Assume we are talking about seeds that don't require any kind of cold stratification or other special germination methods.
The standard advice is to sow seeds in spring, and clearly it makes sense for seedlings to enjoy the spring and summer as they grow. But I sort of....have a bit of a counterargument in my head:
1. Lots of evidence says the fresher the seed, the higher the germination rate. Sowing in fall means you don't have to store fresh seeds over winter.
2. If you have a south-facing window (or a grow light) and a heat mat, you can easily provide a warm, well-lit environment.
EDIT: A window that faces towards the sun. I apologize for my bias lol
3. They're going to be totally enclosed in high humidity for the first few months anyway.
4. When spring comes, they're already ~4 months old. You can take them out and start getting them used to real life....and now they get to enjoy a nice long growing season before their first "real" winter.
I guess what I want to know is, what is wrong with this logic? Seems like I'm probably missing something.
Why not sow seeds indoors in winter?
Re: Why not sow seeds indoors in winter?
I believe that's general advice for people who sow seeds and expose them to natural light.
The problem with sowing now wouldn't necessarily be light intensity, if someone lives in a place without frequent overcast, but with the number of hours of sunlight. For me that would be 9 hours of light in winter, compared to 17 hours in summer.
I just guess those guides are made for people who are sowing for the first time and sowing only "a few" seeds, so nobody expects them to put in the effort of choosing the grow lights and setting them up, heating them and everything. Natural light and warmth is a pain-free way for beginners.
But you are right about freshness of seeds and germination rates. Luckily, if given light and heat even in winter, seeds/seedlings won't be able to know it's not really spring, they just grow.
The problem with sowing now wouldn't necessarily be light intensity, if someone lives in a place without frequent overcast, but with the number of hours of sunlight. For me that would be 9 hours of light in winter, compared to 17 hours in summer.
I just guess those guides are made for people who are sowing for the first time and sowing only "a few" seeds, so nobody expects them to put in the effort of choosing the grow lights and setting them up, heating them and everything. Natural light and warmth is a pain-free way for beginners.
But you are right about freshness of seeds and germination rates. Luckily, if given light and heat even in winter, seeds/seedlings won't be able to know it's not really spring, they just grow.
Re: Why not sow seeds indoors in winter?
Actually autumn or early winter is most common time for sowing for growers that have own seeds or are prepared for massive sowing and are not beginners in this craft. Your conclusions/suggestions 1 - 4 are right. "sowing in spring after frosts" is an advice for folks living on South, generally beginners without a strict need to keep their seedlings indoors because of the cold climate for example. Another factor that determines sowing terms is the time of new seed lists publishing (around New year), followed by seeds ordering and delivery thus sowing often starts in the middle of winter or early spring.
It's a good idea to have a propagator with controlled conditions if southern window is not available. Even in that case some bottom mat heater (because around windowsill is cooler) and some additional lights (because days are short in Europe and North America) are highly advisable.
When I started first doing cacti seedlings I used a common glass aquarium with a cover, a lamp attached from inside to that cover, low power heater from an old refrigerator. All that was put near a South-facing window in a heated living room. Squire pots were put at the bottom of that enclosure and sunken in a shallow water pool.
It's a good idea to have a propagator with controlled conditions if southern window is not available. Even in that case some bottom mat heater (because around windowsill is cooler) and some additional lights (because days are short in Europe and North America) are highly advisable.
When I started first doing cacti seedlings I used a common glass aquarium with a cover, a lamp attached from inside to that cover, low power heater from an old refrigerator. All that was put near a South-facing window in a heated living room. Squire pots were put at the bottom of that enclosure and sunken in a shallow water pool.
If your cacti mess in your job just forget about the job.
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
Re: Why not sow seeds indoors in winter?
Thank you both for your replies. Really appreciate it. I actually started a batch 6 weeks ago just to experiment, and so far the seedlings are looking great.
This is a good reminder. I get about about 14hrs true daylight in summer, 10 in winter. Right now I'm thinking that'll be sufficient for my needs but I can add a light if needed.
Re: Why not sow seeds indoors in winter?
5. If you grow cacti mainly they are in relative rest in winter months then a grower is not yet busy with moving, repotting, watering and other intensive care so one can focus over seedlings now.
With shorter days growth first will be slower till real spring but after seedlings catch up fast and soon will need thinning into new pots.
These are from a year ago and if transplanted 2nd time could be even larger now. Pot is 5 cm diam.
With shorter days growth first will be slower till real spring but after seedlings catch up fast and soon will need thinning into new pots.
- IMG_6413ech0.JPG (107.92 KiB) Viewed 1324 times
If your cacti mess in your job just forget about the job.
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8