Jump to content

Have I killed my seeds?


Guy

Recommended Posts

On December 30th I sprinkled various seeds onto trays with a peat/perlite mix.  Nice and damp.

The trays went into my frost free (minimum 3°C) greenhouse.  Then I forgot about them.

Looking today the compost had completely dried out.  It's now damp again, but will it be too late for the seeds?

Thanks.

Guy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It has been cold so they may not have started full germination yet.  If that is so, lucky you, and they should still germinate, or at least some of them should still germinate.  Otherwise they will have dried out and are dead.  Just keep them moist for a month or so and see if anything comes up.  If nothing has appeared in say 6 - 8 weeks, then you have lost them.  I'll wager something will come up for you, though perhaps not all the seeds.  Keep them moist and at least wait until we get some warmer weather to promote germination before deciding to discard the trays.

Rob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks again.

Definitely warmer down here in Dorset than in Sheffield, so perhaps things will start a bit earlier.

As to the stratification.  Not sure how it will work out.  The greenhouse has a heater which keeps the temperature to 3°C as a minimum.  But, on a lovely afternoon like this, the greenhouse is up to 15°C and one of the roof vents has opened.

This is my first attempt at growing from seed.  If it doesn't work then a rethink will be needed for next year.

Guy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At least some of them should still come up fine.  I don't usually expect to see germination until April or May from my Sarracenia seeds, that I tend to sow around Christmas time and place in an unheated polytunnel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Update--absolutely nothing showing in any of the trays.  We're now 5 months on from sowing.

I've found a few slugs and snails in the greenhouse, so it may be that the seeds started to come through and got eaten.  Or they never came through at all.

Should I give up with this lot, or is there still some hope?

Guy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks ada, but there's definitely nothing there!  I spotted a snail/slug trail across one of the trays this morning, so the likelihood of predator damage seems high.

How do you keep slugs and snails off seed trays?

Guy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did all that, except the trays dried out for an unknown period of time between December 30th and January28th--see OP.

Perhaps they'd started to germinate then were killed by drying out.  Although I'd have thought germinating during early January at low temperatures would be unlikely.

 I'll try again.  Is the end of December the best time to sow the seeds for Drosera, Pinguicula and others?

Thanks.

Guy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks ada.  I think I'll get rid of the current lot and get some more seeds.  I'll sow the pings when I get them, and leave the rest until the end of December again.

Must come up with some way of keeping slugs and snails off the seed trays, though.

Guy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...