Tomato seedlings and mould

[StephenH]

About a week ago, I sowed tomato seeds (Amish paste) in multipurpose compost in peat pots and put them on the kitchen windowsill in a tray with water in the base, covered with cling film. They haven't appeared yet, but a lot of mould has, on the sides of the pots and the surface of the compost. Does this matter? If so, what can I do? I've taken off the cling film, to let air circulate a bit.

[FionaH]

It sounds as if they are too wet. I wouldnt have thought they need to stand in water all the time. Just now and then if they get really dry

[Eyren]

Sounds like they were too damp - wise move taking the clingfilm off! Don't leave seed trays/pots standing in water, especially if it's cold - I made the same mistake earlier this spring with some broad beans and lost several to mould

If the toms still haven't germinated by next weekend, I would sow some more in fresh compost and this time keep them moist but not waterlogged. There's still time to catch up!

[StephenH]

Thanks, both.

[Flummery]

I make sure the compost is slightly damp - it usually is when it comes out of the bag - then I sow the seeds, sprinkle a little more compost on, cover with a poly bag and leave them. No more water. Your seeds might still come but I think they will have rotted. Still bags of time to have another go.

[Two_Sheds]

in a tray with water in the base.

Nothing should stand in water - compost will get far too wet, and any roots will rot.

[vikkib]

I was about to ask a very similar question!

I planted tomatoes, chillies, peppers, aubergine and courgette seeds, some last weekend and some the weekend before.

I nearly filled my plastic seed cells with John Innes no. 1 and watered the cells, planted the seeds and then covered with a sprinkling of compost before watering some more and then popping in a propagator tray with lid. I've left them in my plastic greenhouse (which I was sooooo proud of just two weeks ago but no I want a 'real' one! ).

I've been checking them every day and watering regularly but nothing as yet. I think I may have been a bit over eager with the watering.

Should the propagator lid have any holes in it? There is loads of condensation on them each day. To be fair there's also loads of condensation on the inside of the greenhouse too... double wammy on the moisture I guess!

[BarleySugar]

I wouldn't have thought a plastic greenhouse would be warm enough for these, I think they need around 20C to germinate, so a windowsill inside is a better bet. It would be getting quite cold at night, even if the day temp is quite high. With the cold and the damp, they may have rotted off.

[vikkib]

Thanks, BarleySugar!

I will go and bring them in, in the hope that they recover and plant some more just in case!