No show Courgettes

[Marb67]

why do I get so many failures? It's ridiculous. Brand new packet of All Green sown 7/3 still not showing. Nothing wrong with compost as other seedlings have germinated (peat moss and molehill soil)

[ameno]

Where have you been keeping them? Courgettes need plenty of warmth to germinate.

[Snoop Puss]

Do you have a heated propagator, Marb? I haven't even sown mine yet.

[Marb67]

Where have you been keeping them? Courgettes need plenty of warmth to germinate.

Do you have a heated propagator, Marb? I haven't even sown mine yet.

In the open garden sun in the day as so warm. Undercover in cold. greenhouse at night.

[Snoop Puss]

That might account for it. How cold does your greenhouse get at night? The GYO growing guide for courgettes doesn't give a temperature, but the RHS says the seeds need 18-21 ºC to germinate.

Your seeds might be warm during the day, but the night temperatures will hold them back. If you're lucky, the seeds will still be intact and germinate later. But in my experience, they rot quite readily.

I'm going to sow mine this weekend and they'll live outdoors in the daytime, like yours, but I'll bring them inside the house at night. I know that might not be possible for you. If not, sow them when night time temperatures are a bit warmer.

Good luck.

[Vince G]

why do I get so many failures? It's ridiculous. Brand new packet of All Green sown 7/3 still not showing. Nothing wrong with compost as other seedlings have germinated (peat moss and molehill soil)

You've sown way too early, you're in north-west England. Snoop is in Spain and is not sowing til the weekend and I'm in sunny Suffolk and I'm not even thinking of sowing mine until the start of May. Even if your seeds germinate it will be way too cold to plant them out in your neck of the woods before early June

[Marb67]

It says on the pack to sow April and my Tom's and chilli's are in the cold greenhouse doing well after germination in the house. I'll bring them in at night and see if that helps but it's pretty warm in Cheshire for the time of year.

[Mark Rand]

but it's pretty warm in Cheshire for the time of year.

You have been getting pretty close to frost overnight recently though.

[ameno]

It says on the pack to sow April and my Tom's and chilli's are in the cold greenhouse doing well after germination in the house. I'll bring them in at night and see if that helps but it's pretty warm in Cheshire for the time of year.

Courgettes need a consistent minimum soil temperature of at least 16c, and ideally 20+c to germinate. They will not be getting that outdoors or in an unheated greenhouse in March or April.

There is zero benefit to sowing this early in the first place, even if they do germinate. Courgette seedlings develop quickly in warmer weather and hate cold nights. Just sow in May.

[Marb67]

I'll leave what is in the seed tray and see if at least one comes up but I have used the whole pack I'm afraid as insurance as I don't have much space.

[Marb67]

Well, days on and had them on heated matt indoors and warm greenhouse in the day. Nothing. Zilch. What a waste of electric that was. I tell you, I have never known so many dud seed packets in my life.

[Nicos]

I wonder if they rotted early on?
Have a furtle and see what’s going on

[Marb67]

They haven't rotted but still no show. This is ridiculous considering the warm period we have been having.

[ameno]

They haven't rotted but still no show. This is ridiculous considering the warm period we have been having.

I would be almost certain that they have rotted. The kernel will have rotted out (in bad seeds it goes pretty quickly), leaving behind only the tough seed coat, which takes quite a while to rot.

You should resow, with fresh seeds. I only sowed my squash 10 days ago, you still have plenty of time.