Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: spud on March 25, 2021, 09:59
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Hi all
I'm having big issues getting my lettuce seeds to germinate, I'm using this years purchased seeds, Ive tried covering them lightly, not covering them with any compost, at low temps of 15C and higher at 22C they are in a seed propagator with higher moisture levels they just wont germinate.\, or at best very poorly. I'm way behind with my plans.
Can you share what works for you please? thanks
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Hello the seed need stratification,put them in the fridge over night then sow in a good seed compost at 65 degrees should be showing in 2 to 3 days jezza
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Lettuce prefers cooler conditions - some varieties don't germinate at all at temperatures over 20C. They don't like to be too wet either, so be careful with watering.
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Mine in germinating in my unheated greenhouse here in the south east. I just put 2-3 seeds in each module and I will thin to a single seedling once they get a bit bigger. They are just sat on the greenhouse bench with no cover.
Maybe treat them a bit meaner :)
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I grow little gems....
I keep the seed packet in the fridge all the time (as mentioned above)
To germinate I always pre-chit in a tub with damp kitchen paper.
I leave in the bathroom as this has the most consistent temp and normally within 2-3 they sprut, I then put the seed in a pot and lightly cover with compost run through a sieve so it's nice and fine
Never had a problem with this method
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I just chucked some out of date seed ( pk of Gem and pk of mesclun mix) on a pot of compost with a bit of sieved fine stuff on top and it is all growing like stink !
:)
Personally i think you are trying too hard , chuck it in and feign indifference ! :lol:
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Thanks everyone for the input, I've tried the methods mentioned and lets see how it goes. I'll be back. ;)
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Nothing showing yet, I dont know what I'm doing wrong!
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Is the propagator heated?
If so turn it off.
A temp of15 c would be better than 22c which is a bit warm.
I would be thinking about a refund/ replacement on the seeds.
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Yes tried them in fridge overnight, then sown and lightly covered and left in kitchen window, they are still damp but nothing germinating
I'e tried several packets of seeds and nothing from any of them, so it must be something Im doing!
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Try new seed and a different compost .
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I've done that today, and resown a load of seeds.
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Just a thought, are you just a little impatient - not everything germinates within a couple of days.
The average time for lettuce germination is 7 days
https://www.allotment-garden.org/gardening-information/seed-saving/seed-germination-viability-testing/
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Thanks Leslie, I'm thinking it may have been the compost as I had a tray of cabbage transplants coming along, a bit slow and then they all died, sadly I had mixed 2 -3 bags to get them used up so dont know which!
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Just a thought - how wet/damp are you keeping your compost? Your reference about the cabbages coming up and then dying, made me wonder whether it's too wet and you have damping off disease for the cabbages?
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Hello as Yorkie suggests it could be damping off, another cause could be if the watering can you use has been used for any weedkiller it would slowly kill the cabbage, if the compost in the bags had any white mould on it that can prevent germination jezza
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Damping off could be an issue as I always struggle with watering! I dont use weedkiller so not that, but I tend to water only when they get a bit on the light side as I hate seeing them wet and fallen down, they dont all get back up!
So far I have 1x lettuce plant that has germinated and is looking healthy.... this next sowing had better work or I'm in big diffs
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so far I'm having better luck this time, there are 2-3 types of lettuce that are popping up ahead of the rest. :D
Anyone care to share which lettuce types they find do well or that they prefer? the ones I wanted most was Red Grenoble and they still havent done that well. Black seeded Simpson is first up and in good numbers followed by Jericho.
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A couple of years back I tried Red Grenoble from 2 different suppliers and never got a single one - coincidence, maybe? - maybe not..
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only grow lolla rosso now seem to last for ages picking the outside leaves and dont bolt
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only grow lolla rosso now seem to last for ages picking the outside leaves and dont bolt
Mine bolt! Tropical weather here in the North West :lol: however even when they do bolt I still pick the leaf.
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Spud, I'm glad you are having better luck now!
FWIW, I don't start any lettuce indoors. I direct-sow in the ground, and have better luck that way. The lettuce does not mind the cold at all (yes, it's warmer here on average, but our last freeze was just one week ago). If you still have some seed, give it a try!
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thanks everyone, I now have some good plants coming along but the Red Grenoble have not done well only about 6x plants out of 3x different packets approx 150 seeds sown.