Coated Seeds Question
 

What is the deal with these things? I have a terrible time getting them to germinate. Is it me? I have tried soaking them, I have tried scoring them. I have tried just planting them. I can't tell you the number ratio of what comes up but enough don't that I am asking the question.
MJ

Coated Seeds Question
 

In article ,
" wrote:

What is the deal with these things? I have a terrible time getting them to
germinate. Is it me? I have tried soaking them, I have tried scoring them. I
have tried just planting them. I can't tell you the number ratio of what
comes up but enough don't that I am asking the question.
MJ

Seed for what?
--
Palestinian Child Detained
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzSzH38jYcg

Remember Rachel Corrie
http://www.rachelcorrie.org/

Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg

Coated Seeds Question
 

On Wednesday, November 6, 2013 4:13:31 PM UTC-5, Billy wrote:
In article ,

" wrote:



What is the deal with these things? I have a terrible time getting them to

germinate. Is it me? I have tried soaking them, I have tried scoring them. I

have tried just planting them. I can't tell you the number ratio of what

comes up but enough don't that I am asking the question.

MJ



Seed for what?

--

Palestinian Child Detained

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzSzH38jYcg



Remember Rachel Corrie

http://www.rachelcorrie.org/



Welcome to the New America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg

Pepper and tomato most frequently

Coated Seeds Question
 

In article ,
" wrote:

On Wednesday, November 6, 2013 4:13:31 PM UTC-5, Billy wrote:
In article ,

" wrote:



What is the deal with these things? I have a terrible time getting them
to

germinate. Is it me? I have tried soaking them, I have tried scoring
them. I

have tried just planting them. I can't tell you the number ratio of what

comes up but enough don't that I am asking the question.

MJ



Seed for what?

--

Palestinian Child Detained

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzSzH38jYcg



Remember Rachel Corrie

http://www.rachelcorrie.org/



Welcome to the New America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg

Pepper and tomato most frequently

I wish I had an answer for you. The sales pitch for these coated seeds
is that either the coating protects, and promotes the plants, which you
say it didn't, or it is supposed to make the seed more amenable to
automatic planting systems.

I get at least 2/3 germination from new seeds, often more. Empirically,
it seems that you do worse. I would ask the company what's going on, if
I had any interest in continuing this effort.

Sorry, I can't be more helpful.

"Gardening is the purest of human pleasures."
- Francis Bacon
--
Palestinian Child Detained
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzSzH38jYcg

Remember Rachel Corrie
http://www.rachelcorrie.org/

Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg

Coated Seeds Question
 

On Sunday, November 10, 2013 12:45:35 AM UTC-5, Billy wrote:
In article ,

" wrote:



On Wednesday, November 6, 2013 4:13:31 PM UTC-5, Billy wrote:

In article ,



" wrote:







What is the deal with these things? I have a terrible time getting them

to



germinate. Is it me? I have tried soaking them, I have tried scoring

them. I



have tried just planting them. I can't tell you the number ratio of what



comes up but enough don't that I am asking the question.



MJ







Seed for what?



--



Palestinian Child Detained



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzSzH38jYcg







Remember Rachel Corrie



http://www.rachelcorrie.org/







Welcome to the New America.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg



Pepper and tomato most frequently



I wish I had an answer for you. The sales pitch for these coated seeds

is that either the coating protects, and promotes the plants, which you

say it didn't, or it is supposed to make the seed more amenable to

automatic planting systems.



I get at least 2/3 germination from new seeds, often more. Empirically,

it seems that you do worse. I would ask the company what's going on, if

I had any interest in continuing this effort.



Sorry, I can't be more helpful.



"Gardening is the purest of human pleasures."

- Francis Bacon

--

Palestinian Child Detained

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzSzH38jYcg



Remember Rachel Corrie

http://www.rachelcorrie.org/



Welcome to the New America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg

These are replacement seeds for the first ones that didn't germinate :) Out of a whole package of pepper seeds I have 2 that sprouted. I am still waiting for the
second round of tomatoes. Go figure
MJ

Coated Seeds Question
 

Coated Seeds Question
 

On Sunday, November 10, 2013 12:20:06 PM UTC-5, songbird wrote:
wrote:

...

These are replacement seeds for the first ones that didn't germinate :) Out of a whole package of pepper seeds I have 2 that sprouted. I am still waiting for the

second round of tomatoes. Go figure

MJ



do you use heat pads under the seed trays?





songbird

No but it is warm in the house. I germinate in the house and then move things to the greenhouse. They are also under an Aero Garden light.
MJ

Coated Seeds Question
 

In article ,
songbird wrote:

wrote:
...
These are replacement seeds for the first ones that didn't germinate :) Out
of a whole package of pepper seeds I have 2 that sprouted. I am still
waiting for the
second round of tomatoes. Go figure
MJ

do you use heat pads under the seed trays?


songbird

I'm guessing that these seeds are meant for direct planting. The
coatings are meant to assure germination and/or spacing. IIRC, much of
this pelletizing is done for grain crops, and alfalfa (lucern) which are
then mechanically sown. With that in mind, pelletizing peppers, and
tomato seeds would seem to imply a more ambitious planting than most
gardeners would consider.

Direct planting in the U.S. at this time of year may still be an option
in Florida, but direct planting anywhere else would be severely limited
by soil temperature. Tomatoes, and peppers need a soil temp of about 70
F to germinate, and at least 60 F to grow. Perhaps, "mjciccarel" is
antipodal, and already in mid-spring.

Still, seed coating can also serve as a carrier of fungicides,
bactericides, and insecticides that protect the seed and emerging
seedling. If it truly worked, it would allow me , perhaps, to skip the
sterilizing of my germination soil (181 F/ 20 min.), which I do to avoid
"damping off".

"Ciccarel", does that come with an Italian pronunciation?

Ciao
--
Palestinian Child Detained
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzSzH38jYcg

Remember Rachel Corrie
http://www.rachelcorrie.org/

Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg

Coated Seeds Question
 

On Sunday, November 10, 2013 2:03:48 PM UTC-5, Billy wrote:
In article ,

songbird wrote:



wrote:

...

These are replacement seeds for the first ones that didn't germinate :) Out

of a whole package of pepper seeds I have 2 that sprouted. I am still

waiting for the

second round of tomatoes. Go figure

MJ



do you use heat pads under the seed trays?





songbird



I'm guessing that these seeds are meant for direct planting. The

coatings are meant to assure germination and/or spacing. IIRC, much of

this pelletizing is done for grain crops, and alfalfa (lucern) which are

then mechanically sown. With that in mind, pelletizing peppers, and

tomato seeds would seem to imply a more ambitious planting than most

gardeners would consider.



Direct planting in the U.S. at this time of year may still be an option

in Florida, but direct planting anywhere else would be severely limited

by soil temperature. Tomatoes, and peppers need a soil temp of about 70

F to germinate, and at least 60 F to grow. Perhaps, "mjciccarel" is

antipodal, and already in mid-spring.



Still, seed coating can also serve as a carrier of fungicides,

bactericides, and insecticides that protect the seed and emerging

seedling. If it truly worked, it would allow me , perhaps, to skip the

sterilizing of my germination soil (181 F/ 20 min.), which I do to avoid

"damping off".



"Ciccarel", does that come with an Italian pronunciation?



Ciao

--

Palestinian Child Detained

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzSzH38jYcg



Remember Rachel Corrie

http://www.rachelcorrie.org/



Welcome to the New America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg

Yep Italian by marriage. I am in South Eastern North Carolina. My green house is small enough that I can keep those temperatures through out the winter. Well, as long as it doesn't get crazy cold. USUALLY I have established plants by now and they are much easier to maintain. I have just had a hard time getting anything started this fall. I do have 2 large pepper plants that are still producing and one tomato that is on its' way out. I took a cutting from that at stuck it into a hydroponic pot hoping for the best but not counting on it. That plant still has 8 green tomatoes. I have 6 more hydroponic pots that I hate to have empty. I have some broccoli in one and some onion sets in another. I have lettuce and spinich in pots with dirt and they are starting to take off. It has been really warm here until the last week or so.
MJ

Coated Seeds Question
 

Coated Seeds Question
 

Billy wrote:
....
I'm guessing that these seeds are meant for direct planting. The
coatings are meant to assure germination and/or spacing. IIRC, much of
this pelletizing is done for grain crops, and alfalfa (lucern) which are
then mechanically sown. With that in mind, pelletizing peppers, and
tomato seeds would seem to imply a more ambitious planting than most
gardeners would consider.

coated seeds in quantity are for greenhouse growers
who have machines to plant entire trays at a shot (using
air pressure). rather nifty idea actually. some of
them are even pre-treated to start germination so that
the grower has fewer days of waiting for sprouts. these
must be kept carefully refrigerated.

in field applications (alfalfas, clovers, etc) the
coating is also likely innoculated with beneficial
nitrogen fixing bacterial species.

for damping off problems i've always done ok using
grit on the surface instead of cooking the soil.


songbird

Coated Seeds Question
 

In article ,
" wrote:

On Sunday, November 10, 2013 12:20:06 PM UTC-5, songbird wrote:
wrote:

...

These are replacement seeds for the first ones that didn't germinate :)
Out of a whole package of pepper seeds I have 2 that sprouted. I am still
waiting for the

second round of tomatoes. Go figure

MJ



do you use heat pads under the seed trays?





songbird

No but it is warm in the house. I germinate in the house and then move things
to the greenhouse. They are also under an Aero Garden light.
MJ

I'd recommend a heat pad and a grow light connected to a timer. If you
have troble with damping off, sterilize the soil first (at least 181 F
for 20 min.) I get good results with it.
--
Palestinian Child Detained
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzSzH38jYcg

Remember Rachel Corrie
http://www.rachelcorrie.org/

Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg

Coated Seeds Question
 

On Sunday, November 10, 2013 2:41:42 PM UTC-5, songbird wrote:
wrote:

...

No but it is warm in the house. I germinate in the

house and then move things to the greenhouse. They

are also under an Aero Garden light.



on a table? on the floor? near a window? near

a door? near a heat vent?



it may not be warm enough, if you are going to keep

trying to germinate peppers and tomatoes a pad is

well worth the expense. if you were closer i'd give

you mine to try out to see what happens...





songbird

On a table near a large window. The house is always over 70 and I have no problem germinating other seeds. The Aero Garden is always full of something, Basil right now. I did actually notice a tomato that had come up yesterday so I guess there is hope
MJ

Coated Seeds Question
 

In article ,
songbird wrote:

Billy wrote:
...
I'm guessing that these seeds are meant for direct planting. The
coatings are meant to assure germination and/or spacing. IIRC, much of
this pelletizing is done for grain crops, and alfalfa (lucern) which are
then mechanically sown. With that in mind, pelletizing peppers, and
tomato seeds would seem to imply a more ambitious planting than most
gardeners would consider.

coated seeds in quantity are for greenhouse growers
who have machines to plant entire trays at a shot (using
air pressure). rather nifty idea actually. some of
them are even pre-treated to start germination so that
the grower has fewer days of waiting for sprouts. these
must be kept carefully refrigerated.

in field applications (alfalfas, clovers, etc) the
coating is also likely innoculated with beneficial
nitrogen fixing bacterial species.

for damping off problems i've always done ok using
grit on the surface instead of cooking the soil.

And where do you get the grit, bird?


songbird
--
Palestinian Child Detained
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzSzH38jYcg

Remember Rachel Corrie
http://www.rachelcorrie.org/

Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg

Coated Seeds Question
 

Billy wrote:
songbird wrote:
....
for damping off problems i've always done ok using
grit on the surface instead of cooking the soil.

And where do you get the grit, bird?

pet store (birds need grit) or feed store
(chickens, etc. need grit).

however, in thinking a bit, it seems rather silly
to just not buy a sterile seed starting mix. you
don't need that much to get going and it isn't
that terribly expensive.

or... you could mix worm castings and compost in
the mix and see if that helps. it's not that hard
to trial.

or... or... i've heard mention of sharp sand
or mason sand being used in a similar manner as grit,
but i have not tried it myself so cannot say much
from direct experience.


songbird