Love the trick with the reflective cardboard. I've not tried growing strawberries from seed... Iwillnotbuymoreseeds, Iwillnotbuymoreseeds, Iwillnotbuymoreseeds.
🤣😂You too? I said that, over and over.......and over....But, these BOOKS keep showing up! I have enough seeds to feed half the town....and I just got more seeds..BUT-THIS-IS-IT! .......I tell myself! 😂😂
Hee Hee. One year at the grocery store the "seed man" was pulling old stock and freshening the display rack. We chatted a bit. When I left and was loading my groceries into my car he turns up as his van was next to me. We laughed and I asked what happens with the old packets as most of the seeds are still viable for several years. He looked around and said pick out what you want but don't tell anyone. I wasn't greedy. Honest. One company donated them to the master gardeners program. I was a master food preserver and was in the shared office staffing the phone and got to share in those seeds.
Nice video again. I planted pepper and chilli early this year. I moved them to my kitchen window, which is north facing, to overwinter them. What has surprised me is that they have still been flowering, producing peppers and they're even ripening in that location. And I live in the Hebrides!
Did you remove the leaves on them? I saved my Sweet peppers on a South West facing window sill. I put them in clean soil and cut off all of the fruits, leaves and a majority of the length of the stems. But at this moment 2 of the 4 are looking very sad and I wonder if they'll make it back in my allotment next season.
I didn't do anything to them. I actually neglected the watering once and about 3-4 plants look like they've died but I still have around 2 dozen plants looking happy.@@Esther-kn4ru
You are a true gent Gaz. Thank you so much! Really appreciate that. I’ve been really enjoying your videos also. Some great stuff there. Here’s to a very productive 2024 let’s hope! :-)
I'll just admit it. I buy transplants for tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. I'm in California, we can have good growing weather in February. I buy from a good $$$ local nursery that only carries varieties that thrive here with plenty of heirlooms and unusual varieties. I have a tiny veg garden in my urban yard. And my partner gave me a very nice gift certificate for them. A real old fashioned paper gift certificate. Happy planting everyone.
...'gsnezsucsh up again'. The Pupper said Up!❤❤😂 So glad to meet Rosey later in the video. Love your work, thankyou for so many green tips! I've been out at Townsvilles Eco Fiesta, at Andersen Botanic Gardens.Great day for it, happy gardening, loved the Gingers episode.❤
SOW Excited. 😅 Eggplants are the one thing I’m allergic to and I wish I wasn’t. Eggplant parmigiana is so good. Thanks, Ben! So nice to hear your cheery voice this cold morning.
Hi Ben - I'm so excited that you have pretty much found plants to sow for every month through the winter!! I get so depressed when it's time to clear out the garden at the end of the season. There is nothing that puts a smile on my face more than pulling all my seed supplies out to start sowing and yelling to my husband, "it's planting season!!" LOL!! I rely on every one of your videos for my gardening adventures! A big thank you from New Jersey!! :)
Hi from Denmark. Seeds for aubergines can be started off as early as august the year before....I have been growing one plant as perennial, fruiting for four years. Happy new year and new season
Thank you so much for being such a positive and happy personality for the cold winter days. I was thrilled to see your video come up. ❤👏Happy New Year 😊
Sow? I'm still growing! A good crop of Chard harvested on Christmas morning to go with the turkey and lettuce still giving me salads. Very smug and very chuffed 😊
It’s always a delight to see your fabulous videos! 🤩 Seeing you growing peppers reminds me of when I lived in a bedsit & used to grow peppers, garlic & herbs on any available ledge & shelf. I’m so lucky to now have a little plot of land, where with your incredible guidance, I’m able to grow so much more which I’m able to share with others. Wishing you & loved ones a fantastic year ahead, with lots of love, laughs, great health & good fortune! The same wishes to all your wonderful subscribers around the world who share their advice & experience of what they grow✌️🌎❤️🌏🙏🌍 Thank you Ben 🥕🍆🌶🍓🧄✌️🙏
What a nice video! A bit distressed watching that nice colourful scarf being rubbed consistently on the table and getting dirty with potting mix 😂. I find these to be very good tips, especially the potting mix for chillies, and the trick of the white cardboard to reflect light and prevent plants from growing crooked. Have a nice end of the year!!
Howdy Ben and Rosie!👋 I love seeing what folks are growing for the next gardening year!😃 You dropped seeds for some yummy foods!😋 From time to time our fall temps extend into December; thus, we are still harvesting tomatoes and zucchini. Our winter weather will arrive next week.🥶 We usually sow potatoes on Valentine's Day...we have a pretty short winter most years. Ben, I wish y'all an amazing 2024! I'm looking forward to all the great new knowledge I will obtain from you in the New Year!👩🏾🌾💕
I've used heating mats for a few years now, never thought of adding the under padding to prevent heat loss, or using white to reflect the light back, genius! Keep them coming, always learn something new watching your updates!
My set is old but works well. Nowadays I'd recommend LED grow lights, which will use much less electricity. This article is a great summary of what to look for: www.growveg.co.uk/guides/3-shopping-tips-for-plant-grow-lights/
Always great advice! Since moving to my home in North Florida, I invested in a set of 2' x 3' shelving, and 3' LED 5000k lumen shop lights and heat mats for each shelf, and use either 162 cell or 338 cell Protek trays. Yes, the trays are expensive, but you could drive a car over them and not hurt them! I've had some of mine for about 7 years now, and they're like new. My seed starting station is set up in my unheated laundry room. I'm in US growing Zone 8, and we do get some mornings in the low 30's and occasionally upper 20's, but with heat mats and plastic covers, I have no trouble starting peppers, egg plant or celery. If you have a vertical space with an electrical outlet close by, you'd be amazed at how much you can start with this setup.
Another good video from Ben - one tip I would add is to thoroughly soak the potting mix BEFORE sowing carrot seeds, to reduce the chances of them being dislodged or washed away by watering.
Thank you Ben, you are our Garden Hero!! Thank you for sharing and showing and sowing. I think we can cover the seeds too much, it is better to be careful and just sprinkle some topping. Love how the strawberries thrived. Hope you are not too cold, all the very best for 2024 and for the family. Happy gardening and thank you showing us how. Kind regards.
Thank you so much for all of your support in watching the videos this year. Yes, the strawberry seedlings are off to a really flying start! Happy gardening :-)
Thanks for the great advice. You inspired me to go out this afternoon to prep pots & putter around the garden, while contemplating the 2024 garden season.
I'll be starting my onions and shallots in January. The rest I'll start February and March. I appreciate your growlight setup, it makes me smile seeing the ingenuity to keep it going: ).
Thank you for the top tip with the white cardboard. I'll also paint the inside of my wooden coldframes white to help with reflecting light- as I don't have a greenhouse.
Happy New Year Ben! I wish you happy gardening and bountiful harvests this coming year. I'm starting Basil and flowers on New Year's day, it's been so cold here my larger greenhouse isn't getting heated yet, but the one built-in to the horse barn has heat and I brought almost all my herbs indoors in October just before the 4 degreesF and snow. I need to feel the soil in my hands again! Thank you for your contagious enthusiasm and overflowing energy!
I live in NY, zone 6a (1st frost early Oct; last frost early May). In January, I'm starting artichokes (per Eliot Coleman suggestion), asparagus and onions--in addition to some of what Ben has going on. Very excited!
This year, I started my eggplant and peppers on March 5th and they did very well for the most part. I wonder how much higher yield I can achieve by starting in January as Ben is. Hmmm 🤔
@ofrecentvintage I'm in zone 7b and have tried different start dates over the past decade. I'm finding February as a good month to start nightshades using heat mats and seed trays with humidity covers. Once a majority of seedlings have started to sprout I'll turn off the heat mats (since they've done their job) and remove the covers. I'll raise the seedlings inside until the overnight temp is consistently above 50F (10C) before acclimating them to the outdoors. I do have the benefit of a greenhouse and tomatoes will usually stay in there until they're 2-3 feet (or even a meter!) high before planting. When I started in January I had to find space for ~1000 seedlings until temps were high enough to put out. Something to think about!
@@joemccall8991 Yes, space for seedlings upon seedlings is my main concern. I ran into this challenge this year because I wasn't able to transplant seedlings outside on schedule/as planned (my new mini greenhouse was stolen) & I had to care for far too many too large seedlings for too long. It became stressful! Before seeing this video, I'd resolved to try sowing a few select nightshade varieties on February 15th for a bit of a jumpstart. Maybe I'll stick with my original plan. Thank you for caring enough to chime in with your response/advice! 🌱
Perfect to drive the cold winter blues away!! I'm overwintering two Tabasco pepper plants and two mild Jalapeno plants inside plus various citrus plants. I'm chomping at the bit to start some seeds. I'm going to double my gardening efforts this summer. With the prices of food and the nasty stuff they are throwing in, we had best be growing and preserving more. I got some nice chickens even though I live inside city limits....Speckled Sussex, Lavender Orpingtons, Rhode Island Blues, and Buff Brahma. I try to keep them concealed to avoid being harassed. Sorry, Klaus & Kissinger....I'm not control material.😊😂🐔🐔🐔🐤🐓🐣.
@@lynnlamont3485 I hope to have a few indoor citrus plants soon! Just have to work out how to supply enough lighting for them to fruit. Any tips? And all of your chicken names/breeds sound very cool. Like fairy tale names almost!
😂 I kept thinking 🤔 your wife is going to be upset about you dragging your scarf through the dirt. I use coir too it’s a great additive 👍. Rosie got a haircut 😊. Hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas Ben and here’s to a very Happy New Year and grow season 2024, Ali 🥳🇨🇦
Ha ha, indeed! Yes, a really fab time had here for Christmas. Looking forward to the new growing season already. Not long now! :-) Happy New Year to you.
Wow, I wish I could sow peppers in January. Being up North I couldn't possibly risk planting out into a cold greenhouse until at least May. You're so lucky to be able to do things so early.
I can't grow too many peppers in January as they will be jostling for position under the grow lights. The plan is to grow them on under there till maybe late Feb/very early March, then move them outside to the greenhouse on milder days and back in at night. A bit of juggling!
Great timing Ben. I was half way thru' your video and couldn't wait to start. So N/Y eve I was out sowing chilli peppers and sweet peppers (I have heat mats and grow lights🙏) and today two big containers of carrots in the g/h. I'm very excited to start more sowing next month. Thank you for what you share and Happy New Year 🎉🌟💚
I never thought to start aubergines in Jan, but I'll give it a try as last year and this year my harvest wasn't as expected. Pepper and Chili are already going 🙂 Have a nice day.
Thanks for another useful and very timely prompt! Some more advice on specific growlights would be a great addition... 😁 Looking forward to a happy New Year's gardening for us all. 😎
Thank you for the advice on aubergines in particular. Years ago when I had more space I grew them without difficulty. Last year, thinking back to the warmth of 2022, I decided to try again. I can’t accommodate them in my tiny greenhouse and of course last summer was cold and wet in North Yorkshire. I managed one fruit, it was small but perfect and we relished every mouthful! I don’t have grow lights or the space to accommodate a set up like yours so will probably give aubergines a miss this time. A pity because they really are lovely fresh from the plant. Peppers and chillis struggled last year, first time I have ever had peppers fail to ripen, most went soft as the autumn advanced so ended up in the compost. On a positive note, the chillies are still ripening on a bedroom window ledge, the little red fruits look very Christmassy and am hoping that the same plants might produce again this coming summer. Thank you Ben, for so many amazing videos! I have been gardening from childhood so around 50 years but there is always something to learn and you have a knack of pointing us in the right direction time after time. Very best wishes for happy and productive gardening during the coming year 💐
I live in south Yorkshire, so similar weather. I tried growing aubergine's from seed a few years ago and got nowhere so have been, for the last few years, buying grafted ones which come as little plugs about April. I grow them on for a bit in my little greenhouse before planting them into the border. I usually get 3. Last year they didn't do so well because of the cold wet summer but in previous years I have had a good crop. Maybe for 2025 I will look to try and sow them again starting off much earlier as I do have both grow lights and a propagator as the grafted plants have now got quite expensive.
It was a challenging summer last year. I think we were all caught out by the hot summer of 2022 and maybe expected a re-run given the warm June. Anyway, here's to a fab growing season for 2024. happy gardening! :-)
There are varieties that grow small and do well in pots that you could grow indoors. I have some inside called Jewel Amethyst that I got from Botanical Interests. I started them on a heat mat, but you could pop them on top of your fridge and get them going that way.
Excellent video and channel. This will be my go-to feed for the rest of the year. After a missed summer caused by house renovations and living in a summer let, I have plenty of catching-up to do.
Ahh, it's that time again when I start rummaging through the seed box and wondering what to grow next season. I grow about 300+ tomato plants to sell each year so have to pace myself and not plant too early. I put my warm germinating seeds on top of my tropical fish tank though, it's always 24℃ in there, works a treat.
Hi Ben (and Rosie of course!) - I’ve never seen the temperature probe put in to the soil before. I’ve always just left it dangle in the air so to speak 😂 Great video! Thank you. Tracy.
Thanks Tracy. I popped it into the soil as that's what we're trying to regulate - the soil temperature where the seeds are. Hope you have a very productive start to the year. :-)
With my prior pair of cats, I was able to use heat mats and get seeds started early. My last frost date is in February so I'm glad I have a long growing season. I started getting back into gardening after a few years off (and thank you for being so inspirational!) and my current pair of cats thinks that my seedlings are their salad bar. So I need to find something different. this time.
Im using an aquarium light this year, full spectrum led with some great success. Theres plenty available and they are generally a lot cheaper than the ones marketed for growing.
This is the hard struggle for me , growing in a cold climate , where we have a short growing season . Our last frost date is June 7 . Our first frost date is early September, or anytime in between. How much longer do I add on to your sowing dates for my own indoor seed starting ? I’d love a video where you discuss sowing dates for cold , short season gardening !
I would suggest maybe waiting till late February to start the peppers, eggplant etc. That way they'll be good to go out when the frosts have passed. Your suggestion for a video is a great idea, thank you!
I'm also in a short garden climate. I might be getting too excited but I'm going to try a few seeds Late Jan to Feb to see how big I can get them for June.
I gave up, started ordering starts for peppers and such. Still get to order in January so it helps a bit Obviously if you're planting a lot it's probably not worth it. But 4 or 5 plants on preorder for me due at the end of May.
Morning Ben. This was truly a master class in seed growing. I always get very nervous about growing anything from seed. And a little impatient. Soaking seeds and germinating on a paper towel is a new concept to me. Ianot having much luck with coriander. So I will try germinating in a paper towel. Fingers crossed 🤞😃.
Ben is a delightful fellow. He looks like Elton John. Thanks for the information and demos, especially growing strawberries from seed. Wish I had built a small greenhouse when building costs were cheaper. Good job.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Ben I'm really looking forward to the coming season, my little garden has, with your guidance gone from strength to strength over the past year Thank you so much for your hard work
Wonderful. Just need some space in my tiny greenhouse or on my very crowded windowsills. I do have some carrot seedlings outside that I planted in November so looking forward to hose if they survive. Happy new year!
I live much farther north than you do so I have to wait until February or March before I can start sowing. In the meantime I have plenty of time to work on my garden while I'm planning my crops for the next year.
As always, thank you for your wonderful videos. We seem to be getting frosts and blizzards later every year, so it makes it difficult to know when we can safely put our plants out here. Even the rule of not starting an outdoor garden until Memorial Day isn't always guaranteed to to keep them safe. One day, we may set up a greenhouse, but until then, I'll just have to keep fingers crossed and fleece at the ready. Good luck with your garden, and hopefully we can both harvest our strawberries grown from seed this year.
Cheers mate! It feels like the new growing season is bearing down on us far too quickly! Hope you have an awesome start to 2024 also. It's going to be a great (and productive!) year I'm sure! :-)
Time has gotten away from me !!! I need to plant my tomato seeds and peppers. I use a grow light and my spare bedrokm.lol😄. But that's a great idea with the white boards. Last year I had great heirloom tomatoes I saved the seeds again for this years crop. Looking forward to my garden , anything warm weather, don't like winter ugh😑. Hope you and Rosie had a happy Christmas and your family has a blessed and happy New Year !!God is good
I've been breaking down crates and collecting lumber from construction sites for a couple months now. Today, i have some time away from the kiddos. Gotta build a couple hundred feet of trellis, a chicken coop, and a small frame for my hot house. Temps are near freezing, the wind is blowing, and the sun has barely poked its head over the horizon. Life is good
@@GrowVeg Hot house is done, bunch of old pre-fab windows make it quite quick. Onto the trellises. It's on a standard spacing, so that should go quickly as well. The chicken coop may take a bit of time lol
@@GrowVeg I hope you don't mind me asking, but does the sowing mix for the peppers have vermiculite in or is it perlite as it looked like white perlite to me. Thank you
I made a "growing" table to go in one of our bay windows (initially for my son, who was filling every available place with seed trays!). It has two tiers and under the top one I fixed a grow light panel for plants on the lower tier. The seedlings grown under the lights are much more robust than before. I also grew some raspberry canes from seed - it seems unlikely, but it worked well!
I always have problems trying to grow peppers, thanks for the info! Very cold and wintery here but I'm getting antsy. I may start my peppers now and my tomatoes in February.
I cover cardboard with foil or space blanket to reflect light back Even a space box to sit my small grow lights over while seedlings are small. Has to stretch as I pot on 🤨
The puppy peering in to see what's afoot! 😂 So precious. Happy gardening as always!
And to you! :-)
Love the trick with the reflective cardboard. I've not tried growing strawberries from seed... Iwillnotbuymoreseeds, Iwillnotbuymoreseeds, Iwillnotbuymoreseeds.
🤣😂You too? I said that, over and over.......and over....But, these BOOKS keep showing up! I have enough seeds to feed half the town....and I just got more seeds..BUT-THIS-IS-IT! .......I tell myself! 😂😂
Seeds are a very healthy, happy habit to have. You have my permission to buy more!!
Hee Hee. One year at the grocery store the "seed man" was pulling old stock and freshening the display rack. We chatted a bit. When I left and was loading my groceries into my car he turns up as his van was next to me. We laughed and I asked what happens with the old packets as most of the seeds are still viable for several years. He looked around and said pick out what you want but don't tell anyone. I wasn't greedy. Honest. One company donated them to the master gardeners program. I was a master food preserver and was in the shared office staffing the phone and got to share in those seeds.
@@renel7303The percentage of germination reduces as the years go by; but some seeds have still been viable for thousands of years, haven’t they?
Nice video again. I planted pepper and chilli early this year. I moved them to my kitchen window, which is north facing, to overwinter them. What has surprised me is that they have still been flowering, producing peppers and they're even ripening in that location. And I live in the Hebrides!
That is really quite remarkable! I'd have thought the poor light levels would see them struggle. Good on you for keeping them going like that! :-)
Maybe your kitchen lights are brighter than your lighting in the rest of the house?
Did you remove the leaves on them? I saved my Sweet peppers on a South West facing window sill. I put them in clean soil and cut off all of the fruits, leaves and a majority of the length of the stems. But at this moment 2 of the 4 are looking very sad and I wonder if they'll make it back in my allotment next season.
I actually hardly have the lights on. :)@@newcamomile
I didn't do anything to them. I actually neglected the watering once and about 3-4 plants look like they've died but I still have around 2 dozen plants looking happy.@@Esther-kn4ru
You’re the best Ben, videos get better & better
You are a true gent Gaz. Thank you so much! Really appreciate that. I’ve been really enjoying your videos also. Some great stuff there. Here’s to a very productive 2024 let’s hope! :-)
I never thought you’d get into growing food….
I'll just admit it. I buy transplants for tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. I'm in California, we can have good growing weather in February. I buy from a good $$$ local nursery that only carries varieties that thrive here with plenty of heirlooms and unusual varieties. I have a tiny veg garden in my urban yard. And my partner gave me a very nice gift certificate for them. A real old fashioned paper gift certificate. Happy planting everyone.
Makes total sense to buy them in that case. :-)
...'gsnezsucsh up again'. The Pupper said Up!❤❤😂 So glad to meet Rosey later in the video. Love your work, thankyou for so many green tips! I've been out at Townsvilles Eco Fiesta, at Andersen Botanic Gardens.Great day for it, happy gardening, loved the Gingers episode.❤
SOW Excited. 😅
Eggplants are the one thing I’m allergic to and I wish I wasn’t. Eggplant parmigiana is so good.
Thanks, Ben! So nice to hear your cheery voice this cold morning.
Great to join you this morning Joy. Happy gardening! :-)
Love the new month by month planting videos!
So pleased you're enjoying them. :-)
Hi Ben - I'm so excited that you have pretty much found plants to sow for every month through the winter!! I get so depressed when it's time to clear out the garden at the end of the season. There is nothing that puts a smile on my face more than pulling all my seed supplies out to start sowing and yelling to my husband, "it's planting season!!" LOL!! I rely on every one of your videos for my gardening adventures! A big thank you from New Jersey!! :)
Yes indeed - plenty to keep us excited and looking forward to spring! :-)
I’d call the white pumice material perlite, vermiculite is heated and therefore expanded mica, which is a golden color.
Yes indeed, it is perlite. I said the wrong thing - meant perlite.
Hi from Denmark. Seeds for aubergines can be started off as early as august the year before....I have been growing one plant as perennial, fruiting for four years. Happy new year and new season
That's fantastic - what a result! :-)
Now. I'm getting all excited to start up again. Thx for the tips!!
Thank you so much for being such a positive and happy personality for the cold winter days. I was thrilled to see your video come up. ❤👏Happy New Year 😊
That's such a lovely thing to say, thank you! And a very happy New Year to you also. :-)
Sow?
I'm still growing! A good crop of Chard harvested on Christmas morning to go with the turkey and lettuce still giving me salads. Very smug and very chuffed 😊
And so you should be - that's awesome! :-)
It’s always a delight to see your fabulous videos! 🤩
Seeing you growing peppers reminds me of when I lived in a bedsit & used to grow peppers, garlic & herbs on any available ledge & shelf. I’m so lucky to now have a little plot of land, where with your incredible guidance, I’m able to grow so much more which I’m able to share with others.
Wishing you & loved ones a fantastic year ahead, with lots of love, laughs, great health & good fortune!
The same wishes to all your wonderful subscribers around the world who share their advice & experience of what they grow✌️🌎❤️🌏🙏🌍
Thank you Ben 🥕🍆🌶🍓🧄✌️🙏
What lovely words. I wish you a very successful start to the New Year. And happy gardening! :-)
What a nice video! A bit distressed watching that nice colourful scarf being rubbed consistently on the table and getting dirty with potting mix 😂. I find these to be very good tips, especially the potting mix for chillies, and the trick of the white cardboard to reflect light and prevent plants from growing crooked. Have a nice end of the year!!
Thanks so much for watching. I've vowed to take better care of my scarf in 2024! Happy New Year. :-)
Howdy Ben and Rosie!👋
I love seeing what folks are growing for the next gardening year!😃
You dropped seeds for some yummy foods!😋
From time to time our fall temps extend into December; thus, we are still harvesting tomatoes and zucchini. Our winter weather will arrive next week.🥶
We usually sow potatoes on Valentine's Day...we have a pretty short winter most years.
Ben, I wish y'all an amazing 2024!
I'm looking forward to all the great new knowledge I will obtain from you in the New Year!👩🏾🌾💕
Oh wow - tomatoes and zucchini in December - that's quite something! Thanks for watching and have a superb start to 2024! :-)
Getting us all fired up again Ben . Great tips & ideas to start the year 💡 🙏🏻
Fab stuff - thanks for watching! :-)
Thank you for the month by month breakdown - really helpful!
I've used heating mats for a few years now, never thought of adding the under padding to prevent heat loss, or using white to reflect the light back, genius! Keep them coming, always learn something new watching your updates!
Thanks for your kind words - glad there were a few new tips in the video for you. The white card makes such a difference!
Can you talk more about grow lights and examples/links to ones you recommend for small gardeners?
My set is old but works well. Nowadays I'd recommend LED grow lights, which will use much less electricity. This article is a great summary of what to look for: www.growveg.co.uk/guides/3-shopping-tips-for-plant-grow-lights/
I love watching your videos! You have helped me so much in my garden. You are greatly appreciated! Love from Roseburg, Oregon.
That is so lovely to hear. Thank you so much for your support in watching the videos. Happy gardening! 😀
Great idea with the cardboard reflector; I’m hoping it will keep some of my new seedlings a bit straighter!
Always great advice! Since moving to my home in North Florida, I invested in a set of 2' x 3' shelving, and 3' LED 5000k lumen shop lights and heat mats for each shelf, and use either 162 cell or 338 cell Protek trays. Yes, the trays are expensive, but you could drive a car over them and not hurt them! I've had some of mine for about 7 years now, and they're like new. My seed starting station is set up in my unheated laundry room. I'm in US growing Zone 8, and we do get some mornings in the low 30's and occasionally upper 20's, but with heat mats and plastic covers, I have no trouble starting peppers, egg plant or celery. If you have a vertical space with an electrical outlet close by, you'd be amazed at how much you can start with this setup.
Sounds like you've got a superb setup. :-)
@carolavant3778 This was the exact advice I was looking for thank you!
Another good video from Ben - one tip I would add is to thoroughly soak the potting mix BEFORE sowing carrot seeds, to reduce the chances of them being dislodged or washed away by watering.
Yes, that's a great idea. :-)
Thank you Ben, you are our Garden Hero!! Thank you for sharing and showing and sowing. I think we can cover the seeds too much, it is better to be careful and just sprinkle some topping. Love how the strawberries thrived. Hope you are not too cold, all the very best for 2024 and for the family. Happy gardening and thank you showing us how. Kind regards.
Thank you so much for all of your support in watching the videos this year. Yes, the strawberry seedlings are off to a really flying start! Happy gardening :-)
Thanks for the great advice. You inspired me to go out this afternoon to prep pots & putter around the garden, while contemplating the 2024 garden season.
Awesome stuff! :-)
I'll be starting my onions and shallots in January. The rest I'll start February and March. I appreciate your growlight setup, it makes me smile seeing the ingenuity to keep it going: ).
Great to have started off the onions and shallots - a good head start there. :-)
I very much enjoy your videos, simple and to the point. Thank you.
Thanks so much for watching! :-)
Thank you Thank you Thank you so much growveg I followed your video by sowing chilli seeds and they have almost sprouted Thanks to you !
That’s really a joy to hear. :-)
Thank you for the top tip with the white cardboard.
I'll also paint the inside of my wooden coldframes white to help with reflecting light- as I don't have a greenhouse.
That's a great idea. :-)
Great information, Ben! Thank you for warming things up for us!
Thanks for watching. It's great to be thinking ahead to the growing season. :-)
Happy New Year Ben! I wish you happy gardening and bountiful harvests this coming year. I'm starting Basil and flowers on New Year's day, it's been so cold here my larger greenhouse isn't getting heated yet, but the one built-in to the horse barn has heat and I brought almost all my herbs indoors in October just before the 4 degreesF and snow. I need to feel the soil in my hands again! Thank you for your contagious enthusiasm and overflowing energy!
I know what you mean about feeling the soil in your hands - it's so good for us! Happy New Year to you too! :-)
Brilliant video, thank you. We try something new each year in the garden and after watching this we are going to try peppers. Thank you x
That's fab to hear. Hope they grow well for you. :-)
Thanks
I live in NY, zone 6a (1st frost early Oct; last frost early May). In January, I'm starting artichokes (per Eliot Coleman suggestion), asparagus and onions--in addition to some of what Ben has going on. Very excited!
This year, I started my eggplant and peppers on March 5th and they did very well for the most part. I wonder how much higher yield I can achieve by starting in January as Ben is. Hmmm 🤔
@ofrecentvintage I'm in zone 7b and have tried different start dates over the past decade. I'm finding February as a good month to start nightshades using heat mats and seed trays with humidity covers. Once a majority of seedlings have started to sprout I'll turn off the heat mats (since they've done their job) and remove the covers. I'll raise the seedlings inside until the overnight temp is consistently above 50F (10C) before acclimating them to the outdoors. I do have the benefit of a greenhouse and tomatoes will usually stay in there until they're 2-3 feet (or even a meter!) high before planting.
When I started in January I had to find space for ~1000 seedlings until temps were high enough to put out. Something to think about!
@@joemccall8991 Yes, space for seedlings upon seedlings is my main concern. I ran into this challenge this year because I wasn't able to transplant seedlings outside on schedule/as planned (my new mini greenhouse was stolen) & I had to care for far too many too large seedlings for too long. It became stressful! Before seeing this video, I'd resolved to try sowing a few select nightshade varieties on February 15th for a bit of a jumpstart. Maybe I'll stick with my original plan. Thank you for caring enough to chime in with your response/advice! 🌱
Perfect to drive the cold winter blues away!! I'm overwintering two Tabasco pepper plants and two mild Jalapeno plants inside plus various citrus plants. I'm chomping at the bit to start some seeds. I'm going to double my gardening efforts this summer. With the prices of food and the nasty stuff they are throwing in, we had best be growing and preserving more. I got some nice chickens even though I live inside city limits....Speckled Sussex, Lavender Orpingtons, Rhode Island Blues, and Buff Brahma. I try to keep them concealed to avoid being harassed. Sorry, Klaus & Kissinger....I'm not control material.😊😂🐔🐔🐔🐤🐓🐣.
@@lynnlamont3485 I hope to have a few indoor citrus plants soon! Just have to work out how to supply enough lighting for them to fruit. Any tips? And all of your chicken names/breeds sound very cool. Like fairy tale names almost!
😂 I kept thinking 🤔 your wife is going to be upset about you dragging your scarf through the dirt.
I use coir too it’s a great additive 👍. Rosie got a haircut 😊. Hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas Ben and here’s to a very Happy New Year and grow season 2024, Ali 🥳🇨🇦
😂
Ha ha, indeed! Yes, a really fab time had here for Christmas. Looking forward to the new growing season already. Not long now! :-) Happy New Year to you.
Hi Ben lovely to see Rosie, hope you all had a wonderful Christmas xx
We did thanks Lucy. Hope you did too. :-)
Thank you for sharing the good stuff
Yes!
Wow, I wish I could sow peppers in January.
Being up North I couldn't possibly risk planting out into a cold greenhouse until at least May.
You're so lucky to be able to do things so early.
I can't grow too many peppers in January as they will be jostling for position under the grow lights. The plan is to grow them on under there till maybe late Feb/very early March, then move them outside to the greenhouse on milder days and back in at night. A bit of juggling!
What a fantastic Video. Full of enthusiasm and passion and of course facts. I love watching your videos.
Thanks so much! :-)
Great timing Ben. I was half way thru' your video and couldn't wait to start. So N/Y eve I was out sowing chilli peppers and sweet peppers (I have heat mats and grow lights🙏) and today two big containers of carrots in the g/h. I'm very excited to start more sowing next month. Thank you for what you share and Happy New Year 🎉🌟💚
That's wonderful - what a fab way to start the year! :-)
That little dog! 🤩
Happy New Year ! Thank you
And to you! :-)
This vid was perfect timing good sir! I’m jazzed for early spring already in zone 6-b southern Indiana- thanks for this effort Ben!!
Fab stuff! Spring isn't (too!) far off now! :-)
@@GrowVeg right!!
Thank you for this video.
I never thought to start aubergines in Jan, but I'll give it a try as last year and this year my harvest wasn't as expected. Pepper and Chili are already going 🙂
Have a nice day.
Great stuff - do try sowing now. :-)
Thanks for another useful and very timely prompt! Some more advice on specific growlights would be a great addition... 😁 Looking forward to a happy New Year's gardening for us all. 😎
Thanks for watching Anthony. Here's some really good advice on grow lights: www.growveg.co.uk/guides/3-shopping-tips-for-plant-grow-lights/
Ive been wanting to add white reflectors to my greenhouse to surround with more light, fun to see my idea is proven there.
Hi Ben, another great video with lots of helpful information on sewing seeds. Thanks for sharing and take care 😊
Thanks so much. Happy New Year! :-)
Loads of useful tips. I’m definitely going to get some of these going. Thanks
Great stuff! :-)
Thank you for the advice on aubergines in particular. Years ago when I had more space I grew them without difficulty. Last year, thinking back to the warmth of 2022, I decided to try again. I can’t accommodate them in my tiny greenhouse and of course last summer was cold and wet in North Yorkshire. I managed one fruit, it was small but perfect and we relished every mouthful!
I don’t have grow lights or the space to accommodate a set up like yours so will probably give aubergines a miss this time. A pity because they really are lovely fresh from the plant.
Peppers and chillis struggled last year, first time I have ever had peppers fail to ripen, most went soft as the autumn advanced so ended up in the compost. On a positive note, the chillies are still ripening on a bedroom window ledge, the little red fruits look very Christmassy and am hoping that the same plants might produce again this coming summer.
Thank you Ben, for so many amazing videos! I have been gardening from childhood so around 50 years but there is always something to learn and you have a knack of pointing us in the right direction time after time.
Very best wishes for happy and productive gardening during the coming year 💐
I live in south Yorkshire, so similar weather. I tried growing aubergine's from seed a few years ago and got nowhere so have been, for the last few years, buying grafted ones which come as little plugs about April. I grow them on for a bit in my little greenhouse before planting them into the border. I usually get 3. Last year they didn't do so well because of the cold wet summer but in previous years I have had a good crop. Maybe for 2025 I will look to try and sow them again starting off much earlier as I do have both grow lights and a propagator as the grafted plants have now got quite expensive.
It was a challenging summer last year. I think we were all caught out by the hot summer of 2022 and maybe expected a re-run given the warm June. Anyway, here's to a fab growing season for 2024. happy gardening! :-)
There are varieties that grow small and do well in pots that you could grow indoors. I have some inside called Jewel Amethyst that I got from Botanical Interests. I started them on a heat mat, but you could pop them on top of your fridge and get them going that way.
Excellent video and channel. This will be my go-to feed for the rest of the year.
After a missed summer caused by house renovations and living in a summer let, I have plenty of catching-up to do.
Thanks so much. A very warm welcome to the channel! :-)
good tips!
I was so glad to see your video always cheers me up thanks Ben and sweet little rosie ❤xx
That is so lovely to hear. Happy New Year to you! 😀
great tips
Really impressed with your videos - imformative and really inspiring - many thanks Ben!
👌
Thanks so much for those kind words. :-)
Thank you, very helpful. I got a Vivosun heat mat a couple years back and it's been great, the top of the fridge for warmth is a great idea.
Yes, really enjoying my (new) heat mat.
Ahh, it's that time again when I start rummaging through the seed box and wondering what to grow next season. I grow about 300+ tomato plants to sell each year so have to pace myself and not plant too early. I put my warm germinating seeds on top of my tropical fish tank though, it's always 24℃ in there, works a treat.
What an ingenious way to use up what would’ve been wasted heat. Love it!
Love your videos- so educational and fun! ❤
Now you got me excited to plant something lol
Great stuff! :-)
Thank you for the video video. I need some inspiration to get started and you provided it.
So pleased this video's inspired. Happy gardening! :-)
As always love it :)
Hi Ben (and Rosie of course!) - I’ve never seen the temperature probe put in to the soil before. I’ve always just left it dangle in the air so to speak 😂 Great video! Thank you. Tracy.
Thanks Tracy. I popped it into the soil as that's what we're trying to regulate - the soil temperature where the seeds are. Hope you have a very productive start to the year. :-)
With my prior pair of cats, I was able to use heat mats and get seeds started early. My last frost date is in February so I'm glad I have a long growing season. I started getting back into gardening after a few years off (and thank you for being so inspirational!) and my current pair of cats thinks that my seedlings are their salad bar. So I need to find something different. this time.
Oh no - that's a nuisance! Hope you can find somewhere out of their reach.
Great info.
Im using an aquarium light this year, full spectrum led with some great success. Theres plenty available and they are generally a lot cheaper than the ones marketed for growing.
Great idea. :-)
Brilliant tips again cheers 😊
motivating..its summer in Sydney,Australia now, but your videos alway inspire me2 get out into my garden.
That's lovely to hear. Hope you're getting a not-too-hot summer so far.
🎉 thanks
This is the hard struggle for me , growing in a cold climate , where we have a short growing season . Our last frost date is June 7 . Our first frost date is early September, or anytime in between. How much longer do I add on to your sowing dates for my own indoor seed starting ? I’d love a video where you discuss sowing dates for cold , short season gardening !
I would suggest maybe waiting till late February to start the peppers, eggplant etc. That way they'll be good to go out when the frosts have passed. Your suggestion for a video is a great idea, thank you!
I'm also in a short garden climate. I might be getting too excited but I'm going to try a few seeds Late Jan to Feb to see how big I can get them for June.
I gave up, started ordering starts for peppers and such. Still get to order in January so it helps a bit
Obviously if you're planting a lot it's probably not worth it. But 4 or 5 plants on preorder for me due at the end of May.
Happy New Year
And to you! :-)
Morning Ben. This was truly a master class in seed growing. I always get very nervous about growing anything from seed. And a little impatient. Soaking seeds and germinating on a paper towel is a new concept to me. Ianot having much luck with coriander. So I will try germinating in a paper towel. Fingers crossed 🤞😃.
Hope you get some good germination from your coriander this time round. :-)
Ben is a delightful fellow. He looks like Elton John. Thanks for the information and demos, especially growing strawberries from seed. Wish I had built a small greenhouse when building costs were cheaper. Good job.
Cheers for watching! :-)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Ben I'm really looking forward to the coming season, my little garden has, with your guidance gone from strength to strength over the past year
Thank you so much for your hard work
That's so lovely to hear, thank you. A very happy New Year to you also - happy gardening! :-)
Yes, I have a couple of heat mats for my peppers and eggplants as well
They’re really handy aren’t they! :-)
@@GrowVeg indeed,especially like, I love to grow my tropical plants
Thank you 🇺🇸
Thanks for watching Donna. :-)
Wonderful. Just need some space in my tiny greenhouse or on my very crowded windowsills.
I do have some carrot seedlings outside that I planted in November so looking forward to hose if they survive.
Happy new year!
And to you! :-)
This my 1st time here. It's nice to meet you. I ❤gardening!!
Lovely to meet you too! Thanks so much for visiting the channel and I hope you'll become a regular viewer. Happy gardening! :-)
I live much farther north than you do so I have to wait until February or March before I can start sowing. In the meantime I have plenty of time to work on my garden while I'm planning my crops for the next year.
Great to have stuff to be cracking on with in the meantime. :-)
I'd love to live in such a nice climate
I grew strawberry s from seed last year and they did very well.
That's great to hear. Mine have already germinated and are doing well.
Good stuff, man!
As always, thank you for your wonderful videos. We seem to be getting frosts and blizzards later every year, so it makes it difficult to know when we can safely put our plants out here. Even the rule of not starting an outdoor garden until Memorial Day isn't always guaranteed to to keep them safe. One day, we may set up a greenhouse, but until then, I'll just have to keep fingers crossed and fleece at the ready. Good luck with your garden, and hopefully we can both harvest our strawberries grown from seed this year.
Hope you manage to get a good crop from your strawberries also. Very satisfying to grow them from seed. :-)
Great video Ben. And so it begins again mate. Happy New Year to you and your family. Hope you have a great 2024
Cheers mate! It feels like the new growing season is bearing down on us far too quickly! Hope you have an awesome start to 2024 also. It's going to be a great (and productive!) year I'm sure! :-)
Time has gotten away from me !!! I need to plant my tomato seeds and peppers. I use a grow light and my spare bedrokm.lol😄. But that's a great idea with the white boards. Last year I had great heirloom tomatoes I saved the seeds again for this years crop.
Looking forward to my garden , anything warm weather, don't like winter ugh😑. Hope you and Rosie had a happy Christmas and your family has a blessed and happy New Year !!God is good
Thank you so much for your kind wishes - and to you and yours. Spring isn't too far off now (he says optimistically!).
I've been breaking down crates and collecting lumber from construction sites for a couple months now. Today, i have some time away from the kiddos.
Gotta build a couple hundred feet of trellis, a chicken coop, and a small frame for my hot house.
Temps are near freezing, the wind is blowing, and the sun has barely poked its head over the horizon.
Life is good
Wow - that's a big jobs list. Hope you manage to crack on through it. Enjoy!
@@GrowVeg Hot house is done, bunch of old pre-fab windows make it quite quick.
Onto the trellises. It's on a standard spacing, so that should go quickly as well.
The chicken coop may take a bit of time lol
great video. I am so excited about the new growing season. Thanks\ Ben. happy new year 😃
Lots to look forward to. Happy New Year to you also! :-)
@@GrowVeg I hope you don't mind me asking, but does the sowing mix for the peppers have vermiculite in or is it perlite as it looked like white perlite to me. Thank you
I made a "growing" table to go in one of our bay windows (initially for my son, who was filling every available place with seed trays!). It has two tiers and under the top one I fixed a grow light panel for plants on the lower tier. The seedlings grown under the lights are much more robust than before. I also grew some raspberry canes from seed - it seems unlikely, but it worked well!
Wow - raspberries from seed is very impressive!
Truth is, it was surprisingly easy!@@GrowVeg
I’m your big fan.Thanks for your lovely informative sharing ❤
Thank you so much for watching and your support. Really appreciated. :-)
Miracle grow nutrients every 2 to 3 days is good during hot days in cold maybe every 4 to 6 days
Great reuse of the placemats at the end of the growlight contraption!😂 I have the same ones somewhere unused in a drawer.
Very useful for propping up the lights!
Thanks for sharing ♥️
Thank you for watching! :-)
I always have problems trying to grow peppers, thanks for the info! Very cold and wintery here but I'm getting antsy. I may start my peppers now and my tomatoes in February.
That's not a bad move. If you have grow lights, it's definitely worth starting peppers a bit earlier if you can.
Nice video
great job
Thank you. :-)
Interesting use of place mats!
Haha - indeed!
Love your videos
Thank you so much. :-)
HAPPY NEW YEAR 🎉🥂✨️
And to you! 😀
I cover cardboard with foil or space blanket to reflect light back Even a space box to sit my small grow lights over while seedlings are small. Has to stretch as I pot on 🤨
That looks like perlite, thanks for the video
It is perlite. Sorry, I got mixed up - I meant to say perlite. :-)