Germination rates

[Deleted]

What are your seed germination rates like this year ?

I've planted my usual array of veg and had a bit of a mixed result. Carrots - very erratic, no parsnips at all yet, nor any onions. I've had masses of radishes, lettuces, tomotoes and cucumber but by sweet and chilli peppers have been poor (2 out of 8 chillis and 4 out of 8 sweet)

More concerning is the lack of germination of the flower seeds I've planted. Most of them were new packets, bought this year and planted almost immediately. Out of 40 busy lizzies, I have 1 seedling & 24 marigold seeds have produced nothing so far. I've had a little more success with some zinnia's and some rudbeckias (about 50% germination rates for each) but it seems pretty poor from most of the rest.

I should add that all of these have been kept in my greenhouse, I used new compost and they have been regularly watered.

Just wondered how anybody else's were doing.

FA x

[Barbara]

I had a no show with spring onions, I've sown some more, I moaned on a thread about flower seeds, I only got 8 dahlias to germinate out of a full packet. I saw a programme on TV that showed most seeds are dead.

[Deleted]

Maybe that explains it then

Seems like it's been very poor this year.

FA x

[Barbara]

We're being ripped off again. Jas saw a site that PROMISED germination, shouldn' they all?

[Jasmine]

That was Unwins Sure Grow - have to say the free spinach I got has not all germinated - there are gaps in the line! But like you say Barbara, you should not have to pay more for seeds with a germination guarantee

[Ladygardener]

It is quite easy to see the Sure Grow when you're sowing it 'tho they're quite a bit more expensive than ordinary seeds. I looked at some courgette seeds and they were nearly £4 a packet.

[MamIDdau]

Our spring onions haven't come up, apart from about 2 I think. I sowed 35 sweetpeas snoopea and 40 sweetpea something else on 6th March and they were in the GH. None of the snoopeas came up (I think one has peeked thru in the last week...) and 26 of the others came up.

Sweetcorn northern sweet, one came up out of ten. Cape gooseberry germination rate was piddle poor in one batch too.

[francegarden]

I bought a packet of aquilegia seeds from Thompson and Morgan and when I opened the packet - there were NO seeds in it!.
I phoned them and they did - eventually - after about 6 weeks - send me another packet.
Have not planted them so don't know if they will be any good.
My best results for morning glory, etc. have been from seeds saved by a friend.

[Chuckles]

I've not had a good year with germination rates at all. SP's and Sweet Peppers totally failed on the first attempt, second attempt I probably got 70%. I used the same seed 2nd time around so it wasn't the seed, although I sowed them exactly the sameway as the first lot

I have had very erratic germination on some of my flowers, I've pricked out and even been at the 2nd potting on stage when I've noticed fresh germination, approx up to a 3 week gap. I think it was Jilly that was seeing the same with some of her seeds.

[pdblake]

I've been getting bad/slow germination this year, but then realised that a few of my seeds were well out of date. Saying that, quite a few did finally come through.

Francegarden, you're not on your own with T&M dragging their backsides.

[andy]

Well...for me personally, it's been an exceptionally superb year for germination. Just about everything has come up with gusto to the point where ive had to throw seedlings away. I have used heat mats and put the down to a lot of the success though.