Be a strict parent with your seed trays. No lounging about in a nice warm propagator allowed. As soon as you see the first signs of germination, get medieval and boot the spindly whizzers out into the light and cool.Being nice to them only makes them spoilt. And when they're spoilt, they just flop over, go limp and generally act pathetic. Damping off - pah! Where's your stiff upper leaf? A life spent in the bracing environment beyond the propagator is character building and helps to stiffen the stem.
Maybe we can't boot babies into the great outdoors just yet, but my snapdragons have bucked up no end since they were forced to leave home and set up camp in the unheated greenhouse. More natural light, better ventilation and tough love are good for them.
Dahlias are having their first dose of outside conditions today. They'll be allowed to sleep in the greenhouse but its time their leaves started to stop being so green and sappy. Come on, show some spine and build your defences against slugs you 'orrible little plants.
Mind you, I still relent at night and tuck them up under a blanket of horticultural fleece so they don't catch fright and a cold. I'm a softie at heart. Except for with slugs: I'm off to go and stomp on them.
