When do you give up & start over??

[i_am2bz]

My grand idea this year was to grow everything from seed - not one single thing transplanted from the nursery!

HOWEVER...my grand plans are falling apart! (I think.) Some things I seeded in peat pots (broc, cuke, tomatoes, peppers), others have gone directly into the raised beds (lettuce, spinach, arugula, carrots, bunching onions).

So far, the broc & cuke have sprouted, the peppers & toms, zip. In fact, I got so discouraged I bought some Miracle-gro seeding soil & replanted the tomatoes yesterday. The peppers are next. :/

The Arugula have just sprouted. Nothing from the lettuce, spinach, or onions. (Trying to be more patient with the carrots, have heard they take a long time.)

I admit I should be more careful in record keeping; this year I'm keeping track of when everything gets planted & what date they sprout. But it seems that last year my lettuce sprouted in just a few days...!

I don't know if I'm being too impatient or not. To the experts out there - if the packet says "8-10 days to germinate", & 10 days have gone by, do you start over? Or do you give it "X" more days?

 

[boggybranch]

Gotta have heat (warm soil) for maters, peppers and such to germinate.

 

[AmyRey]

I have found that some things sprout UNBELIEVABLY fast if I soak the seeds in water for 24 hours before planting.

My cucumbers were literally emerging in three days. I had tomato and basil sprouts in five.

Some things, however, take FOREVER. Peppers - nearly three weeks - ugh! About the time I give up on them completely, they redeem themselves.

It's a matter of patience with me too.

 

[vfem]

Gotta have heat (warm soil) for maters, peppers and such to germinate.

Very true! I have my tomatoes/peppers/zinnia in peat pots in a plastic tray on top of a heating mat on low. I have my first sprouts coming up this morning. They like the soil temp being around 75 degrees.

Simply, add the heat and it will help.

The trays help with the peat pots, so I can put some water in the tray and the peat pots don't dry up as quickly because of the light & mat.

That is probably your only issue, and an easy fix!

Don't be discouraged.

 

[i_am2bz]

Gotta have heat (warm soil) for maters, peppers and such to germinate.

The trays help with the peat pots, so I can put some water in the tray and the peat pots don't dry up as quickly because of the light & mat.

That is probably your only issue, and an easy fix!

If a person doesn't have a heating tray & is not particularly handy (ahem ), could a person possibly set a tray on an electric heating pad? Or does that sound dangerous?

Soaking the seeds first - good idea, my packet of bean seeds actually says to do that.

BUT GOOD NEWS!! After writing my OP, I went out to plant my taters (hope springs eternal!), & there they were - a couple of tiny spinach & romaine sprouts!!!!!!! AND....I might have my first carrot sprout!! And there are leaves on 4 of my strawberry plants!!!

Do I sound excited??!!!!

 

[lesa]

Patience is one item that is required to be a gardener- and it always seems to be in short supply!!
Congrats on your sprouts! Happy Gardening!

 

[chris09]

There is a lot that affects germination and two of the main thing that affects germination is seed quality and soil temperature. If you have bad quality seed it will take longer for the seeds to emerge from the soil and the same go's with soil temperature if the soil is cool say 60 to 65 then it will take longer for the seeds to emerge from the soil than if the soil temperature is 70 to 75.

When planting in flats I use good quality lightweight soil-less mix either one designed for starting seed or a "general purpose" mix (I dislike the types that have fertilizer mixed in).
I keep soil temperature at 70 to 75 until the seedlings emerge then drop soil temperature to 65 to 70.

With me using good quality seed, lightweight soil-less mix and keeping soil at 70 to 75 I can get tomato seeds out of the ground in around 3 to 4 days and peppers in about 4 to 6 days.

* Note * I said Soil Temperature and not AIR Temperature

Chris

 

[i_am2bz]

We had a frost last night...:/...I did cover everything that looked like it even had a single sprout, so we'll see. Maybe I did the happy-dance too soon. Not sure about the carrots, either, cuz I had them covered with newspaper waiting for the first sprout to come up.

Patience? Nope, not in a single cell of my body. I pray on it all the time. (I always say God gave me my critters & DH to teach me patience, guess I should add my garden to that list.)

 

[vfem]

Oh I forget to say... my plastic tray is just on top of a heating pad! Heating mat is what I've always called it, and they do sell heating mats for plants... but I'm CHEAP!

So, I use a simple plastic tray with a bit of water, and put it on a heating bad on low.

I really need to take pictures!

 

[i_am2bz]

Oh I forget to say... my plastic tray is just on top of a heating pad! Heating mat is what I've always called it, and they do sell heating mats for plants... but I'm CHEAP!

THAT'S exactly what I needed to know!!! Yay, I can do that!

Maters & peppers, here I come!!