Poll: What DIDN'T germinate?

I think that most of us are pretty pleased with how our WS turned out this year, especially those of us who tried it for the first time. Some of my containers had 100% germination (I kept track of how many seeds were in each container), others had very little, and some had none. What are some of the ones that did not do well for you (as of yet)? I had had no germination of any columbines (3 different seed packets...even different brands), only 1 sweet pea seed out of 20 (the rest rotted), allium cernuum (5 containers...no germ...although I did read that germ is irregular and can take months). I also had several containers where only 1 seed out of 5 germ...I'll have to check my chart to see specifically which ones. Tamara

tamara,

since i'm out of town right now, i cant check my containers or my "sheets" til tomorrow... but one thing i know did not germinate is the Bean Vines I had. 5 seeds = 5 moldy seeds. total failure.... i soaked them as i read to do... and the beans molded.

but -- i do think that was the only thing that did not germinate for me.... some things are not doing well, but they sprouted.

terese

I didn't keep track of how many seed I sowed - just containers.

So far, nothing from -
Agapanthus - white and blue
Blackberry lily
Campanula Latifolia
2 kinds of Delphinium
Blue Hibiscus (four others germinated and these were old seed)
Hollyhock double pink (four others germinated)
Hosta sieboldiana
Kniphofia
Lavender
Ligularia
one rudbeckia (three others germinated)
Allium Christophii
Allium Heavenly Blue

I'm just leaving them be while I plant out everything else.

Tamara-
Here is my list of things that didn't germinate-
First off, although I got at leaste one seed to germinate, out of all the Columbine seeds I planted (almost the whole pack) I only have ONE seedling. I planted Lupines as well, and only two of those are up- and one is WAY smaller than the other.
Of my other types of seeds, most of which were pretty hardy stuff- the only things I don't have germination in are the Orlaya Grandiflora and the Bells of Ireland.
I was kind of chicken in my winter sowing, since it was my first year of it- so I did a lot of things that I have found to be hardy, like Zinnias, Bachelor Buttons and Marigolds.
But overall, this winter sowing was a great success for me- I ended up with at least 4 or 5 of almost everything I planted, as well as a bazillion Bachelor Buttons and Marigolds- for next year I will definitely have to wintersow less of those LOL.
Samantha

That's funny...I had no problems with the lupines, but I haven't had any zinnias or marigolds germinate yet! Isn't it weird how that works out? Tamara

Tamara I was thinking the same thing about the marigolds. I had saved so many seeds that I planted (and replanted) them like crazy. I FINALLY got about a dozen of them going inside but none of my WS containers sprouted.

Here's my No-Go List:
Sugar Snap Peas (I suspect mine rotted as well...note to self: more drainage holes next year)
Yucca
Zebra Grass
Marigolds
Chinese Foxglove (Ebay seed...the seed I saved from my own foxglove came up like a chia pet)
Bells of Ireland
Annual Salvia
Lantana

I have poor germination so far on echinacea (3 types), columbine, burgundy gaillardia, baloon flowers, and, of all things, amaranthus perfecta, and a few more that I can't recall.

Still holding out hope though.

Karen

I think it's a bit early still. Lots more will germinate now that the temps are warming up. I usually reevaluate my ws containers in June.

My W/S failures are: 2 out of 3 columbines containers did not germinate, along with the poppies both CA and Flanders Field, Yet the poppies sown on the snow germinated. Other non germinating are orange globe amanranthus,heliopsis helanthoides, balloon flowers, dames rocket and most of the larkspur with only 4 seedlings transplanted out. However, I am very happy with my W/Sing results and definitely will W/S next year.

This message was edited Apr 22, 2007 7:59 PM

That is so funny about the Marigolds- I'll definitely not need to sow any of those in my spring sowing- I think I have 10 or 20 of five types!
And the Bells of Ireland too- I haven't had any luck with mine yet. We'll see if they come up for us with the warmer weather and hotter sun.
Echinacea I didn't wintersow, but I started indoors- they are doing quite well in an aluminum baking pan, and are working on their second set of true leaves. I am really impressed with their steady growth, and while so many of my indoor starts got leggy, the Echinacea are nice and stout!
Samantha

Oh, yeah, only one Bells of Ireland sprout here too. My seeds were from 2005 though so my expectations were not great.

Karen

Seems that a lot of people didn't have luck with Bells of Ireland. I've read that they can be pretty challenging. Heck, I have trouble with the ones that are supposed to be easy! Tamara

Mine are up Tamara! The Bells of Ireland that is. Actually they were up when I posted yesterday, but my dear brother moved my containers one day last week and a couple of the tops got mixed up (another note to self: label the bottoms as well as the tops next year). I too have heard that they're difficult to get started, but last year I started them in the house with no problem and now I've got them in my WS container as well. Maybe I'm just lucky?

Green Apples is the only aquilegia that hasn't sprouted for me.
Clethra alnifolia "hummingbird"
dicentra eximia
achillea "Coronation Gold"
rudbeckia "Golden Glow"
clintonia borealis
white liatris
trollius europaeus
couple types of bee balm
astrantia "Rose Symphony" (I've heard it's hard)
pink salvia
goatsbeard
armeria formosa
helenium Wyndley
redbud (can be feisty)
pyrethrum "James Kelway"

Sounds like a terrible list, but I already have 61 containers sprouted, and some others that haven't been planted long enough to sprout. I'm sure some of these will eventually come through.

Elizabeth

I am not counting anything out, but out of the 37 containers here are the 9 so far that have not spouted along with the date sown (I think I saw some tiny sprouts in one of the vinca containers):

Salvia forsskaolii, 2/18/07
Rudbeckia hirta 'Autumn Colors', 2/18/07
Daylily (parent 'Strawberry Candy'), 2/18/07
Rudbeckia fulgida - Black Eyed Susan, 2/22/07
Hosta (parent Frances Williams), 2/22/07
Ceratotheca triloba - South African Foxglove, 3/23/07
Millet 'Purple Majesty', 3/23/07
Catharanthus roseus - Vinca, 3/23/07
Catharanthus roseus - Vinca, 3/23/07

- Brent

I have Bells of Ireland sprouts today, maybe three. They were sown in a milk jug on March 6th. Woo hoo!

Joanne

my other "non" germinations are:

skyscraper sunflower (my others germinated fine)
Blue Wave petunias
Sandvine Milkweed
marigolds
datura

all else germinated...

Cleome made a liar out of me. Just germ. today! Tamara

And the Bells of Ireland are laughing at me as well- today I found a few of them have germinated, although at this point they're just the tiniest of sprouts poking out of the seed hulls. Grow guys grow!!!
Samantha

This is a germination update I journaled last week; will need updated this week, but too rainy today. The first half of the list shows # which is a label and the count of sprouts. The second half show just a number which is the count. I have done poorly with Sweet Peas, and my Columbine is also slow; but it is slow germinating inside also--but is now germinating. The convolvulus has done poor also, as well as larkspur, and others......

-still only 1 Convolvulus Flash
-8 Convolvulus Enchantment, 6 very wilted ones
-6 Gentian Blue in 2 peat pots, none in pellets which were moved from inside
-a few each of Northstar and Fruit Basket Pepper, just emerging in juice container #26
#3 4 Bachelor Buttons from 35 seeds, 1st set of leaves
#4 No Mammoth Choice Sweet Pea
#5 No Persian Coneflower
#6 1 Everlasting Pea and 1 emerging
#7 8 Beebalm, very small
#8 8 Coneflower, some emerging
#9 2 Hollyhock C. Rosy Red, small
#10 3 Hollyhock C. Yellow, small
#11 10 Hollyhock C.Blush, larger
#12 No Cupids Dart (15 seeds)
#13 No Aubrieta Whitewall Gem
#14 No Flax, Coffee Mate Canister
#16 milk jug, lof of herbs, German Chamomile, RedowskiTerragon, Corriander/Cilantro, Marjoram
#19 No Summer Blues Larkspur
#24 5 tomato Roma
1 tomato Keepsake
8 Big Boy
4 Loveheart
a few dead tomato seedlings

-32 Cherry Blossom Viscaria, small
-Sweet Peas - 5 diff., only one sprout - Appleblossom
-No Moonflowers
-5 only Lavatera White Chrub in sq. peat pots
-Lots of Mountain Phlox
-Lots of Snapdragons, Black Prince
-20 Malope Glacier Fruits, about half
-11 English Daisy White Ball ermerged
-No Blue Star Laurentia
-27 Cosmos Little Princess, 1st set of real leaves beginning
-4 Shasta Silver Princess just emerged
-2 Dianthus Pinks Brilliant just emerged
-Lots of Arugula, has1st set of leaves
-No Pepper Fruit Basket or Pepper Northstar with Arugula from 3/15 in sm HD tub
-Lots of Thyme
-No Aubrieta Whitewall Gem
-16 Wild Parsley
-17 Moss Parsley
-1 Lupine Pixie
-No Portulaca
-1 seedling (of the three diff. Columbines)

definitely too early to give up - this is a pretty long list, but I had 9 new things yesterday so I'm not discouraged.

I don't think it's been warm enough for tomatoes, but I have backups in the house that are doing well.

columbine - planted 7 varieties, have just a couple of seedlings so far
same here on the convolvulus - one seedling
burgundy gaillardia - one seedling

no germ yet

gentian
astrantia
beardtongue
wood betony
butterfly bush
asclepias (tuberosa, curassavica,fruticosa, incarnata)
chaste tree
celosia
asarina
dwarf crape myrtle
cup & saucer vine
hardy cyclamen
delphinium
wild geranium
iceplant
joe pye weed
knautia
lavender
dwarf marigold
maypop
moonflower
monkshood
pearly everlasting
potentilla
prairie smoke
rose campion
sea holly
spicebush
turk's cap lily

Hey, I just noticed it was your bday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY Grampapa! Hope today is a wonderful gardening day for you. :-) Tamara

Thought I would share that I now have SEVEN Bells of Ireland seedlings :-) And there is 1 more very tiny seedling in my Columbines... for a total of two of those.

And Happy Birthday Grampapa!
Samantha

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAMPAPA!!! How many times a grandpapa? Does it keep you young or age you?

thanks for the b'day wishes, folks! I am the gram half of grampapa (aka jan). my dgd's are 18 and almost 13. these girls are the light of my life. I should say I was a very young grandma...39 when the first was born. so I'm not quite as old as it sounds. and I am officially retiring in a few weeks which is also very exciting because it leaves me free to play in the dirt ;0)

today is supposed to be a warm sunny day...hoping for more germination!

Happy Belated salutations Jan! I trust you had a wonderful day yesterday. I do envy your upcoming retirement and wish you much joy in the coming years.

La

thanks much, Lala. I did have a wonderful day. In fact, I celebrated all weekend!

and I've finally got a seedling on the SEA HOLLY :0) I followed the directions and had it in my fridge and on top of a warm lamp, etc because I didn't know if the wintersowing would provide it the range of temps it would need.

also saw some babies in the iceplant jug. there may be others

anyone have Datura germinate? none of mine.
I still have a bunch of seeds left though... maybe just toss'em out in the field.

None of mine did either - but I sowed them inside. I am still hopeful :-)

found this

D#mn! who knew? Thanks for the info.

No, my WS datura never germ. either and the ones I did inside are on the verge of death. Guess they don't like me too much! Tamara

well, the gal i gave seeds to, she had 2 germinate. so at least i know my seeds aren't duds.

sounds they like to be "warm", so i many try a foil dish (that i had my morning glories in) and set it on concrete to help keep it warm. (think i read that in the GardenWeb thread)

well, my wave petunias will never germinate now... yesterday in the high winds -- that was the only one that blew away *sigh* i still had hope for them until i saw the container not where it should be... and potting soil everywhere.... oh well.

I started my datura inside (cheating for this thread I know, but I really wanted them). I planted 3 containers with 2 seeds each and have 4 seedlings with their true leaves.
As for what hasn't germinated in my winter sown collection;

columbine....so disappointed
black eyed susan....also so disappointed
hollyhock...they were old seeds
butterfly weed
campanula "white bell"
geranium "pratense"
scabiosa "butterfly blue"

Out of about 65 varieties....this is all I don't have seedlings from....yet! Since it's been such a weird spring I haven't given up hope.

Bonny

I have columbine coming out my ears! don't give up on those :-)

I ended up getting one columbine seedling which bit the dust when I missed 1 day of watering. grrrr... In fact, out of 70-80 containers, I had at least 25-30 that no germination or just 1 seedling. To clarify, there weren't 70-80 different types of plants...I had several containers of the same seed and some of them are known to germinate erratically. Others, though, are supposedly easy and I still didn't have much luck...especially with those sown in January. Tamara

Too bad you are in Ohio - I gave away 12 columbine seedlings yesterday, with plenty to spare.

Overall I had lower germination this year than last. Some seeds were several years old- like gazania, 2 jugs, no germination. Same with Bells of Ireland- old seeds, only 3 seedlings from 2 jugs. Cleome sparkler, fresh seeds, produced only 3 seedlings and the creature from hell ate one of those after planting out. Gaillardia goblin- a couple year old seeds, 0 germination. Gaillardia burgundy, 3 seedlings, and the creature ate one of those too. Platycodon only 1 seedling, fresh seeds. Echinacea fresh seeds, only a few seedlings (2 magnus, 1 doppelganger). No germination on salvia patens, fresh seeds from T&M, but excellent germination on coral nymph and Yvonne's salvia. I'm afraid to plant them out for fear of the creature destroying those, too. I had low germination, but did get a few, from Park's hotline salvia blue and red.

I think the weather this year has been a real limiting factor.

Karen

creature?