26-01-2013, 07:39 PM | #1 |
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Egg
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Colchester, Essex
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How long to grow weeds indoors?
Hi everyone.
Recently purchased a pack of med mix seeds from the Shelled Warriors eBay shop along with some limestone flour. I will be getting a Hermanns yearling in 6 weeks time so I want to know how long should I allow for the seeds to grow so I have enough weeds to start him/her off on. I purchased this windowsill propagator http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Whitefurze...item3a714f3744 this morning from the Range for £7.99 which I plan to grow them in on the kitchen windowsill in topsoil. I had considered using some topsoil from a raised bed which was used last year to grow pumpkins in but in which I used those Miracle gro granules. Will this be safe or should I just get a new bag of topsoil? |
27-01-2013, 08:54 AM | #2 | |
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I personally never grow weeds inside, its too easy to over water and get mould on them. I find a sheltered space outside sow in a pot of poor soil and water, then I cover with a sheet of plastic or the like. Then let nature take its course. In the garden I sow seeds in October, so that I have plenty of weeds growing for the Spring, when the tortoises get up:0)
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27-01-2013, 10:14 AM | #3 |
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Egg
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Thanks sandy. I hadn't even considered planting them outside as I was too worried they wouldn't grow, I am forgetting that they are just weeds! I will give that a try I think. Thanks for the info.
I suppose if I was to buy the cold frame now that I intend to use for their outdoor enclosure shelter I could put the weeds in a tray under that out on the decking until it is needed in the summer. |
27-01-2013, 12:01 PM | #4 | |
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I checked my coldframes in my garden this morning,(the sun is shinning) and there are sowthistles coming up in them. And I have plenty of bittercress around the garden too. Another useful plant in the Winter to grow, is tree mallow. They have leaves on them all the time. They do get hit by frost, but leaves under the big ones are still edible for tortoises.
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27-01-2013, 02:20 PM | #5 |
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Incubating
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Well i put a packet of weed seed in a plant pot about 10 days ago and have been in my windowsill with no special treatment being weeds, watered every few days and i have a pot full of little green leaves coming through so far hopefully be ready in a week or so
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27-01-2013, 04:49 PM | #6 | |
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Egg
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Thanks, thats quite re-assuring to know.
I planted the majority of the seeds in the indoor propagator on the kitchen windowsill and then the remaining seeds I planted in a pot outside on the decking, so will see how each 1 fares over the next couple of weeks. I also used the limestone flour in both but didn't give them any extra water as the topsoil bought this morning was already quite moist anyway. Quote:
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27-01-2013, 05:02 PM | #7 |
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I haven't used any lime stone on mine, just used top soil and not been over watering it as weeds tend to grow in crap conditions, not even had any type of propagation lid on them either
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31-01-2013, 06:29 PM | #8 |
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Hatchling
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If you grow seeds inside at this time of year they may well germinate fine BUT--------as they try to grow,they will elongate and become weak and spindly very quickly as there is insufficient overhead light. There's not enough daylight unless you can provide it artificially with overhead growlights. Best to start weed seeds off in the autumn and hope for an early result in the spring.
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31-01-2013, 08:33 PM | #9 |
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Egg
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Location: Colchester, Essex
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Thanks for the heads up.
I may purchase a cold frame in the next few days and carry on growing them outside that way as I don't want to get a few weeks down the line and have nothing for the torts to eat. |
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