Stumped..

GoldenQueen · March 11, 2011

I have 4 seed that I attempted to start in jiffy pots that just refuse to sprout. Have attempted it twice with nothing coming of them. I know I'm not over watering or under watering... Have tried a heat pad and light cover over them. These seeds just won't come up. Any suggestions on why some will just not sprout?

tam91 · March 11, 2011

How old are the seeds? And how long have you been waiting for them to sprout?

Not sure about the jiffy pots, I haven't used them. If it's a variety you really want, and it's been long enough the know those aren't going to sprout, I might try the paper towel/baggie method myself.

matermaniac · March 11, 2011

Some seed are just on their own schedule and some are just dead. After 2 months of waiting on some peach habaneros to sprout, I finally have 1 sprout out of 30 some seed.

But I also have some tomato seed that for the last two years have been horrible at germination but some do eventually grow.

Patience is needed more often than not. Or a new batch of seed.

OneoftheEarls · March 11, 2011

yes...patience and crank that heat...starting at 70-75-80...if that does not work search a treatment method such as bleach solutions, sprout them in a ziplock bag, plant sprout...

frankkj · March 11, 2011

I know many have good luck with Jiffy pellets and pots, but I never have.
I do much better with a fine seed starting mix. Paper towels work well too, but keep an eye on them.

Most of all........................relax, enjoy, keep the tempature in the 70's, and have a lot patience.

Frank

lurley · March 11, 2011

There is always hope. I planted peppers almost four weeks ago and while some are in 4" pots now and six inches high, the pequins just showed themselves yesterday.

dustdevil · March 11, 2011

What kind of seed?

GoldenQueen · March 11, 2011

Thank you for all the suggestions. They've been in the pots for about a month. Out of 15 they're the only 4 not coming up. The seed is maybe a year old, if that. I'll try the paper towel method.

Thank you! I really appreciate your help. This is my first time doing tomatoes... not to mention from seed.

matermaniac · March 11, 2011

Are they all the same variety? If they are, are any of the other seedlings weak?

333.okh · March 12, 2011

I find that sometimes a seedling mix that is heavy on the peat does not do me well in Northern California...maybe the humidity? I usually make sure and add to my mixes some crushed pumice [I do the crushing]...This year I added the pumice and Denali Gold...

GoldenQueen · March 12, 2011

They're all different variety of seeds.
333.okh, Central Valley doesn't have much humidity. I start my seeds indoors, then using a grow light, going with suggestions that an old friend was helping me with, then moving them outdoors to pots. I have 5 outside now, and still another 10 under the grow light, and the 4 that won't do a thing. lol... I might try putting them in the ground and starting there since we have a long growing season here. How did the pumice work? I add perlite & gypsum to my soil here.

shlacm · March 12, 2011

Last year I started seeds in pure perlite... nearly (if not entirely) 100% germination... 'course I eventually managed to kill off all the seedlings by overwatering (after they were potted up, not in the perlite). This year I'm using the Jiffy Seed Starting mix 'cause that's what Carolyn says she used. I think it's important to cover loosely with saran wrap too, but only 'til they sprout, also, you might want to soak them over night first if they're giving you issues! It seemed to help both speed and overall % of germination for the few varieties I had to soak this year!

GoldenQueen · March 12, 2011

Thank you Shlacm. I will definitely try that.

Shannon

333.okh · March 12, 2011

Yeah GQ, my wife is from the good old town of Bakersfield, but a residential setting not farming. They do not have the issues we do up here, but be careful sometimes that peat holds to much water in my opinion and then some have the water retaining gel in them as well.....better in my opinion to keep track of them and have the seeds in a more natural soil setting that is sterile. I have even used crushed cactus mix with great results.

GoldenQueen · March 13, 2011

Thank you 333.okh! I'll try the cactus mix.

Bakersfield isn't too far south of me. About an hour or 2. I'm originally a NorCal girl.

March 11, 2011	#1
GoldenQueen Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Valley, CA Posts: 31	Stumped.. I have 4 seed that I attempted to start in jiffy pots that just refuse to sprout. Have attempted it twice with nothing coming of them. I know I'm not over watering or under watering... Have tried a heat pad and light cover over them. These seeds just won't come up. Any suggestions on why some will just not sprout?

March 11, 2011	#5
frankkj Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Louisiana Posts: 90	I know many have good luck with Jiffy pellets and pots, but I never have. I do much better with a fine seed starting mix. Paper towels work well too, but keep an eye on them. Most of all........................relax, enjoy, keep the tempature in the 70's, and have a lot patience. Frank __________________ Old and Wise? Or maybe just getting old?

March 11, 2011	#2
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	How old are the seeds? And how long have you been waiting for them to sprout? Not sure about the jiffy pots, I haven't used them. If it's a variety you really want, and it's been long enough the know those aren't going to sprout, I might try the paper towel/baggie method myself.

March 11, 2011	#3
matermaniac Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Slightly North of Charleston, SC Posts: 114	Some seed are just on their own schedule and some are just dead. After 2 months of waiting on some peach habaneros to sprout, I finally have 1 sprout out of 30 some seed. But I also have some tomato seed that for the last two years have been horrible at germination but some do eventually grow. Patience is needed more often than not. Or a new batch of seed.

March 11, 2011	#4
OneoftheEarls Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Up North Posts: 660	yes...patience and crank that heat...starting at 70-75-80...if that does not work search a treatment method such as bleach solutions, sprout them in a ziplock bag, plant sprout...

March 11, 2011	#6
lurley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 741	There is always hope. I planted peppers almost four weeks ago and while some are in 4" pots now and six inches high, the pequins just showed themselves yesterday.

March 11, 2011	#7
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	What kind of seed?

March 12, 2011	#10
333.okh Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2010 Location: NorCal Posts: 110	I find that sometimes a seedling mix that is heavy on the peat does not do me well in Northern California...maybe the humidity? I usually make sure and add to my mixes some crushed pumice [I do the crushing]...This year I added the pumice and Denali Gold...

March 12, 2011	#12
shlacm Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Central VA Posts: 436	Last year I started seeds in pure perlite... nearly (if not entirely) 100% germination... 'course I eventually managed to kill off all the seedlings by overwatering (after they were potted up, not in the perlite). This year I'm using the Jiffy Seed Starting mix 'cause that's what Carolyn says she used. I think it's important to cover loosely with saran wrap too, but only 'til they sprout, also, you might want to soak them over night first if they're giving you issues! It seemed to help both speed and overall % of germination for the few varieties I had to soak this year!

March 13, 2011	#15
GoldenQueen Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Valley, CA Posts: 31	Thank you 333.okh! I'll try the cactus mix. Bakersfield isn't too far south of me. About an hour or 2. I'm originally a NorCal girl.