No show nasturtiums

[Marb67]

Well, another brand new seed packet of nasturtiums, new seed sowing compost and out of all the 12 cells only one has germinated in a month. The red powder is cinnamon to stop damping off.


Absolutely terrible failure

[Nicos]

That’s disappointing marb.
I’ve only this week sown some nasturtium outdoors and in situ. Literally poking them into the soil and scraping a bit of top soil over them. Then leaving them to whatever the weather/cold throws at them
They have never really done well for me in modules.
I then transplant any overcrowded plants elsewhere with plenty of soil so as not to disturb the roots.

Are yours still there under the soil or have they rotted?

[Jungle Jane]

I was wondering if cinnamon had an affect on germination & found this (part 4-effect of cinnamon oil on plant growth)
”In the greenhouse (semi-controlled conditions), the 345.6 mg/L concentration of cinnamon essential oil stopped the seed germination of Amaranthus retroflexus L. The concentration of essentials oils had a greater effect on weed susceptibility than the type of oil used. However, cinnamon oil had drastic inhibitory effects on germination.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8433798/

It says cinnamon oil but it’s still cinnamon so maybe this is why it’s affecting your germination….after the seeds germinate & you have seedlings,then apply the cinnamon,just incase it’s this?

[Marb67]

I sprinkled the powder some time after I sowed them and no, the powder isn't harmful. There are many gardeners on Youtube who use it with success. Beside, it hasnt killed my other plants I have used it on that have actually germinated.

The strange thing is, when I used to live atbanother property, the Nasturtiums came back every year in the rockery, so the seed wouldn’t be prone to rotting as all kinds of weather would have been thrown at them.

[ameno]

If they've been kept warm and only one has germinated in a month then they were bad seeds, simple as that.
Just get yourself some replacements. Take the the current packet back if you still have the packet and it's still in date. If you bought it online, just phone them. It's usually quite easy to claim a replacement from the major seed suppliers.

[Marb67]

It seems of late that a lot of new seeds (some different makes) I got from Wilko are duds. The quality of everything has gone downhill since Covid.

[ameno]

I've had dud seeds from Wilko before (beans in my case), and they were easy to take back for a replacement.
Try to get a new packet with a different batch number if you can (it should be printed on the back of the packet somewhere).

[Marb67]

I got a load of packets in the sale at the end of last season for pence. They are all well in date so something is amiss. They are not Wilko branded, just sold in Wilko. I don't have my receipt unfortunately.

[ameno]

Not a lot you can do about that then, I'm afraid. If they're not Wilko branded and you have no receipt then there is no proof they were bought there, after all.
At least they were cheap. At this point you'll just have to buy some more.

[Marb67]

Or its just me, everything I touch gets the kiss of death.

[Nicos]

Nope marb, but maybe you need to step back and change tactics?
Having lived and gardened in the north of England, then moving here, I had to absolutely change my line of attack and be totally flexible. Things I researched and advise I sought didn’t always work for me here so I had to become more like a private detective/ investigator as the methods of growing fruit/ flowers and veg.
My next door neighbour does things totally different from me…I tried to follow what he does as I thought we have the same soil…but the microclimate / exposure/ soil types etc are clearly very different!
I think, for you, it really needs a change of tactics with all aspects. From what I have seen, you have a beautifully sheltered garden…maybe try limit what you grow to what likes those conditions? Maybe a selection of different potting composts?…that sort of thing.
Gardening is humbling, we can’t fight Nature, but can certainly make the most of it by changing our techniques/tactics/ expectations

You can do this marb….but maybe try different approaches beyond your comfort zone..and accept not everything wants to grow in your lovely garden!

[Marb67]

Thanks, I do try to make this small space as much like heaven on earth as I can. I have now started to collect mole Hill soil from the country lane verges to be seive very fine to add loam to the sowing compost.

[Nicos]

^^^^ that sounds a great idea! And free too

[Marb67]

The thing that doesn't make sense, and throws light on the seeds being duff, is some varieties of veg/flowers have germinated, some haven't. Brand new Wilko Little Gem seeds weeks on is a zero show.

I have since found my receipt but how can I prove to them they didn't germinate ? I used up all my Nasturtium seeds in that sowing to get just 1 plant. It doesn't make sense. Can't be my soil/compost/conditions as why would some of my seeds germinate if that was the case ?

[ameno]

I have since found my receipt but how can I prove to them they didn't germinate ? I used up all my Nasturtium seeds in that sowing to get just 1 plant. It doesn't make sense. Can't be my soil/compost/conditions as why would some of my seeds germinate if that was the case ?

You don't need to prove it. Just take in the empty packet and the receipt and tell them that only one seed germinated. They'll put through a replacement for you.
Precisely because it's basically impossible to prove they will almost always just take people's word for it, especially as the packets are cheap and it's easier just to give them a replacement and keep them happy than it is to argue over it and potentially lose a customer.