Otis, Henry, Louie and Luca Doggies: 1.1.0 Chester and Lottie

24-09-2011, 11:12 PM	#10
Kirkie Senior Member Adult Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,887	If you've already got a decent weed patch outdoors just put a cold frame over them and they should keep going. All my cold frames have weeds in right the way through.

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