6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
You did not harm the seeds you may have helped them. That seed coating has to come off before they can germinate. They are only pelletized fir ease of planting. The coating has to be kept moist to dissolve so mist them daily. That should answer number 1
2) yes if it says just press into the soil that means that variety needs light to germinate
3) I don't know I usually start mine in a communal flat and transplant. The Geraniums, Petunias, Dahlias and Nicotania will have to be separated or some pinched out--I vote fir separation. The lobelia is fine with 3 seeds in a cell. I've never grown Angelonia so I don't know about them. You will have late Geraniums. I started mine in February as I do every year and they only have buds when I set them out in the first part of June
4) The mat sounds good but I'd lower the lights to an inch.
5) My lights are set for 15 hours but I don't think another hour would matter much.
6) I think I've already answered this
I hope you have great success
Then you need to add that to your posts. If you fill out your member profile page it is automatic. Otherwise you have to add it each time you post in the box provided for it.
In 5b it will be a month or more before that plant can go out to the garden so by then it will be quite big and may not survive transplanting. But you can always direct seed them at the proper planting time.
Dave
It is too cold in zones 5-7. The controlling factor is the nighttime temperature. It needs to be at least 45 degress; 55 degrees is better. If you decide to set them out anyway, use a pot, can, or other cover to protect them during the nights and any cold days. May 15 or later is better for your zone.
Sintro:
I have grown a lot of plants from seed in the past. I recall
parsley being very slow to germinate. I remember soaking the seeds in a container of water overnite before planting them. Be patient, they should come up.
I am not sure why one would nick the seedcoat on summer squash? Typically seeds with a very hard seedcoat need to be soaked in water, seed coat nicked
by file or sandpaper or treated in a weak acid bath before sowing to hasten the ability of water to penetrate the hard seed coat. I do not put summer squash seeds
in this catagory.
I find just the opposite when planting squash/pumpkin seeds. They are very prone to rotting when too wet so
I try to keep them a bit on the dryer side when trying to
germinate them. I would not soak them in water before
planting.
You ask about fertilizer. It might be the lighting in your photo, but the plants on the right side of the photo seem
very light green. I would think this to be a nitrogen issue.
Once they root in a bit, fertilize with a liquid fertilizer to green them up.
Thanks for the helpful info and link Art33. I'll have to go read that...
Also, the plants on the right(lettuce) are pretty pale green, good to know that it's a nitrogen issue! They are just starting to develop mini true leaves(.5 cm wide). I'll make sure to fertilize diluted once those unfurl.
I was just reading about "double dormancy" that some seeds can fall into. To wake them up they might need a soaking. Try 4-5 of each overnight. Regularly I just soak 3 hours for new seeds I buy in fold packages.
I like the paper towel method Suzi mentioned to wake up seeds in a deep sleep.
My method might be different than most people, but I put them in a damp paper towel folded over and place in a plastic sandwich container on top of the frig for 2-3 days. They may not have germinated but it helps break the dormancy.
Some folks use coffee filters also. Guess there are many ways to do most things in the garden.
Sounds like the disease called damp-off from the information provided.
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: FAQ - Damp-Off
You have several things working against you and the first one is the BioDome cells, the sponges. The primary reason why many recommend replacing them with a good potting mix instead.
Then there was apparently far too long on the heat pad. They come off the heat at the first signs of germination.
Then, because those cells stay so wet you are over-watering. Thus the yellow leaves.
Plus they are difficult to transplant. You can probably save some of these by transplanting them into a good quality soil-less potting mix. Unfortunately that means you have to plant them sponge plug and all so watering will still need to be monitored carefully. Once placed in potting mix those sponge plugs seem to go from sopping wet to bone dry and back to sopping wet. There seems to be no way to keep the soil moisture consistent.
Dave
I am very grateful for your timely replies and your experienced insights. I will transplant immediately. I have only fertilized once with a dilute PHC Plant Health Care for Seedlings and Houseplants from Gardeners Supply.
Luckily I have another batch of petunias and salvias that were started two weeks before these and are doing well.
Beth
I found my bottom flat tray at a local nursery. They also sold the individual six or four packs. I save them from year to year. When ever I buy a six pack of flowers (which I always wind up buying a few), I am very careful when removing the plants so I can re-use them. I just soak them all in bleach water in the beginning of the growing season to kill any germs. The other place you may want to try is fish markets. The one my mother used to work at years ago received their fish in these clear shallow plastic containers that had lids. They would also be great for winter sowing.
Other than the hundreds (yup) of pots I recycle, and be basic Burbee trays I've saved, I ordered 200 4" round pots and 10x 144 cell plug trays from Harrisseeds.com. I also ordered 1 pt of organic fertilizer to experiment with, and a 4way meter just for haha's.
I used to start my cukes early but I've stopped doing that. One year my husband planted the early start ones in their own trench. in another trench beside them he planted seeds. In 3 weeks the seed started ones had caught up to the early started ones. They both flowered and set fruit at the same time.
When I thought about it it made sense to me. When you transplant it takes a plant a week or 2 for the plant to settle in get used to the light and soil and start growing. The seeds germinate and just keep on growing. Now we just plant the seeds and it gives me more room under the lights and in the greenhouse not to mention the cost of seed starting mix. So don't despair if you don't have success with your plants. You can always plant seeds
As for your cukes I would say the temperature is too cool. Tomatoes while liking a warmer temperature will tolerate a cooler temperature. Cucumbers however like warm soil. If you have a heating mat put it under them or try to raise the temperature somehow.
Cukes (as well as other members of the family) are normally direct seeded and as mentioned don't always tolerate transplanting well. Plus they are very soil temp sensitive, fast growing, require frequent transplanting to larger containers because of their fast growth, and are easily stressed and stunted, yet more reasons for direct seeding.
Not everything responds well to indoor germination and some vegetable varieties won't tolerate it at all so it pays to know what varieties should be direct seeded for best results.
Dave
Two stages to growing seedlings - germination and then growing on. Under some conditions different mixes are used for the 2 stages. So when you title your post with "starting seedlings" it isn't clear which stage you are talking about.
You mention "a seed starting soil". Which brand? Seed starting soil is what many use with no problems so your problems may not be the stuff you used at all. The peat pots or any of several other issues may be the cause.
Orchid mix is a good growing mix but the bark fines it contains can be problematic for germination and it can be expensive.
ProMix is the most frequently recommended germination and growing mix. I use it too. But it can be difficult to find in some locations. The next best IMO is Metro Mix 360. Not that I am recommending it but many use nothing more than green bag Miracle Grow for both germination and growing on.
Dave
Ok, that all makes sense, thanks! I will redo them tonight and bury the stem down further in the cup. This is my first time doing seedlings indoors and the books I read didn't really elaborate too much on the seed-starting process....I will have to pick up a book on this for future reference.
I forgot to mention that the compost I used is the G&B mix that we already mixed with our outside topsoil.....we did the raised beds in the fall, sheet mulching with grass clippings and leaves, then compost/top soil mix on top then covered with plastic to break down over the winter. I went outside and scooped up a bunch to mix in with the seed starter when I transplanted to give the seedlings a little "taste" I guess of the soil from the raised beds. We have really rocky soil here in NV and the garden center folks recommended the G&B soil amendment. Hopefully we did everything right!!
Thanks so much for your help! I will definitely take your advice and fix our seedlings up a little better :)
-Sarah
If you are looking for info on how to grow from seed then check out all the FAQs here. They cover all the basics. Just click on the blue FAQ button right by the forum instructions near the top on the forum front page.
Dave
I'd wait, they're way too small.
I would transplant into plastic containers around 3 inch diameter. As long as you can handle seedlings, in my opinion, then you can prick them out. If you're going to try to transplant the entire contents into a new container then you'll need to trim back the peat pot all along the top edge as well as remove some sections along the bottom.
I would prick them out now.