1. IMPORTANT - NEW & EXISTING MEMBERS

    E-MAIL SERVER ISSUES

    We are currently experiencing issues with our outgoing email server, therefore EXISTING members will not be getting any alert emails, and NEW/PROSPECTIVE members will not receive the email they need to confirm their account. This matter has been escalated, however the technician responsible is currently on annual leave.For assistance, in the first instance, please PM any/all of the admin team (if you can), alternatively please send an email to:

    [email protected]

    We will endeavour to help as quickly as we can.
    Dismiss Notice

Germinating Seeds Quickly

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by shiney, May 18, 2011.

Page 1 of 2
  1. shiney

    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2006
    Messages:
    61,375
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired - Last Century!!!
    Location:
    Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
    Ratings:
    +118,510
    We, like many others this year seem to have been having trouble getting some seeds to germinate. Especially chillies.

    Mrs shiney came up with an idea and it appears to work well. :dbgrtmb:

    She has a seed sprouter for sprouting edible seeds like mung beans (bean sprouts) and alfalfa etc. So she decided to use it for germinating seeds.

    She placed them on damp tissue in the sprouter, in the kitchen, and they germinated in three days :yahoo:

    This is what it looks like:-

    chilli seeds

    [​IMG]


    butternut squash

    [​IMG]



    And this is the sprouter

    [​IMG]


    I'll update this as it goes along and we shall see whether they grow properly.
     
    • Like Like x 6
    • Informative Informative x 1
      shiney, May 18, 2011
      #1 Quote in Conversation
    • HarryS

      HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

      Joined:
      Aug 28, 2010
      Messages:
      8,906
      Gender:
      Male
      Occupation:
      Retired
      Location:
      Wigan
      Ratings:
      +16,246
      Shiney , this looks like a very high tech version of the Deno method of germination . I have placed seeds in damp kitchen towel inside a plastic bag and then put them in the boiler cupboard ,had lots of success :thumbsup: I also had a devil of a job germinating my Jalapeno seeds only managed 2 from about 50 seeds !
      Is that device acually bought as a "seed sprouter", or are you pulling the proverbial ?:D
       
      HarryS, May 21, 2011
      #2 Quote in Conversation
    • shiney

      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

      Joined:
      Jul 3, 2006
      Messages:
      61,375
      Gender:
      Male
      Occupation:
      Retired - Last Century!!!
      Location:
      Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
      Ratings:
      +118,510
      Harry,
      it's sold as a 'seed sprouter' but as a culinary one and not a gardening one. They can be bought in health food shops as seed germinators - retail price about £16 but Mrs shiney gets them trade at £8.75 + VAT. The three layers give quite a lot of surface area. They last many years.

      i've just Googled this http://www.healthstore.uk.com/c43429/sprouting-seed-germinators.html

      For sprouting the seeds for eating you don't put them on paper. The seeds just get put into the diferent layers in the sprouter, pour water on to them and let it drain down to the bottom container (there are drainage holes with little valves in them that take the water away slowly). Each day you just pour a little cold water over them to rinse them and in 7 - 10 days they have grown sufficiently for you to eat them. Similar to what you see on sale in the salad section of a supermarket.

      Mrs shiney potted up half the butternut squash and they have come through the soil OK and she potted up the chillies but they haven't come through yet.

      These are the rest of the butternut squash. Only one hasn't germinated.

      [​IMG]
       
      • Like Like x 3
        shiney, May 21, 2011
        #3 Quote in Conversation
      • Scrungee

        Scrungee Well known for it

        Joined:
        Dec 5, 2010
        Messages:
        16,524
        Location:
        Central England on heavy clay soil
        Ratings:
        +28,997
        Shiney, that looks the same as the 'BioSnacky' seed sprouter my wife bought from a car boot sale for 50p and looked like it had never been used (it didn't have any seeds for sprouting with it, but it did have some seasoning for putting on them). Those red drainage plugs in each tray were the clincher. Ours also has a clear bottom bowl like yours, unlike the (newer?) model shown in your link.

        I've been eyeing it up for germinating seeds in because the box actually has "Mini Greenhouse" printed on it:

        [​IMG]
         
        • Like Like x 1
          Scrungee, May 21, 2011
          #4 Quote in Conversation
        • shiney

          shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

          Joined:
          Jul 3, 2006
          Messages:
          61,375
          Gender:
          Male
          Occupation:
          Retired - Last Century!!!
          Location:
          Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
          Ratings:
          +118,510
          Yes, it's a BioSnacky. If you wanted it for edibles you casn buy the seeds in any health food shop. If it is just for bean sprouts you can buy mung beans in any supermarket.

          Of course, if you appropriate it for germinating seeds for the garden you have a bargain at 50p :dbgrtmb:
           
          • Like Like x 1
            shiney, May 21, 2011
            #5 Quote in Conversation
          • Scrungee

            Scrungee Well known for it

            Joined:
            Dec 5, 2010
            Messages:
            16,524
            Location:
            Central England on heavy clay soil
            Ratings:
            +28,997
            We get our Mustard and Cress in (separate) 1Kg bags and they last about 2 years or so, hunt around for best price on the like of mung beans. All (suitable) old, out of date, excess, specially grown seeds get germinated and feed to the hens in winter when greenstuff is frozen/covered in snow. At times we have 3 different seed sprouters all on the go.
             
            Scrungee, May 21, 2011
            #6 Quote in Conversation
          • capney

            capney Head Gardener

            Joined:
            Jul 9, 2008
            Messages:
            6,712
            Gender:
            Male
            Occupation:
            Retired and glad of it.
            Location:
            York..in gods County of Yorkshire
            Ratings:
            +1,320
            This looks interesting. My dehydrator has trays which look similar.
            I`m just wondering if I can adapt it. It has three trays.
            Think I might just give it a go.
            Thanks...
            shiney
             
            capney, May 21, 2011
            #7 Quote in Conversation
          • Kandy

            Kandy Will be glad to see the sun again soon.....

            Joined:
            Apr 23, 2006
            Messages:
            11,465
            Occupation:
            Head gardener
            Location:
            In the Middle Of Blighty
            Ratings:
            +6,543
            Shiney thanks for putting up this thread.:thumbsup:I missed it when you put it up on here as we were not on line and will show it to Mr Kandy:)

            I sowed my squashes over three weeks ago and as they were not doing anything sowed them again and stuck them in the airing cupboard this time which has helped but one of them had the baby leaves stuck together and one other had a bit of die back on one leaf but it has now opened up to reveal the start of the next true leaves:yess:

            We saw in our local garden centre last Autumn that they were selling those seeds germinators but didn't buy any as they were a bit small looking as they were square whereas Mrs Shiney's ones look larger as they are round:D
             
            Kandy, May 22, 2011
            #8 Quote in Conversation
          • shiney

            shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

            Joined:
            Jul 3, 2006
            Messages:
            61,375
            Gender:
            Male
            Occupation:
            Retired - Last Century!!!
            Location:
            Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
            Ratings:
            +118,510
            They're approx 9" diameter. :dbgrtmb:
             
            • Like Like x 1
              shiney, May 22, 2011
              #9 Quote in Conversation
            • capney

              capney Head Gardener

              Joined:
              Jul 9, 2008
              Messages:
              6,712
              Gender:
              Male
              Occupation:
              Retired and glad of it.
              Location:
              York..in gods County of Yorkshire
              Ratings:
              +1,320
              I have picked up on shineys idea and set up a selection of seeds on my dehydrator trays.
              This the result from a Hibiscus seed in just 24 Hours..!

              [​IMG]
               
              • Like Like x 1
                capney, May 22, 2011
                #10 Quote in Conversation
              • HarryS

                HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

                Joined:
                Aug 28, 2010
                Messages:
                8,906
                Gender:
                Male
                Occupation:
                Retired
                Location:
                Wigan
                Ratings:
                +16,246
                Looks like this is going to be the "must have" gardening accessory for the 2012 season :D I am scanning EBay now for one but prices are a tad high !
                 
                HarryS, May 22, 2011
                #11 Quote in Conversation
              • lazydog

                lazydog Know nothing but willing to learn

                Joined:
                Jun 30, 2011
                Messages:
                790
                Gender:
                Male
                Occupation:
                waiting to win the Lotto
                Location:
                Black Country Nr Dudley
                Ratings:
                +641
                I think I will have to try this the chilli's have not done well less than 50% germination and I was hoping to get an early start:blue thumb:
                 
                lazydog, Mar 7, 2012
                #12 Quote in Conversation
              • Tiarella

                Tiarella Optimistic Gardener

                Joined:
                Feb 19, 2007
                Messages:
                725
                Gender:
                Female
                Location:
                Romney Marsh
                Ratings:
                +120
                I do this every year with various seeds, particularly chillies, mangetout and other peas. Just damp kitchen roll in a clear plastic container (with lid closed) in the airing cupboard. Gets them off to a marvellous start.
                 
                Tiarella, Mar 7, 2012
                #13 Quote in Conversation
              • Rockmoc

                Rockmoc Gardener

                Joined:
                Jun 11, 2011
                Messages:
                59
                Gender:
                Male
                Ratings:
                +13
                Are these Seed Sprouters heated? Heat seems to be a component of germination in chilli seeds?
                 
                Rockmoc, May 6, 2012
                #14 Quote in Conversation
              • shiney

                shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

                Joined:
                Jul 3, 2006
                Messages:
                61,375
                Gender:
                Male
                Occupation:
                Retired - Last Century!!!
                Location:
                Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
                Ratings:
                +118,510
                Ours isn't. It's just sitting on the worktop in the kitchen.
                 
                shiney, May 7, 2012
                #15 Quote in Conversation
              Page 1 of 2
              Loading...
              Similar Threads - Germinating Seeds Quickly
              1. PhilC

                Problems germinating gunnera seeds

                PhilC, Dec 27, 2020, in forum: Tropical Gardening
                Replies:
                8
                Views:
                885
                Upsydaisy
                Jan 3, 2021
              2. PhilC

                germinating Fatsia Japonica seeds?

                PhilC, Jun 18, 2020, in forum: Tropical Gardening
                Replies:
                8
                Views:
                1,018
                pete
                Jun 19, 2020
              3. PhilC

                Germinating Chusan palm seeds (fan palm)

                PhilC, Apr 26, 2020, in forum: Tropical Gardening
                Replies:
                14
                Views:
                1,237
                pete
                Jun 13, 2020
              4. Aldo

                Germinating seeds: a few beginner questions (jars over soil and Jiffy pellets)

                Aldo, Mar 30, 2019, in forum: Edible Gardening
                Replies:
                20
                Views:
                2,464
                Aldo
                Apr 4, 2019
              5. athol

                first try at germinating clivia seeds

                athol, Oct 2, 2015, in forum: Propagation This Month
                Replies:
                3
                Views:
                1,432
                Sirius
                Oct 21, 2015

              Share This Page

              1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
                By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
                Accept Learn More...
                Dismiss Notice