Seed germination time

Hi everyone - have not been around for a while and not done much gardening but did sow some seeds a few weeks back. Most of them have germinated apart from the Lobelia - do these take longer than other seeds and am I just being impatient?

 

Small seed, and slow germination IIRC. But "a few weeks back" should be long enough.

 

Which Lobelia?
Some of the perennial Chilean Lobelia need a period of cold stratification to break their dormancy.
Lobelia should be surface sown, but never allowed to dry out.

 

They were surface grown and it may only be two weeks since they were sown - it was just that all the others were coming up and I am an impatient gardener! Maybe they will pop through tomorrow.

 

Patience Grasshopper. All good things come to those who wait.

Beth Chatto says she always keeps seed trays that haven't germinated two years before she throw them out. I wouldn't wait that long - but I would wait.

 

The longest that I've waited is a year. Five months so far on the Tropeaolum tricolorum..........

 

Hi ajuga.

As already said, it is vital to make sure the surface of the compost NEVER dries out. To this end it would probably be helpful to cover the pot(whatever you are using) with a sheet of glass if you have one. If not, you could do as I do and just put the pot inside a polythene bag, works for me

Cheers...Freddy.

 

Are you talking about bedding Lobelia? Mine have taken three days to germinate but they are in an electric propagator. They need more heat than other plants to get going.

 

I grew Suttons Cascade Mix last year they did take a few weeks to germinate, the packet (empty I keep them lol) says 10~21 days to germinate, they were Suttons SUPASEEDS coated for easier handling, the seed is huge compered to uncoated seed!

I collected some of the plants in Oct and finished drying them out upside down in a paper bag and left to dry out, then just tap/shake gently and tons of seed came out.

this is the resulting stock at three weeks from seeding, they germinated about day 5.



I did cover mine last year, but lost half a tray due to them turning into toast in a matter of a couple of hours spring sun, so I'm deffo leaving them uncovered this year, keep them very wet when its sunny.

Regards, Plant Potty.

 

Yes, quite right. I should have added, plenty of light but not direct sunlight.

 

Well, just to update you my lobelia have at last decided to germinate! Maybe I hadn't been keeping them wet enough so when I had almost given up I poured water over them and the next day there they were! All the other seeds are way ahead of them. I have one of those plastic shelved greenhouses on my patio - would it be safe to put the other very young plants in there yet?

 

Ajuga, although I don't have problems with Lobelia germination I find they take longer to put on growth than most other bedding, so I start them off slightly earlier than the rest.

 

My LOBELIA Trailing Colour Cascade Mixed germinated after 13 days but seem to be sitting their now,I have transplanted them from a very small plug tray into a 3" pot using a cocktail stickjust trying something I had read,but I dont have enough room to keep them on direct heat.
This is the first time I have done so many flowers(see my other thread)but for my plans to work I need more space or less nights like last night.If I have to start using more heat the cost wont be worth it i might just as well by plugs from the local nursery.

 

So it's not just me then with lobelia seeds then still waiting after 2.5 weeks!
Everything else has come up