tomotaro germination doesn't work

[Syrck]

Hi,

This is my first experience germinating seeds. And i don't know where is the error because it doesn't work.

In 17 February i started with 5 tomotaro seeds. The seeds was in a room without light and 21 degrees Celsius for 10 days....and the seeds grow 6 cm in few days, but when i put outside, the light kill the plants.

In 2 of March, i began to germinate other 5 tomotaros seeds. In 4 days i put this seed in a window facing south. This plants was in the same conditions for 5 weeks , some days i put outside in the sun light directly but in 5 weeks only grow 2,3 cm and some leaves have withered..

This second time, i used mix hummus and sandstone for the soil, and constance 20 Celsius degrees, i take care that the moisture of the soil. I use a individual plastic containers for germination.

2 weeks ago i do it again with another 5 , Today, the plant height is 1.5 cm, but the impression is that this doesn't work....

I don't know where is the problem, maybe the light ? or the soil ? in the last weeks and i try to learn and read about it but i m feel stupid for this, because i know that it has a problem but i don't know how to solve it.

Someone can show me the way ? where is the problem ?

Thanks in advance and excuse my english,

Regards,

Kim

[RayR]

Kim. what were you using for soil before the hummus and sandstone mix?
Did you use any fertilizers?

Going from total darkness to direct sunlight could be a problem, the seedlings could be getting burned or you soil could be getting too hot. I see the temperatures in sunny Barcelona are moderate this time of year though, around 13°-20°C.

Another possibility is your soils are harboring disease pathogens, especially if you mixed them yourself out of what's available to you.

Don't feel stupid, no one learned to be a seed starter/gardener without killing a few plants along the way.

[RebelRidin]

Don't let it get you down Kim. It happens.

I agree with RayR. Start with some commercially prepared seed starting mix if at all possible. Grow indoors for the first two to three weeks. Then pot up. A week or two after that you can start slowly acclimating to outdoor conditions. You will get there.

[Syrck]

Thanks Ray and RebelRidin,

Ray, before in my first attemp i use 100% hummus. And i don't use any fertilizers.

Then you think that the problem probably is in the soils that use. Well i buy a commercialy prepared seed starting mix and try again.

I will tell,

Thanks

Kim

[greyghost]

I think using a seed starter mix is key to starting plants-it's sterile so no
disease pathogens-also it's light and fluffy and drains well. Roots will
develop much easier in a starter mix.

After plants have a set or two of true leaves, you could apply a very dilute
fertilizer; I like a fish/seaweed combination although there are many suitable
liquid/soluable fertilizers that may be available to you---just be sure that you apply it at a half or quarter strenght. It's easy to burn the roots of seedlings with fertilizer.

Expose your plants to sunlight very gradually. I put mine out first on a cloudy
day or in dappled sunlight for just a few hours. Be careful of too much wind-
they can become wind burned very easily. They can also be sunburned easily.

I've been starting plants for 30 years and have made every one of these mistakes-in fact, sometimes I still do something very foolish! Please don't
give up, ask questions and read as much as you can about starting plants-
you'll find you will learn a lot from the problems you are having now.

Also, your English is great!

[HiPoha]

Tomotaro? Do you mean Momotaro ? I tried Momotaro last year and not a single seed germinated. I planted in ideal conditions as with all my other tomato plants which grew well.

[kurt]

"I use a individual plastic containers for germination"With the other suggestions if you have not done already make sure the plastic has good drainage holes as not to turn the bottom into a mud,algae,mold and fungas growth medium.A couple of inches(cms) of perlite in the bottom,broken up styrofoam will help drainage plus give the baby roots some"breathing" room.

[Cole_Robbie]

If you can find a product called vermiculite, it is great for starting seeds. The vermiculite I buy is sold as insulation at a building products store. Lately I have been mixing in a little compost as food. If you can get mycorrhizae-enriched soil, or buy it as spores ( www.fungi.com ) that will help, too.

[Syrck]

@Hipoha

you 're right, not is Tomotaro is Momotaro. I think that they germinated good, the problem is with my

@Greyghost

definitely the last problem, was caused for the soil. In 5 weeks the roots have not grow because the soil has not drained well. ¿ Do you use the same fertilizer of fish/seaweed for the entire production cycle of tomatoes ? ¿Do you do it yourself or buy ?

@Kurt

I think that the plastic have a good drainage, I bought this at a garden store and i think that is the most standar recpients, here for germination. But when i open the plastic containers i saw that in the background was created a mud layer and the roots were very small. But i think that this is for the soild that i was preparing. Now i understant that this soil don't have a good drainage.

@Cole_Robbie

Yesterady, i was learn about different types of soil, rock wool, graze, vermiculite, coconut fiber, perlite ....too much information :-D . I would like to decide to use different parameters according :

a ) Esasy to find and cheap

b ) long lasting material which can be recycled

To complicate matters. Knowing that I am completely ignorant in the cultivation of vegetables, I would like to learn how to make me the thing by myself, trying to respect the environment, not spending more than necessary and using recycled material.

I know that this route is the most difficult but also the most excites me.

Thanks to all for your time.

[greyghost]

Syrck,
I purchase any fish/seaweed product I use--you could "google"
Neptune's Harvest to see information about that type of product.
I'll use it in a dilute form for seedlings and even after plants are in the
garden. I usually use a product like Tomato Tone from Espona most
years. This year, I'm excited about Urban Farm's Texas Tomato Food.
Look under "general Discussions" and you'll find a thread by that title.
There is a thread with information about Saltwater Farms products-you
could check that out and see if you can find a comparable product in Spain.

I also use mycorrhizae fungi (fungi.com) as well as compost. I'm not
tilling my main (tomato) garden anymore but using shredded leaves
as a mulch-it's also a large componet of the compost I make. In the past,
I've used horse manure tilled into the garden or added to compost.
I'm not buying local hay anymore so I'm concerned about herbicides on
hay that I purchase so I only use composted manure on pastures. If
you have access to rabbit manure, that's a nice addition to garden soil.
Also alfalfa meal/pellets for nitrogen if you have that available. Many use
bone meal, rock dusts, greensand-other natural products like that.

If you enter "Just showing off." into the search here at Tomatoville, you'll
see a great thread started by CarolynPhillips. It's got a lot of information
about fertilization using granular fertilizer. I give a lot of plants away-many
times I'll suggest the person use Miracle Grow (for tomatoes, if available).
People seem to get fairly good results with it, it's easy to find and use.
(I have to give some people an easy option or they won't have any success
at all!)

Previous years (and last year), I used a General Hydroponics product called
FloraMato-I had great results but I think it's been replaced with a similar
product. Many people are happy with Fox Farms (can find on Amazon also)
products. Many, many options for fertilizers!

[Syrck]

Thanks for share your passion Greyghost

Good information for begining to learn about fertilization of tomatoes. My intention is use a liquid fertilization to grow in Pot Dutch Bucket System. I will filter this information for search about this. But first i get germinate the seeds !!!

[Yak54]

Syrck

You picked a very wonderful variety in Momotaro ! I grow them every year. They are hard to beat. You will like them very much I'm sure. Good luck to you.

[HiPoha]

Syrck, seeing that you need a sure way to grow your plants, I thought I would offer my method. Using all the good advice on soils and starter mixes, a good controlled enviroment can be made using this mini greenhouse that I use. It helps my plants grow faster. When your plants get high enough,you can aclimate your plants to full sunshine by just tearing the plastic a little at a time over a period of several days. You can put your little starter pots inside the greenhouse till they are transferrable into the bigger container. Just water as you would normally.

I don't know why my Momotaro failed. I planted in September. Maybe the wrong time of the year.

[dice]

Making your own seed starting mix:
http://sweetdomesticity.blogspot.com...rting-mix.html