I cannot get lettuce seeds to germinate for love or money. I've even tried leaving them on top of the soil/potting mix/seed raising mix without success. I've tried them in a propagator and I've tried them in the open, I've tried them in every single season. What am I doing wrong?
29 Jan 12 Kate (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi!
I have found the perfect way to germinate vege & fruit seeds at 100% germination rate. This can be used for all seeds.
You'll need:
* papertowel - cut it so it can fold in half and fit into a ziplock bag
* water
* seeds
* ziplock bag
- wet a papertowel - wring it out so it is just damp
- put seeds on one half of the papertowel
- fold the papertowel in half so it covers the seeds
- put the seeds/papertowel into your ziplock bag -lock the bag
- write on the bag what seeds you have in it
- now... hang your ziplock bag outside undercover (i use an underwear clothes hangy thing. I can hang upto 20 seed bags at once on the hangy thing.
your seed will germinate in half the time of that it states on the packet. You will have to remove them and put them into seedling pots to grow bigger before transplanting them out.
Good luck!
Hi Kate!
What a great idea. My slight adaptation is I am not trying too raise great quantities so I put two sets in each ziplock bag and tuck a plastic marker tag inside each of sets saying what it is (with a Chinagraph pencil - they don't wash off) and the date when started.
Regards, John
During germination you may need to keep them iout of sunlight. I start mine in the shade completely. They only need water to get started. You can start giving them some sun when the leaves appear.
03 Mar 12 gary ellard (Australia - temperate climate)
try putting hessian bags over the area where the seeds are planted and keep moist . this will work for nearly all planted seeds and they will germinate a lot quicker than stated on the packet. YOU MUST KEEP THE HESSIAN WET/DAMP.
This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. GardenGrow is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department.
The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.