Well, two emerged in about 4 days, the third on the 6th day . . . the fourth was me being overly optimistic, I think. Since then - nothing. I planted them Jan. 5. So it's been almost 10 days. Maybe I am just tooo impatient.
CG Forum STOKE'S SEED SWA-OP
I think that mine emerged in less than a week as well, but I had just over a 50% germination rate and am hoping that the others are just slow to pop up.
Well, I worry about - being too cold - so they are on a heat mat - then worry about it being too damp, so I pull the cover off, then I worry about them being too cold - so I put the cover back on then I worry about dampening off, so I pull the cover off, then I worry about they will get too warm if I leave the cover on,
sigh . . . . pretty silly, right?
lol - no heat mats here, but took the plastic wrap off at first signs of germination, fan running on low speed in the room.
Well, that's what I thought you were supposed to do . . . but my basement is sooo cold.
I have bad vibes here. I started mine last Sunday and not a one of them has popped up. :>(
Seandor, your HOUSE is cold; your basement must be FREEZING! LOL!
Lala sounds bad. They should be up in 4-5 days. Try more heat.
Suzy
WAIT! I've got an update. I didn't see this this AM when I checked on them, but just looked at them again and see that my other two are popping up *now* (I think that I sowed them on 12/29, but will have to double-check my notes) -- that will be a 100% germination rate (fingers crossed that I don't kill them - lol).
My ambient temp. is 60 F, no mats, old fluorescent shop lights (used all last year and not changed), evenly moist sterile mix, fan in room...
You're kidding -- it's that cold and they are germinating? They lied to us then on the website == talking about all that heat; how ridiculous! Congratulations, wrightie!
Suzy
Get outta here! I always heard you needed heat mats! I can't wait to start mine :)
Mind, I think your chances of success are a lot better with heat mats... but Wrightie's got a magic touch... :-)
nuttin magic about it
hey . . . wrightie has magic fingers!
that's what he said
Buahahahaha
That's the thing about heat mats... I love mine, but most seeds will still germinate without them... however, it can take a lot longer, and you don't always get as good a germination rate.
Critter - have you (or anyone else here for that matter...) tried starting seeds without a mat, and then putting one underneath the trays later? I know this sounds silly - but I have everything but the heat mats and am afraid if I wait (they're on their way) then my seeds will be late as well.
It won't hurt to go ahead and sow them and add the heat later. You can also try other sources of heat... Remember, they're not germinated yet, so they don't need to be under lights in the basement. They can be upstairs in a warm spot -- on the fridge (although I don't know if new fridges are still warm on top), on the TV, etc. You can use an incandescent light bulb to add heat. I germinated seeds one year using the oven light, with the door propped open a little with a towel (use a thermometer so the temp stays under 85'F).
Critter-
I can just picture it! You crazy girl!
LOL - I can just picture the reaction I'd get to an oven full of seeds! (Of course, we mostly use it to store our crackers....)
I assured DH that I was *only* doing it this once, for the Vigna caracalla... and with seedling heat mats on the way, I'd never have to do it again!
Whew! Let me give reassurance to any of you others with slower germination. I just found my first geranium seedling poking his head up after being planted 9 days. Talk about anxiety waiting to see if the rabbit died?!
congratulations, La!
I did tomato seeds in the guest bathroom last year. shut the door, set them near the heat register and left an incandescent light on. the ones I wintersowed did better LOL I guess w/s won't work for the geraniums LOL
With tomato seeds, you have to watch them like a hawk and snatch them off the heat at the first sign of germination (eg, when the first seed sprouts), or they will get very leggy, very quickly.
So - with 'maters it's off the heat but still under lights as soon as they germinate, right? Critter, what would I do without you??
Yep, that's it -- and get those little tomato sprouts as close to the lights as possible!
Well this take a long time to load, but I wanted to let you know I have FIVE geraniums (well, I have never grown these before, so I feel pretty pleased) and I have FIFTY violet picotee pansies! - sorry no pictures, but this thread loads sooo slowly now :-)
Maybe we should start another thread so we can proudly show off our Stokes babies
Oh, my, I almost couldn't get back here to list the next thread!
Let's go here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/809352/
I have some geraniums to show off, but it will have to wait a couple days -- I am knee deep in seeds!
Suzy