I understand there are many variables but assuming that the seeds are decent and you are using all the right equipment i.e. heat mats, thermostats, domes, lights, etc?what kind of germination rate can one expect. I'm gonna be growing about 40 + varities and am trying to determine how many of each I should start to get the desired results. Should I expect 50,60, 70 or higher % germination what is the norm with all things being equall ?
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seeds Germination Rates
- Thread starter Spankyscolts
- Start date
I started about 72 seeds a few weeks ago, and besides killing a couple at the end by letting the Jiffy Pellets dry out, and the fact that I planted some of the superhots a week or so later after the other ones.. I got.. maybe 80-90% germination..(I wanted about 4 or so of each variety, so I planted 5 of each seed for my main types, and you can always plant a few extra a few weeks later) still have a few popping up now though, the superhots just take a while and I had the set at the edge of the flat, so they were not as warm as the ones in the middle.. then again, I had faster plants like the Bulgarian Carrot seeds, which all 5 of those popped up and are doing great.. they go so damn fast lol
a lot of it is just patience, if they don't pop, and after most of them do, move them in more or something so they get warmer or something like that, and the soil really makes a big difference, I had a few seeds that I added later in the normal potting soil I was using, and I thought it was really loose.. but not even close to as loose as it should have been for seedlings so I've only had 2 pop up a few weeks later, so I am going to re-do those and a few other seeds I am getting in the mail this week in the Hoffman's seed starting soil and give that stuff a shot, might mix a little peat moss that I got too in there to do about 50/50 or something, since I am use to using the peat moss
a lot of it is just patience, if they don't pop, and after most of them do, move them in more or something so they get warmer or something like that, and the soil really makes a big difference, I had a few seeds that I added later in the normal potting soil I was using, and I thought it was really loose.. but not even close to as loose as it should have been for seedlings so I've only had 2 pop up a few weeks later, so I am going to re-do those and a few other seeds I am getting in the mail this week in the Hoffman's seed starting soil and give that stuff a shot, might mix a little peat moss that I got too in there to do about 50/50 or something, since I am use to using the peat moss
Today is 2 weeks from planting and I am at 80% of the varieties I planted have popped (27 of 35). Of the ones that are up I would say about 7 or so are 3/3 and only two or three are 1/3. I am using different mediums (check the Glog if you need more info) but some just haven't moved.
I decided to double down on 3 of the varieties that haven't sprouted because I really want to get a plant from them. I figured I would go 3 seeds for each variety in hopes of planting out 1 of each. Whatever surplus I have will go to the farmers market or be given away to some NC growers on here.
I decided to double down on 3 of the varieties that haven't sprouted because I really want to get a plant from them. I figured I would go 3 seeds for each variety in hopes of planting out 1 of each. Whatever surplus I have will go to the farmers market or be given away to some NC growers on here.
Wow 80-90% I'm hoping for 65-75% lol. Thanks this is very encouraging! I may be starting to much. If I want 2 I'm starting 4 maybe I should re-think my plan a bit.
MGOLD are you in NC? I was born and raised there. Really miss it sometimes. I grew up in High Point, Greensboro.
MGOLD are you in NC? I was born and raised there. Really miss it sometimes. I grew up in High Point, Greensboro.
You should generally get about 80% or better if conditions and seeds are good. Might as well plant a few extra you can cull some later if you need to, and save more seed at harvest time. I sow extra because I don't want to wait 3 weeks and then have to sow more later. Some variaties won't do as well as others.
2 out of 3? That's not 80-90 % it's more like 66% lol ....
* scratching my head thinking funny math*
* scratching my head thinking funny math*
yea like letting them dry out later on, or I almost killed a few by having a soil that was way to dense and didn't drain very well and had to repot all 70 or so yesterday and added 2 bags of perlite and mixed it up really well and didn't tap the cups to make the soil settle like I did last time. .kept it really loose.. a very time consuming mistake to make... or like when one of my CFL lights fell from where it was hanging and onto my other bulgarian carrot.. it was just like my other one, and it fried it by the time I saw it.. sucks but oh well
Yep, what Nova and Maxs said. I thought you were wondering about number of seeds to plant to reach your "desired goal." Like I said in my post: '80-90% germination; but only 2 of 3 to reach transplant.'
After plant pokes its little head up, you still might get some of this:
seed cap stuck, dampening off, over-fert, under-lit, over-water, dried out, weak plants / runts, insects / pests / varmints, pets, children, adults, dropped, stepped-on, too much wind, rain, heat, cold, ghouse structure failure, stolen, vacation, stunting, root bound, root rot, fungus, lawn mower, sunburn, waste (too many of wrong type plant, not sold or planted).
Here's a link with a few observations about numbers of seeds to get your grow on:
germination poll
Alabama Jack also had a great score sheet on his grow last year which really nails down a lot of variables involved in a big grow also, beyond germination rate.
After plant pokes its little head up, you still might get some of this:
seed cap stuck, dampening off, over-fert, under-lit, over-water, dried out, weak plants / runts, insects / pests / varmints, pets, children, adults, dropped, stepped-on, too much wind, rain, heat, cold, ghouse structure failure, stolen, vacation, stunting, root bound, root rot, fungus, lawn mower, sunburn, waste (too many of wrong type plant, not sold or planted).
Here's a link with a few observations about numbers of seeds to get your grow on:
germination poll
Alabama Jack also had a great score sheet on his grow last year which really nails down a lot of variables involved in a big grow also, beyond germination rate.
Yup, I had a few of those occur an unlucky week for me! There was a 56+hr power outage in my neck of the woods last week. I took 4 of my 9 plants with me to the in laws trying to take care of them. I leave them under my light under the table, leave to go to the store, get back and to my horror the damn cat had chewed on most of the leaves! Lucky for me my plants are strong and the plants at home survived the cold, and lack of light. The plants the cat got seem to be ok as well! WHEW!