The no show rotting show

[Marb67]

Well, yet again many sowing have failed to show. New and old seed packets and new compost. No show Leeks, No show spring and Welsh onions, No show flowers (various), No show French Beans, Poor show Carrots in sieved soil and sand (Nantes), No show Cucumber, and mostly bar very little No show and rotting runner beans/peas DESPITE soaking and sprouting before sowing.

Why do I bother ?

[Andraste]

Why do I bother ?

Because it's worth it when it works out

sounds like the only constant is the compost/type of growing medium

[Marb67]

Because it's worth it when it works out

sounds like the only constant is the compost/type of growing medium

Doubtful it's the growing medium as other sowings have been fine and sprouted.

[Nicos]

Do an experiment Marb…buy a selection of potting composts and see what works best for your style of gardening/ heating/ watering techniques.
Do you record each year what is failing and what is working…with dates?
Might be good to keep an accurate record then the successes ( and failures) will just out at you if there is a common denominator.

I know you use high quality compost…but it looks like it isn’t a ‘one type fits all’ situation for you, and it’s good to see you experimenting already with sand, molehills and from the looks of things pearlite already.

Keep going…you already have a beautiful garden…every ‘failure’ is another notch on a learning curve

[Peanut]

Are you keeping them in an unheated greenhouse marb at night? If so it could be that especially for all the beans and cucumbers, who don't like to be cold. I don't know about you but I've had some really cold nights during Apr and May.

Keep going

I'm having to resow loads of things this year so you're not alone.

[Jungle Jane]

Its been too cold overnight in a cold greenhouse for a lot of those seeds to germinate,causing rot for cucumbers & beans. Other seeds are slower germinating because of the cold temperature. Luckily this week the weathers warming up & will be 10 degrees overnight

[Marb67]

Thanks for the encouragement and compliments on the garden folks, it's just frustrating as time is wasted when they could be growing now. The fact that I had ore soaked them, some sprouted I thought would have insured against rot, even if in the cold greenhouse (which they are) but the extremes of temps this late in Spring isn't normal.

[JoaoLeaftide]

Beans and cucumbers in a cold greenhouse this time of year is asking for trouble honestly. They just sit there and rot if the nights are still dropping low. Worth waiting until you're confident it's staying above 10 overnight before sowing those again.

[Containergardener]

Marb I've have various trouble this year . There's some things I can't remember what they were hadn't germinated, I tipped the tray on the soil outside and whatever has germinated now even with rain/frost/slugs. I wait and see what they were.
Sometimea things just want to be awkward to test us.

I had trouble with cuc and peppers. Re sown the cuc and they've germinated.

[Marb67]

I will add that courgettes have germinated (similar seeds as cucumbers) and they have been in the same cold greenhouse. B beans and Tom's still only 3 or 4 inches high. They'll never catch up now!

[Penellype]

There are always some things that seem reluctant to germinate. I've had no show from some cucumbers, courgettes and melons (new seed) put to germinate on a heat mat in a bedroom that has not dropped below 15C all winter. Peppers (even from saved seed which is normally reliable) have been very difficult on the same heat mat. This morning I have signs of germination from a watermelon I sowed a month ago. Romanesco and PSB have had to be resown and have now germinated (in the same pots and propagator and from the same seed packets as the previous sowings).

Sometimes I think things are just determined to be difficult!

[Peanut]

Your broad beans and toms will be fine Marb. Once temps improve they will romp away.
My cherry toms are about the same size, I only pricked them out last night into 9cm pots, they'll soon catch up.

You can still sow French and runner beans and more cucumbers. I haven't sown any runners yet and have only started chitting French beans this week.

Keep the faith

[Marb67]

I can't belive a single runner bean hasn't germinated from sprouted, difference varieties and packets. Too late to sow more now

[Peanut]

I can't belive a single runner bean hasn't germinated from sprouted, difference varieties and packets. Too late to sow more now

It's not too late to sow more Marb, I'm only just chitting mine now!

[Penellype]

I've wondered before whether when you chit runner beans you damage the root when you plant it and that might be why some don't grow. This year I am soaking mine then starting them off on damp kitchen paper, but as soon as a crack appears near where the root comes out I'm planting them. As I only planted them yesterday I can't comment on if this works better, but from an earlier sowing planting after a root appeared, I have 5 seedlings from 8 rooted seeds.