After 2-3 weeks and not sprouting, do the seeds just rot and I need to start over?

[Guest]

I have started seeds out in my greenhouse. I have a gas heater but keeping it on minimum due to husband issues.



That being said, are my seeds not sprouting because it isn’t warm enough? If so, I am turning the heat up. It’s around 55-60° but much warmer, of course, with some sunshine! I have a fan blowing to distribute heat.

I’m in 8b zone. I just ordered from Amazon some heat pads.

**big gas heater behind house box fan. Nice and toasty warm in here.

Also, after 2-3 weeks and not sprouting, do the seeds just rot and I need to start over?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Corey]

In my experience seeds need warmth to germinate best. I sow my seeds inside around 68 to 70 degrees. That’s also why people use heating pads to germinate seeds as well. I’d say it’s to cold.

[Robert]

I use heat mats and they ate awesome.... also, I had a tray that I had started without the heat mat and they did not sprout... 3 weeks later I moved them over on the mat and almost all of them sprouted!

[Cam]

Yes, you have to start over, so sorry.. And I think you know its to cold now!!

[Robin]

sow the seeds inside and when they are above ground make a tent over the planter and then put them in the greenhouse.

[Linda]

Use a heat mat. If your husband objects, tell how much he may save at the grocery store and how much cleaner if you grow organically. The HUGE shortages in stores is coming. He will be thankful you have learned how to grow food!!!

[Kat]

R u watering with cold water? We have a long black hose, sprayer on the end. It stays full of water and heats up, we mist 2x a day. Full sun greenhouse, every thing germinated. DFW area.

[Holly]

The heat mats are all you need. You'll be fine but if seeds have rotted in the cold, you may need to replant.

[Jamie]

Use a heat mat, they have them in seed catalogs. Temps usually need to be 70's.

[Tricia]

Also look into black bottles of hot water. If your greenhouse warms up a lot in tgat Florida sun I bet just that would do the trick considering I can do it up north in March. I mean I put them out in that sun room and temps can dip to 27 at night if you use a tall greenhouse they are like 20 to 30 bucks. Make sure you open it in the morning. Close it at 3 or 4 blow a fan on them when open. Just a two tiny Mats keeps the temp up and so does the moisture. It gets steamy in there when I open it. I have also done this truck with tiny plastic tents outside using decaying compost. The tents needed to be tiny though and packed with bubble wrap around the bottom. No plants need to be watered well

[Sue]

My house is often 55-60 in the winter. Our only heat souorce is woodburning stove so it's not always warm. I've been germinating peppers, tomatoes, kale, sweet potato slips, broccoli, cabbage etc all on heat mats. I've had good germination using 24/7 heat pads.

[Harold]

Just depends on the seeds. Peppers and some other seeds needs a heat map to germinate. Other seeds need to be just scattered on the soil cause they need light to germinate such as poppies or moss roses. Some just needs soil and temps above 50°F or so like most maters. And then there's some who have to go through a period of cold temperatures before they'll germinate such as milkweed. Some seeds respond to a damp paper towel in a zip lock bag. The best thing is consult your local extension agency or a reputable seed company like burpees and look at the descriptions. In these FB groups you're going to get 50 million answers.

[Karen]

Tomato and pepper seeds germinate best at soil temps around 70 degrees. Rather than heat the whole GH, set up a section you can keep warm. Yo be specific, you want warm soil, which is why people use heat mats. But you can also use a regular heating pad. Just be careful to not get it wet.

[Mark]

A little electric heater in a small confined area won't cost too much. Heating the whole greenhouse will. I bought one of those cheap, small greenhouses and used it for that. They're like 5 feet tall with four shelves. I used a very small electric heater.. Heat mats would do it.