Poor Tomato Germination??

[frjeff]

My germination rate on my tomato seeds has me wondering/worried:

All planted March 26 (soilless seeding mix w/no fertilizer)


Roma 7 cells germinated of 28 (4%)
Beefsteak 4 cells germinated of 4 (100%)
Gurnsey Girl II 3 cells of 4 germinated (75%)
Sweet Baby Girl 0 cells germinated of 2 (0%)
Early Girl 3 cells germinated of 4 (75%)

I am particularly concerned about the poor rate of germination on the Romas and the non-germination of the Sweet baby Girl cherries after 8 days.

Should I just be more patient or ought I replant additional cells of plan on buying plants?

 

[woody3says]

With the good rates on three types I'd say the others are just bad seeds. I'd try some more

 

[robbyjoe01]

Gotta agree with Woody3says. Ya got a good rate with the others-stick with what works

 

[wordwiz]

I plant 102 seeds at a time in Oasis Horticube trays. Some are up on the fourth day, a few took two weeks.

Another time I sowed 150 Sungold and 150 Big Beef (both from Johnny's Seeds). I didn't count the Sungold but I have transplanted 80 and haven't used much more than half, so I have to believe the germ rate was better than 90 percent. But of the Big Beef, only four sprouted. Same mix, same watering, same heat.

Mike

 

[mmcdermott1]

Romas are typically pretty quick. No more than about a week and they should be poking heads through.

 

[megamoo]

Tomatoes should pop up easily, different thing compared to chillies. You only have to breathe on the things. At my last house there are currently two MASSIVE, HUGE sprawling plants taking over the yard from where rotten fruit were thrown. One is a Roma (probably crossed now) and the other is a Tommy Toe.

I threw the fruits at the leftovers of the compost pile, then much later I mowed the lawns and dumped the grass clippings on them. They got watered through the hot summer by the sprinkler on the lawn running down hill to them. They are growing much better than any tomatoes I have every tried to grow!!