How not to rot seed (squash)

[veg4681]

Any tips on this anyone? I have a bad habit/history of rotting seeds of squash or curbits vegetable family, namely courgette when sowing. Is there a guaranteed way of avoiding this? When seeds failed to germinate within the expected period, I tend to over react with watering perhaps...

[zazen999]

Hi
When are you sowing them? I gave up sowing too early as they just don't do anything...and they catch up so soon. I found to make sure they were nice and warm and not too wet, just damp compost only.

[middlefield]

Sow the seeds on their sides, this seems to work for me.

[veg4681]

Hi
When are you sowing them? I gave up sowing too early as they just don't do anything...and they catch up so soon. I found to make sure they were nice and warm and not too wet, just damp compost only.

I even managed to rot them last year in around May so was held by few weeks. Out of 2 courgettes seeds I've sowed so far just last Feb, one germinated but the other one didn't exactly rot, rather got lost in the compost (took too long to germinate & possibly went duff). I have however managed to rot few melon seeds .

[veg4681]

Sow the seeds on their sides, this seems to work for me.

I do that too, says so on the seed packet or as standard seeds sowing instruction. I sow with the pointy bits up, is that the right way?

[sez]

I water the compost lightly before sowing, stick em in on their sides (as in, pointiest bits to the left and right not up!), cover them with plastic bag or propagator lid and leave them too it... only ever water ungerminated seedlings if the compost is really dry to the touch.

[muckdiva]

If the seeds are very thick coated, make a small nick in the outer coat (carefully). Then pre-sprout the seed in some damp kitchen paper before planting. Hope this helps.

[Peter]

Squash like it warm, I get much better germination on mine if they are warm.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Squash like it warm, I get much better germination on mine if they are warm.

Heated prop warm? THinking of sowing mine indoors in uncovered pots (cool attic room - assuming house roof still in situ!!) mid April - will that be ok?

[Peter]

Hazel, yes, I have an ancient single tray unregulated heated propagator and it pushes them out within a few days, where a cool window sill will take a couple of weeks and loose some.

I'll try and get brain, camera, memory and propogator in conjunction this week for you.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Hazel, yes, I have an ancient single tray unregulated heated propagator and it pushes them out within a few days, where a cool window sill will take a couple of weeks and loose some.

I'll try and get brain, camera, memory and propogator in conjunction this week for you.

Hmm - my way sounds a bit hit and miss - I'm a bit worried as I have 3 or 4 varieties of unusual squash (but only 3 seeds of each) so don't want to fall at the first hurdle!

[veg4681]

Hmm - my way sounds a bit hit and miss - I'm a bit worried as I have 3 or 4 varieties of unusual squash (but only 3 seeds of each) so don't want to fall at the first hurdle!

Same problem here, tend to be hit and miss shots and also not that many squash seeds here so must make sure to learn 'how not to rot the seeds' .

[shirlthegirl43]

If you really want to know they are doing something and be certain they won't rot then the moist kitchen paper way of germinating is deffo the way to go. My first try with squashes was a miserable failure but someone suggested pre-germinating and I haven't had trouble since. Like parsnip, once you see a shoot, pop them in a pot of damp compost and away they go.

[bluemoon]

I always pre-germinate anything which is large enough to handle; peas, beans, sweetcorn etc. This seems to eradicate problems caused by rot and, presumably because the seedlings then emerge within a day or two, it also means that I tend to lose fewer to rodents and birds when direct sowing outdoors.

[Alison]

I go for the on it's side (pointy ends to left and right!) in damp compost approach and ususally get a pretty good germination record although some of my squashes took so long last year that I planted some more only for the first lot to sprout the next day! Don't do any of these in heated propogators as find that the window ledge works fine in April when I tend to sow.