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Re: Seed cards

Posted: May 25th, 2010, 10:41 pm
by Mitchell
" All plants have small open pores in their leaves through which gases such as oxygen, and CO2 pass. Water vapor is also emitted through these pores as plants do not use all of the water that they soak up. The accumulation of water vapor is called humidity and relative humidity is the term that describes the quantity of water vapor present in the air. Air temperature affects the amount of water vapor in the air and it is this relationship between air temperature and the quantity of water vapor present that gives us the term relative; for example: the quantity of vapor present is relative to the current air temperature! It is possible to measure the humidity of air with an instrument called a hygrometer.

It is important to know what the humidity is in a greenhouse as most plants grow best between a certain range of relative humidity. The best range or humidity for green house plants is between 45 and 60 percent. Knowing your relative humidity also enables you to control your greenhouse growing environment as humidity that is too high (above 80%) encourages the growth of mould both on plants and within your greenhouse. Plant moulds will destroy plants and will cause rot to occur in any wooden structures within your sunspace (which can be very detrimental if you have a wood frame greenhouse or sunroom or if you have wood shelving or a wood green house bench). Moulds are also usually a great concern as they cause disease.

It is more common for greenhouses to have a problem with high humidity rather than low humidity. If you have a high humidity problem in your green house some remedies are: to increase circulation by installing a fan, water earlier in the day to help prevent evening humidity problems (as moulds grow at night time), water only when the plants need it, buy an air-to-air heat exchanger which exchanges warm moist air with cool and dry air, or put in a ventilation system by which moist air can escape(your vents). If the humidity in your greenhouse or sunroom is too low it is much easier to fix than a high humidity problem. The easiest and best solution is to water more often."

Re: Seed cards

Posted: May 25th, 2010, 10:54 pm
by kcpoole
Rhiannon wrote:I was in the city today and signed a petition for the Australian Conservation Foundation. In exchange, he gave me a seed card. The seeds are from the lemon-scented bottlebrush (Callistemon Citrinus). My first thought was "Yay, bonsai!", which is probably a bad thing as the point is to plant it in your garden. Oops. (In my defence, I'm renting and will be moving in the near future, so in a pot I can keep it)

I've never seen these before, but thought they were a charming idea. But that led me to wonder if seed cards affect the viability of the seeds at all?

I'm yet to do anything with it. I bought some seed raising mix this arvo as I have been meaning to sow a few different seeds I've collected (mostly gums), so I'll do it when it stops raining, perhaps tomorrow.

But has anyone used these before? I searched the forum and got no search results. If so, was the germination rate significantly different to using either collected or otherwise bought seed?
I have had a pack in my Bonsai tool box for ages n found them tonight Same variety, but mine are from 'Newcastle Permanent Building Society".
I have no idea where I got them. but will have to put them in soon and see what I get :-)

Ken

Re: Seed cards

Posted: May 25th, 2010, 11:02 pm
by Rhiannon
Good old stomata. Takes me back to biology class haha.

Thanks for that, too.


Ken, I'd be interested to hear how yours go. I daresay you'll have more success that me lol.