How can I find my old pictures?

[Leicester_H]

Hi

 

I am growing from seed chillies, tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, cucumbers, beetroot etc. - not all seeds germinate, but most do. Many have been potted up into 3" . They are all in the house,at present, as greenhouse is unheated and still getting very cold at night.

 

BUT I just can't get many squash seeds (http://www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk/Vegetable-Seeds-1/Pumpkin-and-Squash-Seed_2/Squash-Winter-Butterbush-F1-Seeds.html) to germinate and those that do eventually die (3 - 5 " tall).

I don't think I'm over-watering - but I may be - they do seem to rot (?) are soil level.

As I said above, everything else seems OK - I thought squash were relatively easy to grow ??

 

I have just a few seeds left - any suggestions on what to change ?

 

Thanks, H

[sjp]

it could be slugs or snails I've lost squashes and cucumbers the same way the little beggars only eat the outer skin of them but it's enough to kill young plants older plants you can see the damage and put extra soil around them i.e plant the a bit deeper and most will survive

I don't tend to sow my squash family seeds until the first week of may as I find they germinate better and they are big enough to go out at the end of May but not pot bound I also don't use rain water until they have the second proper leaves

[BlueSilver]

You said you were growing indoors, yes? I assume in a south facing window? Soil growing medium isn't old or anything? If it's rotting from the stem up, which is either overwatering or a problem with the dirt you are growing in. If it's a bag of soil you've gad lying around outside, try getting something new and fresher, just to rule out nasty moulds in your growing medium, and mind how you water. Squash seeds are easy to overwater; just keep the growing medium moist, but there should be no standing water in it ever. Being in a south facing window will help dry out your seeds if you overdo it.

 

Good luck!

Edited April 17, 2014 by Guest

[dancing cloud]

I know the instructions say germinate indoors etc, but I found the easiest way to grow squash was to plant straight in the veg patch once the soil had warmed up. May be worth a try if indoors isn't working?

[Leicester_H]

Hi

Thanks for your replies. Its new seedling compost in clean pots.

I have limited space outside, so its convenient to germinate in small pots to see what grows and then transplant.

I will persist!!

H

[Valkyrie]

Yup, don't give up. Have another bash. Might be too early for it yet - and they soon catch up.

[sjp]

I forgot to add about the non germination it might not be anything you are doing it could be the seeds I've had poor germination with that particular brand in the past

[Leicester_H]

I forgot to add about the non germination it might not be anything you are doing it could be the seeds I've had poor germination with that particular brand in the past

 

That's interesting - thanks.

I'm not an expert gardener but have been growing veg (and LOTS of chillies) for a few years now so know a little of what to do - couldn't understand why just the squash seeds weren't working.

 

H

[sjp]

so far I've had 8 or so varieties of tomatoes (2 seeds to a pot) fail 2 trays of Aquilegia a pot of red cabbage and 3 melon seeds and only 6 seeds germinate in a 3" pot of white cabbage

I've got about 10 or 12 various varieties of squash pumpkin courgette and cucumber plus the re sown melon that I started yesterday so I'll see how they germinate

on the plus side for the 2nd year running I've got 100% germination on a variety of sweetcorn the 2nd only start to come up yesterday but it's to much to expect 100% from both. mind it's the best quality seed I've seen in a long while

[Leicester_H]

Hi

After having bought cheap seed from various pound shops etc. , I decided I'd only buy from 'proper' suppliers from now on as its just not worth the time and effort to use poor seeds.

 

I expected seed from this company to be good - which is why I was/am surprised that it might be the seeds.

 

H

[Valkyrie]

I wonder if garden centres keep putting old stock back on the shelves in the hope that they will eventually go? I have bought seeds from Scats when getting chook stuff and although they are something like Johnson's or Fothergills, I have always had better results from the packs purchased from there. Much more hit and miss from the local garden centre. But the worst was, sadly, Chase Organics. The beans were OK but I had so many failures with parsnips. Last year was the first time I bought from Scats with great success. They aren't organic sadly, and this year they've done really well too, but at least I have parsnips! And nice sized ones - I don't do anything different and I've always held off till it's a bit warmer. In the past I had to have 2 or 3 goes before giving up. Definitely a shrug shoulders moment!

[Lesley]

Like sjp, I don't even sow squash until the end of April/beginning of May - they prefer the warmer weather and they all catch up. I grew 70 fruits last year.....we're still eating them!

[chickencam]

Make sure that you sow the seed edge or point down not flat as it rots easily if water sits on it same with French bean seed. I grow mine in 3" pots and usually sow a couple of seeds per pot because they rarely all come up, although I usually end up with one pot with two in and one with none

 

If you buy seed from garden centres check look at where it is displayed it is often in hot greenhouse display areas. We buy most of our seeds from our local Wyvale who sell them off at 50p in late August September time, that way we can afford to buy F1 and Grow Sure varieties which would normally be £3-4 a packet. They have theirs in a hot area that is why I will only pay 50p a packet for them, bean seeds and lettuce seeds seem the worst affected by heat.

 

I have successfully germinated some French beans, a couple of butternut squashes and 3 courgettes in my unheated greenhouse this year, I used a heated propagator for my tomatoes and a few flower seeds early on.

 

Baring hard frost at this time of year an unheated greenhouse is enough protection for most things. If we get a hard frost forecast I light a couple of large candles in there to keep the chill off.

[Valkyrie]

I like the candle idea. Might put that into practice if needs be. I do have a greenhouse heater but it runs off the electricity so I hate using it too much as hubby whinges about the cost!

[sjp]

best tip I was given about greenhouse growing was not to water late afternoon/evening time before mid June as the plants won't dry in time before the temperature falls causing frost to develop on the leaves and surface of the growing medium frost can occur from about 2 degrees C if you think it's going to be cold a newspaper 'tent' over the young plants will help to keep the warmth in, needs to be in place before the sun goes down for me that 6pm ish old net curtains work just as well

[Space Chick]

Hubby swears by starting off squash in a heated propagator.

 

We have tons of small plants now

 

Busy time at the allotment now

[Leicester_H]

Thanks for all the tips.

I think I'll sow the remaining seeds tomorrow (in unheated greenhouse)

Fingers crossed.

H

[redbug]

Keeping fingers crossed

[sjp]

most of the cucumbers and courgettes are up pumpkins and squashes are just starting to come up a couple have germinated but the seed case didn't come off properly and are touch and go as to weather they'll survive

[chickanne]

Agree about planting seed on it's edge. Also, only water from the base so the very top of the soil stays driest. Pot on into 6 inch or bigger and don't plant out until mid-June unless you are in the SW or have warm sandy soil. They are always the last crop I plant out but like others here I had a good crop last year - I freeze chips and chunks to see me through.

If my greenhouse is anything to go by it's going to be a BAD year for slugs, aphids and whitefly.

Like the candles in the greenhouse idea.

[chickencam]

I have had excellent germination this year, apart from pumpkins, I got 3 yellow courgettes in one pot, but only gave one butternut so far.

[Valkyrie]

Courgettes and butternuts sown - no sign of either!

[chickencam]

This warm weather has suddenly made my pumpkins pop up

[Valkyrie]

Courgettes were first and now the squash! Blooming mouse has chomped my sweetcorn in spite of putting a cover on and giving the little darling some poison treats - which it has eaten as an hors d'oeuvre!

[chickencam]

My squashes are all growing great guns with this heat