what's wrong with my seeds?

[JerseyJimbo]

hi grapes,

i have planted a load of courgette, pumpkin cuc's seed bought from a link on this site. Many of the regular courgette have germinated well (see 3rd picture) but many of the different varieties have either failed completely or have put up weak and withered seedlings that are now starting to die off.

So i decided to have a root around, 'scuse the pun , and see if i could find the seeds in the soil they were planted and see what, if anything, they were doing...

The pictures 1&2 are of some of the seeds that i found, the have either not germinated or have just broken through the seed wall then look like they have died off

All seed were planted in a similar medium (John Innes No.1 sowing compost) at a similar depth, about half an inch, and watered with plain water, im very careful no to overwater, and left to germinate in a polyhouse in my kitchen.

Why would some germinate so well and others fail and rot so bad?

[Two_Sheds]

the seedlings look very drawn/leggy: try and give them more light. The seeds look too wet

how do you water them, and how often?

[Flummery]

It's possible that your compost was too wet. I find JI a bit heavy. I also think your germinated plants need more light - they are a bit leggy. Can you get them closer to a window, or maybe put some silver foil or white card behind them (not on the window glass side) to reflect light back?

[Liza]

did you plant them on their edge or flat ? Use seed/cutting compost.

[Two_Sheds]

did you plant them on their edge or flat ?

I don't think that really matters. I know the books tell you to sow on the side, but in reality, if you don't over-water then it doesn't matter.

[Liza]

I don't think that really matters. I know the books tell you to sow on the side, but in reality, if you don't over-water then it doesn't matter.

But if they are over watering then it does matter .....

[JerseyJimbo]

The seedlings are in direct sunlight in a polyhouse in front of a window, they could only get more light if i put them outside?

As for watering they have been watered once a week, using a bottle with a very small hole made in the lid. As i said all the seedling were planted in exactly the same way, i dont get how some can fail so badly yet others do so well??
Can it simply be down to varieties, the ones that have done well are 'black beauty' and the failures are 'oneball', also the squashes that have failed are 'spaghetti' and 'summer', all from the same supplier... id say im a tad disappointed...

[taff]

...or if you took them out of the polyhouse. It might look like you're giving them lots of light but when I put some seedlings in the greenhouse on shelving which is in front of bubblewrap to insulate the greenhouse a bit more, they started bending towards the light, so even a little bit of interference with natural sunlight is going to affect them.

watered once a week? when did you sow them? they're usually up within a week, so if you've been watering pots with seeds and no seedlings, they may well have rotted.

[JerseyJimbo]

Ah ok i see your point, unfortunately space is at a premium and if i take them out of the polyhouse i have nowhere else for them to go but on the floor infront of it where there is even less light??? Do you think that i could put them on my balcony to start hardening them off, i call it a balcony but its only 4'x2' and already busy with flower pots etc...?

They were sown on the 2nd of this month, if i have over watered them i guess that i will have to get some more seeds and try again if its not to late

thanks all for your advise

[Guttata]

Yes you can. When I used to have an allotment my balcony was where things went before I took them up.

[smallfrog]

i'm new to all this as well but squashes and the like want a bit of heat to get things moving along to start with. I have some planted early in the month and they took ages to get going.

I read in gardening which last year or maybe early this year that seed companies and viable seeds can vary greatly. You may even end up buying one plant and getting something complety different shoot up.

Don't loose heart i have tried and failed to grow peas twice so far this year. one lot rotted off 2nd lot were eatten by mice. 3rd are just sprouting so fingers crossed.

hope some of that helps

[Nykied]

Could you take the cover off your polyhouse? That way, you'd still have the shelves there but they'd get more light without the cover.

[Two_Sheds]

If it was me, I wouldn't put the polyhouse in your kitchen (it's too dark): put it on your balcony.

Start your plants on your lightest windowsill, or in the polyhouse on the balcony (I'm guessing you're a bit warmer than where I am). Squashes grow so fast that it doesn't matter if you start them in May, you'll still get a crop.

And ease up on the watering.

[rustylady]

I wouldn't use John Innes compost, I find it too heavy and prone to waterlogging. You can germinate seedlings on a warm(ish) windowsill, but as soon as they have germinated they need as much light as they can get. You say you have a polyhouse in your kitchen - how big is it? Would it not be better on the balcony?

[JerseyJimbo]

I bought the JI stuff cost its cheapish and seemed like a good buy at the time, compared to the B&Q stuff anyway...

See attached picture of the polyhouse and its place in the kitchen, there really is nowhere else it can go... I would put it on the balcony but there simply isnt the room... i know its not big but then neither is the balcony...

If i take the cover off does that not negate the point of having a polyhouse? I am still using it to germinate other stuff...

I have decided to draw a line under the current failures and buy some more seed and start again