Germination of Tomatoes
 

Anyone else experiencing problem or delays?

I sowed three different varieties in greenhouse a week ago today : container on
heated sand bed: thermostatic heater in greenhouse : and none have come
through. Previous years the first ones usually come through in three or four
days.

Pure coincidence I am sure : but a couple of colleagues have also experienced
slow germination this year of tomatoes.

Germination of Tomatoes
 

Judith in England wrote:

I sowed three different varieties in greenhouse a week ago today : container on
heated sand bed: thermostatic heater in greenhouse : and none have come
through. Previous years the first ones usually come through in three or four
days.

Is it possible that the greenhouse air temperature, and thus the upper part
of the seedbed, are cooler than usual? I often put a plastic cover over
the flats, as much to hold heat in as to keep moisture up; I use the rubber
heat mats, with a thermostat probe stuck in the flat, usually set for
around 80F, which it barely maintains in a chilly cellar under fluorescent
lights, and a plastic sheet tenting in the front of the 3-shelf array.

(This all on a home-made rig made of scrap plywood. A cabinet maker I am
NOT!)


--
Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/4 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

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Germination of Tomatoes
 

On 27/03/17 16:07, Judith in England wrote:

Anyone else experiencing problem or delays?

I sowed three different varieties in greenhouse a week ago today : container on
heated sand bed: thermostatic heater in greenhouse : and none have come
through. Previous years the first ones usually come through in three or four
days.

Pure coincidence I am sure : but a couple of colleagues have also experienced
slow germination this year of tomatoes.

I sowed a dozen or two 3-year old Golden Sunrise seeds in an 8cm pot and
put it in a heated propagator. Germination was pretty good in less than
a week, and the seedlings are now a week on and look fine.

--

Jeff

Germination of Tomatoes
 

On 27/03/2017 22:24, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 27/03/17 16:07, Judith in England wrote:

Anyone else experiencing problem or delays?

I sowed three different varieties in greenhouse a week ago today :
container on
heated sand bed: thermostatic heater in greenhouse : and none have come
through. Previous years the first ones usually come through in three
or four
days.

Pure coincidence I am sure : but a couple of colleagues have also
experienced
slow germination this year of tomatoes.

I sowed a dozen or two 3-year old Golden Sunrise seeds in an 8cm pot and
put it in a heated propagator. Germination was pretty good in less than
a week, and the seedlings are now a week on and look fine.


I germinate all biggish seeds between 2 layers of wet kitchen roll
covered with a piece of bubble wrap in a warm part of the house. Never
fails :-)

Germination of Tomatoes
 

On Mon, 27 Mar 2017 14:11:07 -0400, Gary Woods
wrote:

Judith in England wrote:

I sowed three different varieties in greenhouse a week ago today : container on
heated sand bed: thermostatic heater in greenhouse : and none have come
through. Previous years the first ones usually come through in three or four
days.

Is it possible that the greenhouse air temperature, and thus the upper part
of the seedbed, are cooler than usual? I often put a plastic cover over
the flats, as much to hold heat in as to keep moisture up; I use the rubber
heat mats, with a thermostat probe stuck in the flat, usually set for
around 80F, which it barely maintains in a chilly cellar under fluorescent
lights, and a plastic sheet tenting in the front of the 3-shelf array.

(This all on a home-made rig made of scrap plywood. A cabinet maker I am
NOT!)


I suspect that you are right: re the greenhouse air temperature in the night.
I can't think of any other logical explanation.
If there is no soon sign of life - I will cover them up at night and keep them
nice and warm!!



Cheers

Germination of Tomatoes
 

On Mon, 27 Mar 2017 22:24:29 +0100, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 27/03/17 16:07, Judith in England wrote:

Anyone else experiencing problem or delays?

I sowed three different varieties in greenhouse a week ago today : container on
heated sand bed: thermostatic heater in greenhouse : and none have come
through. Previous years the first ones usually come through in three or four
days.

Pure coincidence I am sure : but a couple of colleagues have also experienced
slow germination this year of tomatoes.

I sowed a dozen or two 3-year old Golden Sunrise seeds in an 8cm pot and
put it in a heated propagator. Germination was pretty good in less than
a week, and the seedlings are now a week on and look fine.

Thanks: I did wonder about that as some of my seeds were from last year
(perhaps year before) and I wondered if they were too "old" !
But your experience says not. I think as someone has suggested it could be the
night time air temperature.

Germination of Tomatoes
 

On Tue, 28 Mar 2017 10:02:37 +0100, Stuart Noble
wrote:

On 27/03/2017 22:24, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 27/03/17 16:07, Judith in England wrote:

Anyone else experiencing problem or delays?

I sowed three different varieties in greenhouse a week ago today :
container on
heated sand bed: thermostatic heater in greenhouse : and none have come
through. Previous years the first ones usually come through in three
or four
days.

Pure coincidence I am sure : but a couple of colleagues have also
experienced
slow germination this year of tomatoes.

I sowed a dozen or two 3-year old Golden Sunrise seeds in an 8cm pot and
put it in a heated propagator. Germination was pretty good in less than
a week, and the seedlings are now a week on and look fine.


I germinate all biggish seeds between 2 layers of wet kitchen roll
covered with a piece of bubble wrap in a warm part of the house. Never
fails :-)

Good plan. We obviously all have our own ways. That was my problem : I had
followed my tried and trusted method - and I wondered why this year was
different from previous.

Germination of Tomatoes
 

On 28/03/17 10:28, Judith in England wrote:
On Mon, 27 Mar 2017 22:24:29 +0100, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 27/03/17 16:07, Judith in England wrote:


I sowed a dozen or two 3-year old Golden Sunrise seeds in an 8cm pot and
put it in a heated propagator. Germination was pretty good in less than
a week, and the seedlings are now a week on and look fine.

Thanks: I did wonder about that as some of my seeds were from last year
(perhaps year before) and I wondered if they were too "old" !
But your experience says not. I think as someone has suggested it could be the
night time air temperature.

Doubt it. My propagator is in the greenhouse. When the sun is out I turn
off the propagator as it get to 35C+ inside. Sometimes I forget to turn
it on again and on a cold night the temperature can drop to 8, or even
below in the greenhouse, and only a couple of degrees above that in the
propagator.

IIRC, some seeds germinate better when given cyclic temperatures - hot
in the day, and cool at night. But I doubt that the tomato is one of
them, being essentially tropical in origin.

--

Jeff

Germination of Tomatoes
 

Judith in England wrote:

Thanks: I did wonder about that as some of my seeds were from last year
(perhaps year before) and I wondered if they were too "old" !

I'm a seed saver, and tomato seed stored dry and cool is good for at
_least_ 3 or 4 years. Right now, I've got some 11-year-old "green zebra"
tomatoes germinating about 10%, which is pretty low but enough to get a few
plants to save seed from.

--
Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/4 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

---
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
http://www.avg.com

Germination of Tomatoes
 

On Tue, 28 Mar 2017 09:15:58 -0400, Gary Woods
wrote:

Judith in England wrote:

Thanks: I did wonder about that as some of my seeds were from last year
(perhaps year before) and I wondered if they were too "old" !

I'm a seed saver, and tomato seed stored dry and cool is good for at
_least_ 3 or 4 years. Right now, I've got some 11-year-old "green zebra"
tomatoes germinating about 10%, which is pretty low but enough to get a few
plants to save seed from.


Very interesting - particularly the 11 years !!

I have never grown "green zebra" - but I am trying some "Green Envy" for the
first time. I guess I will have to "squeeze" them every day once their orange
neighbours appear to be ready to pick !