My wife is trying to start veg., herbs, etc seeds in her new hobby greenhouse (6'x8'). Its been 2 wks and none have grown. She is hurt. She put them in sterile starter in plastic trays with a cover on them. What is she doing wrong? I feel bad and want to help.
She first put mix in tray, then the seeds, then a little more mix and then watered them. She put the covers on the trays and they have been in the greenhouse since. The temp. has fluctuated alot.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Hello! Thank you for visiting my website.
Your wife should definitely have some seedlings after 2 weeks (although not all seeds sprout quickly). You don't say exactly what was planted, so I can't speculate beyond that.
First, did you and your wife read the section on planting seeds in my website? Be sure to do so.
From what you've written, I can guess at some possible problems.
1. Was the potting mix moist when the seeds were planted? That's important. It is very difficult to wet a dry mix sufficiently for seed germination--especially after planting, as the seeds will get washed out. I usually water mine with *warm* water and let it soak in awhile before I plant seeds. If you use a mix with peat moss in it, this is especially important. Any remaining potting mix I keep in a closed plastic bag so it doesn't dry out.
2. Perhaps the seeds are planted a little too deep. Small seeds usually need only be pressed into the surface. Larger seeds are generally planted at a depth 3 times their narrowest width. I generally use a light sprinkling of vermiculite on top. Seeds have a finite amount of energy stored. If planted too deep, they will use all that energy just trying to reach the surface. If they don't get there, they can't manufacture their own food. The stored energy is gone. They die.
Also, some seeds need *light* to germinate.
Did you dig up any seeds to see if they have sprouted?
3. Consistent moisture (but not too much) is important. Do the tray covers fit well enough to keep moisture in? Is the potting mix *too* wet? It should be moist, not swampy.
4. The fluctuating temperatures you mentioned could be the problem. Seeds generally germinate better and faster with consistent bottom heat. 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit works for most seeds. (I use propagation mats.) Seeds sitting in wet cold potting mix will usually rot rather than sprout.
5. Another possibility: Some seeds that have especially hard coats (such as Morning Glory) sprout better if they are first nicked a bit with a file and soaked in warm water for a day before planting.
6. Be sure to get the book I mention below for your wife. It's the best one available for hobby greenhouse gardeners.
Here is the contact information for my favorite mail order greenhouse supply business. If you contact them, please mention that you heard of them through "Sherry's Greenhouse web site." Thanks!:
Charley's Greenhouse Supply, 1569 Memorial Hwy, Mount Vernon, WA 98273-9721, telephone 1-800-322-4707, fax 1-800-233-3078.
If you are going to have just one greenhouse book, I HIGHLY recommend "Greenhouse Gardener's Companion" by Shane Smith, Fulcrum Publishing. It is comprehensive and a very good value at $19.95.
From the back cover: "Advice on selecting and propagating plants; environmentally friendly ideas and economical suggestions; setting up your greenhouse; alphabetical listing of more than 300 flowers fruits, vegetables and herbs; solving pest and disease problems in the greenhouse; schedules for year-round harvest of food and flowers."
If you cannot find it locally, you may purchase it via the Web from Amazon Books (http://amazon.com).
It's very nice of you to want to help your wife. Hope this does! Please let me know the outcome. Thank you.
--- Sherry