[carma]

Can someone please explain this to me... I have always grown seeds either in a lean to conservatory or a window ledge. All of my seedlings seem to leap from the word go, no matter how much I turn them. I dont think I have successfully grown any seeds on the window ledges. Its very frustrating

[Greengage]

I think your problem might be not enough light.
When seeds germinate they grow towards the light that is available hence they lean if you are growing them on a windowsill. The danger is that the seedlings will become leggy and are therefore prone to damping off disease therefore they will die.Seeds are programmed to germinate outside when the soil temperature warms up, this corresponds to strong sunlight usually in springtime. When you start seedlings indoors, the temperatures are warm enough to fool the seeds into germinating, but the thin early spring light is nowhere near strong enough to sustain them. One of the problems is that seed started indoors is that the temperatures are warm enough to fool the seeds into germinating, but the thin early spring light is nowhere near strong enough to sustain them. With a number of Grow shops now available it may be a good investment to buy a specialized plant light. with a warm white bulb which provides red frequencies, and a cool white bulb which provides blue frequencies, your seedlings need both to grow well. The bulbs should be a couple of inches above the seedlings when they germinate, Good Luck.

[carma]

Thanks Greengage. I never seem to be able to wait till March April. I think I might buy the plants this year and put the time I waste setting seeds too early, to better use.
I seem to have lost half of my original post. I was wondering about dark room propogation, is anyone growing that way now is it complicated expensive and worth while on a small scale?

[Greengage]

Darkroom propogation can be done on a small scale a friend of mine grows bedding palnts this way there are a number of sites on utube showing how to do it. Can be fun to try.