Depressed! Things aren't germinating!

[dominic10]

Two years ago I planted three lots of runner beans from a packet purchased that year eventually ending up with a crop later on as the first two failed Last year I saved my own seed and all but one have come up if they cross pollinated it would have been with my neighbour who grows heritage varieties. We're on the south coast, and its cold and everything is later than usual. In fact its perishing cold this morning. Give it another go, things can only get better hopefully.

[Bigmallly]

^^^^ and you don't really need sun to germinate beans and courgettes, just warmth. Do you have an airing cupboard where you could put the ungerminated ones for a few days?

Sorry, I should have emphasised the sun for the warmth not the light........

[veggiechicken]

Sorry, I should have emphasised the sun for the warmth not the light........

We could all do with a few weeks of sun, never mind the seeds!

[Andromeda]

We could all do with a few weeks of sun, never mind the seeds!

Amen!

This year has been shocking for growing outdoors and a nightmare for judging when to move things out of the gh - I feel really sorry for first time GOY/first year allotment holders (not a year that's good for confidence really).

[Bigmallly]

We could all do with a few weeks of sun, never mind the seeds!

I've been asked to enter a competition for best newcomer plot or something, anyways the way things are going I'll be the only contestant (if I enter) with empty beds.........

[veggiechicken]

BigM, Maybe they'll judge you on the quality of your structures rather than what's inside them!

Here are a couple of photos of some bean and squash seedlings, all planted 9th May - just to show how erratic germination can be! There are 8 types of squash and courgette, 4 of each and 2 types of runner bean and 2 types of French bean.


Hope you've noticed my Root trainers

[Pa Snips]

I feel really sorry for first time GYO/first year allotment holders (not a year that's good for confidence really).

Don't feel sorry for us first-timers, I'm amazed on a daily basis by the rate at which everything is growing, well everything except the cauli's which have done absolutely nothing. Around eight or nine weeks ago I put four peas into a Morrisons flower bucket and I now have four pods and twelve flowers which will almost certainly be pods within a week. My potatoes grew by about 2" over night since I earthed them up again yesterday. The strawberries are throwing out runners and my wife and I ate our first home grown strawberry each yesterday. The tomatoes which were sown in my unheated greenhouse are catching up with the propagator sown ones and that's despite them being sown a couple of weeks later, in fact I nipped out all the side shoots yesterday and had to nip out some more today. Everything is going crazy and I'm loving every minute of it.

If this is a bad year for growing then I'll struggle to keep up on a good year!

[Jeanied]

Some of my seeds have germinated and then the roots got eaten by nasties! That will teach me to use up a bag of old seed compost.

[Andromeda]

Don't feel sorry for us first-timers, I'm amazed on a daily basis by the rate at which everything is growing, well everything except the cauli's which have done absolutely nothing. Around eight or nine weeks ago I put four peas into a Morrisons flower bucket and I now have four pods and twelve flowers which will almost certainly be pods within a week. My potatoes grew by about 2" over night since I earthed them up again yesterday. The strawberries are throwing out runners and my wife and I ate our first home grown strawberry each yesterday. The tomatoes which were sown in my unheated greenhouse are catching up with the propagator sown ones and that's despite them being sown a couple of weeks later, in fact I nipped out all the side shoots yesterday and had to nip out some more today. Everything is going crazy and I'm loving every minute of it.

If this is a bad year for growing then I'll struggle to keep up on a good year!

You're doing really well there! Glad you're enjoying it so much.

The first timer who's allotment backs onto the bottom of mine is having a miserable time, dead plants left right and centre.

[Potstubsdustbins]

This year will teach all the newcomers to GYO the gardeners most vital asset.

It ain't skill, it ain't knowledge its..............................................patience. It will happen in its own time weather dependent.

Colin

[areia]

must admit ive lost quite a few seeds to rot, just hope this weather finaly sorts itself out

[kentishgal]

You def need patience, thats for sure! Its my first year GYOing in the garden and its a steep learning curve esp with the manky weather.. Ive lost count of the amount of things Ive planted out that have dropped dead or been eaten by slugs.
Still the troops on the bathroom windowsill are in good shape (too good actually, the courgettes are huge and the french beans are a foot tall!). Even turning the heating off didnt help as the cucumbers grow really quickly and the runners seemed to grow whilst I was watching!).
Still, I feel like Im kinda winning so far.

[Shadylane]

I am also a pre-chitter. I always soak mine for a bit then pre chit in a plastic tub on the windowsill. When they've sprouted I pot them up. Saves on wasting compost and you get higher germination I reckon. Wouldn't be brave enough to use boiling water though

[Cue the Toms]

Although it's not good news re the current weather, this thread is actually quite encouraging that I'm doing ok so far! I have around 50% germination figures for my indoor planted seeds and counting daily, but only the radishes are doing anything by way of germination outside... The toms and strawberries are doing well with some having flowered... Overall I am very pleased considering.

Chris

[Two_Sheds]

Is it because it's been cold and low sunlight?

Yes, that's exactly why. I'm having the same problem with some of my more temperamental varieties