Who else has NO germination yet?

As of today I have monkey flower,Sweet caroline hibiscus,masquerade nemesia and poppies.

I noticed that the things I WS earlier aren't germinating nearly as much as the stuff I did later. I think next year I will wait until mid-February/beg of March to start WS. Tamara

That might be a good idea for my zone too. I WS all my containers on Jan 19.

Tamara... me too. Things i sowed early Feb -- nothing. But things i did 1-2 weeks ago are sprouting.

Terese

I started some morning glory of the 13th or March, just in flats in the garage, and they are up. So I am beginning to think that early is not better. Oh, I am not going to throw WS out, just will have a different approach to it next year.

I have a theory about which order you plant things in, at least here where it is frozen all of the time. Until the weather is warm enough nothing germinates so basically it is as if they were all planted at the same time. I really don't know how that works in places that aren't as cold as it is here.

Probably the difference is in the seeds. Perennials tend to be tougher to germinate. Some seeds also NEED that cold, moist stratification so if they don't get sown and outside in cold winter temps (or in the fridge) they will not germinate at all, or not until spring of the following year at least.

Karen

defoecat, do you have good results starting seeds in your garage, where I assume is fairly dark?

Karen is absolutely CORRECT! Some perennial seeds will not germinate if they don't have a period of cold followed by a period of warm weather. Some even need 2 seasons to germinate successfully. So, it really depends on the type of seeds that you have sown and what their requirements are. Yes, annual seeds will sprout quickly once their soil warms up, but you can only enjoy their beauty for a short period of time. Perennials give you joy season after season, so IMHO, they are well worth the wait!

Tammylp, I sow many tomato seeds, and I sow them in trays, put them on a heat mat, and when they germinate, they are then put under lights. They need the heat to germinate, and the light to grow. As the weather warms, DH build me a mini greenhouse, has shelves, and is covered in plastic, and we sit it outside and raise the plastic up so they get plenty of air. Personally, I think they grow better in natural sunlight than the grow lights. I do some annuals like that too, and my germination rate is pretty good, not big on record keeping. This year I have 39 heirloom varieties of tomatoes, with several more varieties of hybrid tomatoes.

defoecat,

i have a few tomatoes in a tray on a heat mat, but I do not have lights. They are in a south window. will they do OK?

I dont have lights, nor do i want any lights (no place to put/hang them)

They are are in tray with my coleus..... the tomatoes are roughly 2" high now... when should i transplant them into larger pots? (I have 8" peat pots i can put them into)

obviously -- this is my first attempt at this.

TIA,

Terese

ps -- sorry, way OT here..

tcs, yes they will do fine, just make sure that you turn them so they don't start to lean. I start my seeds in the 6 pack cells, and then when they have at least 2 leaves, I transplant them into the 3 pack cells. Some people transplant them the second time, but I don't. They have enough room to form a good root system in the 3 pack cells, and it is a lot of work to transplant as many as I have. As long as tomatoes have a good root system, and form a sturdy stem, they will do just fine. I start hardening mine off, when they are about 3-4 inches high. Don't put them out in direct sunlight at first. But a week in a semi shade/sun situation, and they will be hardy enough to take the direct sunlight.

Another thing I have done, is set the trays on top of the fridge, if you don't have heat mats. I have also used an electric blanket, set on low. They definitely need the heat to germinate. I have almost 100% germination with tomatoes. Last year I had over 800 plants.

800? That is a lot of tomatoes.

YES... WOW that is a lot.... do you sell them, like Farmers Market?

and thanks for the info... i'll transplant them soon into the peat pots.

terese

Carrie, Clarkia and Godeta can be the same, but I think mine is Clarkia puchella (spelling?) Godeta has bigger more silky flowers usually.

Also up now is Yarow 'The Pearl', Danish Flag Poppies and some california poppies are starting to sprout along with a few other things which don't seem to be marked anymore....

Steven

No I don't sell the tomato plants. We give to neighbors, family, and I had about 400 plants myself last year. I raise heirlooms, to save the seed, and I also can tomato juice, and make tomato sauce, and salsla, so it takes a lot of tomatoes.

Woah...you must really, really, really like tomatoes. :-) Tamara

I do!!

Nothing yet, Steven. Did I do something wrong? I've even resorted to buying a few perennials, to be delivered later. Today is supposed tp be cold AGAIN. But it doesn't really sound as if cold and warmth have terribly much to do with germination in perennials.

Seandor, having you off the streets is surely worth something! Do you have any more germination? It's colder out there, West of Worcester* as they say, than it is in here, nearer the coast, right?

*I realize none of you have lived in Massachusetts as long as I have. Worcester is pronounced like the sauce and is the 2nd biggest town next to Boston. In the Olden Days, if a person had been West of Worcester, then s/he was really a big traveler. That may have been shortly after they stopped using dinosaurs for transportation!

xxxxx, Carrie

Wow! I have sprouts. I ignored everyone's advice, lost my paint pen, the permanent marker washed off, so I have NO CLUE what's sprouting. Some I think I planted on March 19 and some in a flat (under a clear plastic box) last week . WOW!!! Me, growing unidentified things from seeds!!! Who'd have thunk it?

xxxxx, Carrie!!!!!!!!!!!

Take me off this list, I have lift off. Not a huge number, but they are a growin! Patti

Congrats, Patti! [Now what do we do?]

xxxx, Carrie

I have himalayan blue poppy sprouts and Robert Fleming Hibiscus sprouts.I took thre lids off today to give the sprouts some air.I hope the newly sprouts survive.

Congrats Carrie!!!!! I also ignored everyone's advice, DIDN'T buy a paint pen, and the permanent marker washed off :) So I too have mystery sprouts.
I even have 2 different types of seeds sprouting in the same zip-lock bag....Ooopsie

Yeah, WHOOPS! My bad.

xxxx, Carrie

Steven: Oh well, "mystery sprouts" can be fun too!

hmmm...I have used a Mark-A-Lot permanent marker for two years and I have never had a problem with them fading. I just put a number on the container that ties back with a spreadsheet. I put the number in 3 places on the container just in case (one on the bottom). Here is the marker that I use: http://www.cleansweepsupply.com/pages/skugroup20196.html

- Brent

Ok who STILL has no germination yet?

Brent, it's not exactly that somewhere in my house aren't paint pens, it's more that I doon't know where they are............

xxx, C [blowing kisses]

NO germination part II thread has been started

this one got really long, plus it's a different month

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/709655/