I am having a time getting my cukes and melons to start this year. My first batch of melons started with no problem but my second set along with my cukes have been no shows so far. Most of this seed was just purchased. I have them in the greenhouse in a jiffy mix. I got one or 2 sprouts of of 4 flats so far. Pulled the soil off of a couple of pots and the seeds looked ok. No rot or anything.
We have had some rainy cool weather over the past few weeks. Might this be the cause?
BB
Melon & Cucumber Starts
There was a thread a week or so ago where other people reported problems germinating.
Yeah, I'm having trouble germinating too. Cold, damp weather... I assume is the problem.
OK. They should eventually germinate though or will I need to restart?
Seeds looked ok.
BB
I planted new pepper seeds in the same pots I had tried to start the earlier seeds - both came up. Watermelons, not so much.
I've been doing some zukes and yellow squash about 3 plantings of just a few seeds. I soak the seeds overnight and still they're erratic. I put in 4 -6 seeds each time and always have them coming up over 3-5 days. 1 or 2 don't germinate at all. It's crazy. I'm using all new seed too. My okra came up in 3-4 days at 100% right beside the zukes. I plant them all the same depth, keep it moist and place in direct sun because in the house they're even more contrary. Last year they were very dependable on the window sill in bright shade. Something is different but I don't know what it is.
All winter I did great starting tomatoes and peppers. Now they take forever and many never germinate.
I actually went to the store and bought a zucchini plant because my seeds just would NOT germinate.
Naturally, the next day I see the seed coming up.
My melons and cucumber seeds sprouted just fine, but my sweet pepper seeds never did sprout :( I finally went out and purchased three plants at $3.00 a piece! I don't ever remember a season with such difficulty growing from seeds.
Hmmmm, maybe there's something going on more than seed viability?
So if I go buy a couple of flats, my current seeds will sprout? :-)
I am putting a lot of effort into growing specialty melons and squashes this year so I hope they come up and I don't have to buy new seed again
LOL
BB
I started all my melons indoors in 88° temps. They started coming up in 2½ days and about all up after 4 days.........heat BB
i haven't had a problem except with the patty pan squash"scalloped squash", but i found out the problem. i had a mouse pulling all the seeds and eating them, but only the patty pan no other seed did it touch.
i germinate all my seeds under 100 watt bulbs for heat keeps the seeds at about 84 degrees.
I'll order some for backup but it's supposed to warm up these next few days. Normally our greenhouse is between 80 and 90.
BB
I find I still have to start my seeds in the house, then move them outside once they are up.
There's a range of temperatures that seeds will germinate in. Cucumbers and melons like it warmer - 75 to 95 degrees, while cold-season crops like lettuce and peas are reported to germinate in the 40s and 50s.
You could try a heat mat or you could wait it out. I toured one of our local nurseries/greenhouses and they have a system of heated wires strung across their seed-starting tables. They put the seed flats right on top of them.
That's odd - I planted my cucumbers and melon seeds outside a couple of weeks ago and they're coming up well, even though it's been chilly. When I first planted them it was downright hot, but then spring returned.
On the other hand I am having a terrible problem with my peppers, but they do seem to love heat. When the greenhouse gets hot I can almost see the progress; when it cools down they stop. I did use a heat mat for a while, but stopped when the temperatures rose.
My squashie things are direct planted, because I found they do better in the long run than those I start indoors and transplant. The transplants "sulk" for long enough that the direct sown pass them up and gallop away. I had some issues with peppers taking a long time to sprout under lights, so the last batch I stuck in salad containers and put outside. They've done very well. Go figure, it's been cold and damp, and they SHOULD be miserable. I'll never figure it all out *G*.
Margo
It's really hard to know what's going on from year to year! Do you find any difference in seeds from different suppliers?
I finally have a few tomato seeds germinating, after 3 weeks. They are seeds that were left over from 2 years ago; seeds just purchased from Tomato Growers have ONE seed germinated, and the peppers have NONE.
Mine are out in the warm sunshine, low 70's temps, and brought in at night. They were in a window inside during the 2 weeks of rain recently...
catmad - try sowing your seeds in newspaper pots (one seed per pot.) When it's time, you can put your seedlings in the ground complete with pot and the newspaper will quickly decompose. The top little circle of newspaper will remain until you remove it, but it acts as a collar to stop cutworms.
Thanks HoneybeeNC, that was what the zucchini were in. I had all sortd of "trials" going on *G*. They recovered more quickly than the peat or coir pots, but still were eventually outstripped by the "inground" bunch. I'm not at all sure that it wasn't my techniques at hardening off (or something else) that stopped them temporarily, but with the rresults, direct sowing is SOO much simpler that that's my current method. Next year? who knows.....:)
Margo
darius - I'll have to check to see where my sweet pepper seeds came from. I usually buy from Burpee and have wonderful success with them, but this year I was looking for more "unusual" types and purchased from different sources.
NONE of my pepper seeds sprouted, either.
I've been following this thread with interest and wonder if any of you have tried wintersowing vegetables? This was my first year and was amazed at how carefree it was. I started everything ~ tomatoes, cukes, melons, peppers, herbs, squash and will do the same every year from now on.
I realize you are growing commercially BronxBoy but you can sow clumps of seed in containers and pick~transfer them easily. They also seem to be a bit hardier when planted out. I shared many starts with friends as so many sprouted and they all commented on them being sturdier plants also.
Sorry if I sound like one of the reformed smokers preaching to smokers... lol
I do start all of my stuff the way you describe Podster. Usually start everything in my office in February. These dang melons just won't cooperate though. I've moved them back inside.
BB
By wintersowing, do you mean planting the seed directly in the ground when it's still chilly out?
I have often noticed that my tomatoes from last year provide volunteers which come up themselves in the old tomato rows from smashed fruit, and do very well. I'll bet they don't attract pests like cutworms and pill bugs that way, either.
I started 33 watermelon seeds thinking maybe about half would come up... and 20 cucumber thinking the same germination rate... ALL of them sprouted. I ended up giving some to my neighbor. I call it a wicked case of beginner's luck
greenhouse_gal ~ wintersowing is starting seeds outdoors in containers like milk jugs ( no lids ) half full of soil. The container acts like a greenhouse and the seeds sprout when they are ready. They are definitely sturdier stock when started in this manner. There is a forum on DG devoted to this type of planting. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/coldsow/all/
Thanks, Podster. I'll take a look.