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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] solanum germination problems

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  • From: "William H Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
  • To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] solanum germination problems
  • Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:15:19 -0600

As you were describing the situation I asked myself the question you then asked, about the seeds drying out. Unfortunately it’s easy to do with heating mats and I’ve done it myself. It’s especially easy in a greenhouse where sunlight hitting the tray can magnify the effects of heating mats. With bottom heat you can have media drying out underneath before the surface dries out because the heat is driving moisture upwards.

 

Bill

William H. Shoemaker

Sr. Research Specialist, Food Crops

University of Illinois - Crop Sciences

St Charles Horticulture Research Center

535 Randall Road, St Charles, IL, 60174

630-584-7254, FAX-584-4610

wshoemak AT illinois.edu


From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Amy Rice-Jones
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2010 12:27 PM
To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [Market-farming] solanum germination problems

 

Hello all,

I discovered this week that sweet peppers, tomatoes and eggplants that I sowed 2-4 weeks ago have had very little or no germination. I cannot figure out why this is happened. I have dug up some seeds and it appears that they did not rot as I opened up the seed and the endosperm looks good and has imbibed some water. There were a few pepper seeds that had a root radicle sticking out that looked a bit rotten so maybe that flat got over watered but that does not explain the tomato or eggplant seeds that appear to still be viable but have not stuck out a root radicle. The later two crops appear to have been sown too deeply so maybe this is the problem? Any thoughts? My soil mix is 3 parts compost, 2 parts coco peat, and 1 part perlite. All the trays are on a heating mat.  Is it possible that the tomato and eggplant seeds dried out and this stopped the germination process? I hand water so I know I have cut it close sometimes but am usually good about not letting the trays dry out while they are germinating. I would appreciate any thoughts on why this has happened.

Thanks!

Amy

--
Amy Rice-Jones
Bounty Farm Manager
Petaluma Bounty
210 Fourth St. Suite B
Petaluma, CA 94952
amy AT petalumabounty.org
707-775-3663 ext. 213




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