Re the edges of trays that @philippasmith2 mentions, it's the reason why cuttings take better when planted round the edges of pots - better drainage and warmer so they take more easily. The soil temp is definitely a factor, as @JennyJ says, and light is often more important for some seed than heat, especially earlier in the year. It's the reason many people have problems when they sow too early. Struggling, leggy seedlings are a regular query on the forum during Feb/early March.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
My OH sowed some cosmos seeds about three weeks or so ago and they've all come through. In a cold greenhouse, little sun, plenty of wind and rain and cool temperatures and in The North East of England. Could you perhaps sow some more seeds @FlowersFlowersEverywhere ? It may help bring further along the calendar now? Experiment? ( can't help with vegetable sowing though, we have a flower only garden). See what does well and what doesn't at this time of year? Don't despair, it will come good!
Is anyone else also having low germination rate?....
Glad you posted as I thought it was my compost.
Night stock just peeking through now after ages
Lavatera nothing yet
Sweet pea nothing yet
For Sweet Peas try this if you're still having problems. Just wet kitchen towel, but the container has a lid to exclude the light. When they get to this stage you can put them straight into pots of multi-purpose.
Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border. I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
Flower wise I've been really struggling with sweet peas! One pack did okay, one poor, and one absolutely terrible. Only 3 plants the whole packet!!
Also marigolds. Quite poor rate, and weak and feeble little seedlings!
Had good germination rates with dailiahs, foxgloves, Lupins, cosmos, cornflowers, alyssum, sunflowers.
Veg wise, the cucumbers didn't come up well, but I have 4 plants which is enough. Peas seem very slow too. But they are in an unheated greenhouse and most other things inside the house!
Tomatoes were crazy. Far too many came up, more than usual! Had to bin most! Courgettes went mad too, and its a good thing I love them. Think I have 10 plants! Hollie (much better other half) has done very well with chili. Planted 10 in little cell tray and 10 came up! Onions did well too. Planted the first load of broard bean plants out yesterday too. They germinated well.
I'm going to try new marigold seeds and might try the old soaking method for sweet peas but I've never needed to bother before!
Gardener of a driveway pot garden - flowers one side, veg the other and a car in the middle. I am so looking forward to the day we can move into a house with a bigger garden.
Is anyone else also having low germination rate?....
Glad you posted as I thought it was my compost.
Night stock just peeking through now after ages
Lavatera nothing yet
Sweet pea nothing yet
For Sweet Peas try this if you're still having problems. Just wet kitchen towel, but the container has a lid to exclude the light. When they get to this stage you can put them straight into pots of multi-purpose.
Is that a lid the totally blocks the light, so the seeds are effectively in the dark?
Gardener of a driveway pot garden - flowers one side, veg the other and a car in the middle. I am so looking forward to the day we can move into a house with a bigger garden.
Most seed packets say to keep around 20c. I'm in the warmest part of the SE UK, tomatoes,peppers, aubergines , normally sown by me, January,half trays, kitchen window sill,north facing. This year,it didn't happen because of health problems. Hubby sowed them February,in standard trays (I use quarter trays) they wouldn't fit in the window sill,so north facing conservatory, which on frosty nights will dip to 8c. So the germination was a bit slower than usual. I would only grow sweet peas in a greenhouse, JOHN INNES seed compost. I've never soaked or chitted.
I've never soaked sweet pea seed, apart from possibly early on [decades ago] when I first started growing them. In a decent growing medium, watered well [ie not allowed to dry out for long spells] they germinate no problem unless the seed's poor.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
The soil temp is definitely a factor, as @JennyJ says, and light is often more important for some seed than heat, especially earlier in the year. It's the reason many people have problems when they sow too early.
Struggling, leggy seedlings are a regular query on the forum during Feb/early March.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
Probably cos' his seed is no longer viable
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
Also marigolds. Quite poor rate, and weak and feeble little seedlings!
Had good germination rates with dailiahs, foxgloves, Lupins, cosmos, cornflowers, alyssum, sunflowers.
Veg wise, the cucumbers didn't come up well, but I have 4 plants which is enough. Peas seem very slow too. But they are in an unheated greenhouse and most other things inside the house!
Tomatoes were crazy. Far too many came up, more than usual! Had to bin most! Courgettes went mad too, and its a good thing I love them. Think I have 10 plants! Hollie (much better other half) has done very well with chili. Planted 10 in little cell tray and 10 came up! Onions did well too. Planted the first load of broard bean plants out yesterday too. They germinated well.
I'm going to try new marigold seeds and might try the old soaking method for sweet peas but I've never needed to bother before!
Is that a lid the totally blocks the light, so the seeds are effectively in the dark?
I think so, although to be fair I've never been able to determine the extent of any light penetration. It's just an old plastic bread/cake container.
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...