Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

nafex - Re: [NAFEX] impatiens

nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Doreen Howard" <gardendiva@charter.net>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] impatiens
  • Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2005 13:42:07 -0600

Impatiens seeds are light sensitive, so sow them on top of the starting medium. Don't cover them, just press gently into the medium so seeds make contact. Cover seed pans with a lid or put them in a Ziplock plastic bag to trap humidity. Use a heating cable or mat for bottom heat between 70-85F.

As to light: I use a shop light fixture hung 2-4 inches above seed pans. Go to a Home Depot or Wal-mart and get two kinds of fluorescent tubes for the fixture. One cool light tube (blue pigments) and the other a red light spectrum tube. The red tubes are often labeled Aquarium or Plant Lights. The two different light spectrums provide as close to sunlight as you can get with artifical light.

Seeds should sprout in a few days. Then, remove the heat and covering. Keep lights always 2-3 inches above seedling tops. I hang my light fixtures on chains so I can lower or raise them. Feed seedlings with a dilute water-soluable fertilizer every 5 days--I use Maxi-Crop. Run an oscillating fan in the area for at least 8 hours daily so that a breeze hits the seedlings. This does two things. It prevents damping off and other fungal problems, and the motion stimulates a hormone in the seedlings that produces stocky stems.

After seedlings have two sets of true leaves, pot them up into cell packs or 3 inch pots to continue growing.

This technique also works well for starting petunia seeds and any other seed that needs light to germinate. Currently, I have red celery, black geraniums and Blue Fesuce ornamental grass seeds under lights in this situation.
Doreen Howard





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page