A lesson learned - starting seeds

[Silentrunning]

About 4 weeks ago I started my cool weather vegetables in my starting tray. Because I use a heating pad the seeds germinated in a week. I had cabbage, kohlrabi, turnips and kale. In the morning I would set them in the east facing window and at noontime I moved them to the West window. They were in the sun for several hours each day. I noticed immediately that they were growing tall and scraggly. Some of them just curled up and died. I was at a loss because I had done this at my old house for years and had good results. This last weekend I was going through some papers from the previous owner and found the paperwork on the new windows he had put in. It turned out that they were double glass and were coated to prevent UV rays from passing through. We had noticed last summer there was virtually no heat present when the sun came in and shined on us. Since the windows stopped the “damaging” rays of the sun from coming in my seedlings died as if they were in a dark room.

 

[alp]

You know, there is now sooooo much knowledge in everything that a lot of people can only handle a bit of the house and when we make home improvement bits by bit, we often find nobody has a holistic picture of how to improve a whole house so that everything flows.

I love your dedication. I have a house with a similar aspect. I never thought of moving the plant to the west setting sun in the evening. That glass of yours must be quite expensive. That's the glass I was promised but of course, in winter, the lean-to is Baltic and in summer, it's equatorial! These double glazed companies would promise you the earth, saying you would get UV coated (a term never mentioned), but he would say in summer, it would be cool and in winter warm. Well, now you've taught me something. For those going to buy a conservatory, UV coated is the way forward - mind you, it would still be cold in winter!

 

[Tjohn]

Thank-you! That is something that we never think of when deciding to start our seeds in the window!

 

[CanadianLori]

Here is another booboo... this is one of my nicotiana "seedlings".... didn't expect it to grow so fast and in the background there is till snow outside...doh!

 

[alp]

Yes, Lori: There are nicotiana and NICOTIANA!

I had exactly the same thing growing right next to the slab and it slapped my face when I walked past. Every time I saw the leaves, I would dig it up and put them right at the back of the border. They are giants and you have it in your house! LOL!

And you know, it's not even at its highest. Nearly 5 feet plus!

 

[Upsy Daisy]

@CanadianLori ......'Day Of The Tariffs ' sprang to my mind