Brussels Sprouts Taking Too Long To Germinate?

[Decado]

It's been a couple weeks now, I planted them 1/4" deep as per the instructions on the packet, I'm not using a heat mat for them so the temperature stays around 60 degrees, I packed the soil in very lightly and I'm watering from the bottom up, I even inoculated the soil with some compost tea a couple days ago. What could I be doing wrong? Should I be putting light on them before they sprout even?

[rainbowgardener]

They say Brussels Sprouts take 7 -14 days to germinate.

This table says 5 -10 days at optimum soil temperatures (which would be with bottom heat)

https://www.heirloomseeds.com/germination.html

So given that your soil is a little cool for them, it may just be slowing them down a bit. Be very careful not to over water. The risk is that seeds sitting for a long time in cool moist soil can rot before they germinate.

I don't think they need light for germination. If they did your seed packet would tell you that.

Here's a little article about growing brussels sprouts (something I have never done)

https://www.tinkersgardens.com/vegetables/brusselssprouts.asp

[applestar]

Is 60º the warmest room in the house? At any rate, I think they'll be coming up soon now after 2 weeks. Putting them under the lights actually provides a bit more warmth so I would consider doing that (for the temp boost rather than the light) if you have the room.

[Decado]

RG, you were the one who told me not to use a heat mat for the brussels sprouts because they're cold weather crops. So you think I should be using it then? Also it's hard not to over water because after just the initial watering the soil stays wet forever, even after removing the excess water from the drip tray.

[Sharpy]

I used a heat mat and they came up in 6 days...

[gixxerific]

I can't remember exactly how long mine took but it was a couple of weeks in a cold basement at least. Just give them time, if your soil is staying too wet for too long try a fan rather than heat maybe.

That reminds me I have to plant mine this weekend hopefully. I need to get a fence up first though. My dog was rolling in the (poopy smelling) compost earlier today.

[Decado]

Still nothing, I dug one up to see if it's sprouted at all, and I found nothing, couldn't even find the seed (so small). I've been using a heat mat for 4 days now. Are these seeds doomed? Is it too late to start more? Should I just buy them from the nursery at this point?

[Sharpy]

What kind of media are your starting them in?

This is my first year of starting seeds too so I tried a unscientific experiment with my seeds. For each vegetable I started I started 1/3 in coco soil (the coconut shell stuff that comes in a small tablet), 1/3 in bagged seed starter mix and 1/3 in the Jiffy tablet things with the netting around them.

I have almost 100% germination with the Jiffy tabs! The starter soil was about 50% and the coco stuff only about 20%.

Just my 2¢...

[Decado]

[url=https://www.amazon.com/Ocean-Forest-Organic-Potting-1-5cuft/dp/B000VFWFE8/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=thehelpfulgar-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325]https://www.amazon.com/Ocean-Forest-Organic-Potting-1-5cuft/dp/B000VFWFE8/[/url] the rest of my seedlings I did a 2 parts potting soil to 1 part worm castings mix, and I covered the seed hole with worm castings. The humic acid in worm castings is supposed to help germination.

[jal_ut]

It's been a couple weeks now, I planted them 1/4" deep as per the instructions on the packet, I'm not using a heat mat for them so the temperature stays around 60 degrees, I packed the soil in very lightly and I'm watering from the bottom up,

First use some fine seed starting mix. Fill your pots and water well.
Then plant the seed 1/4 inch deep and press the planting medium down well. Water from the top as needed. Place the pots where the temperature will be 70 degrees.

Small seed needs a fine planting medium so the seed can be in good contact with the soil and adsorb water. Press down the soil for that reason and also to eliminate air pockets around the seed. If they start to germinate and dry out its goodbye.

Water from the top. Often bottom watering does not wick up to the seed. Depends on your planting medium. The medium should be damp, but not soggy.

Yes, this is a cool weather crop, but most seed will germinate well at 70 degrees. If your medium is saturated and the temp is cool the seed may rot.

Check your germination. Soak your seed for four hours. Dampen a paper towell then fold it up to cover the bottom af a cereal bowl. Place a few seed on the towell, then cover the dish with a saucer and place it on top of the refrigerator. Check in 3 days, and each day thereafter until you get germination. Check the towell and if its drying out add a bit of water. Usually a bowl with a saucer on it will hold the moisture quite well. You can also germinate your seed like this and plant them when you see tails.

Good luck!

PS The top of the refrigerator has long been known as an excellent place to germinate seed.

[jal_ut]

Are these seeds doomed? Is it too late to start more? Should I just buy them from the nursery at this point?

I can't say if this planting is doomed, but it is not too late to start over in your area.

[Decado]

Thanks for all the great info Jal.

[Decado]

Well I replanted these the same way I planted my tomatoes and peppers and put them on the heat mat, I forgot to mention I sprinkled mycorrhizae on the seeds as well. It should work out pretty well as I only planted my tomatoes and peppers saturday night (2 days before new moon) and already have sprouts popping up. Planting by the moon really seems to help.

[applestar]

Now, this I'm interested to see how it turns out. In P. Stamet's Mycelium Running, he describes an experiment using Hypsizygus ulmarius mushroom bed planted in wood shaving/sawdust mulch for pre-established Brussels Sprout transplants. The photos show B.S. harvest from the companion mushroom bed to be significantly larger than the control.

I was going to get H. ulmarius spawn to try growing with my veg's, but I'm going to have to give up on that experiment this year.

Try inoculating your carrot/celery/dill/parsley/parsnip bed too. King Oyster mushrooms are supposedly symbiotic with the carrot family.

[Decado]

That's not surprising as it probably forms a similar symbiotic relationship with the plant like with mycorrhizae. Everything I've read about inoculating with the mycorrhizae (first the seeds then the roots when uppotting and transplanting) you get significantly larger plants due to the larger "root" area, with any plant. I also found the whole planting by the phases of the moon thing interesting (got it from "How To Grow More Vegetables"), it really does seem to work.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Cool stuff AS...

HG

[garden5]

I wonder what it is about the moon phases that encourages better germination.

If absolutely none of your seeds have germinated yet, perhaps you should just cut your losses and replant, this time using the heat mat. If you can, replant in a separate bed and see if the current seed bed ever does germinate.

How old are the seeds? How were they stored? You just may have some bad seeds.

[Decado]

G5 I think you must have missed my post, I just replanted them yesterday. As for the moon phases I think it's the electromagnetic influence on the seeds that helps germination, which tends to give creedence to my thread a while back about electromagnetic seed stimulation at ancient stone circle and mound sites that are on ley line intersections.

[cynthia_h]

Did the original brussels sprouts seeds ever show anything at all??? Or were they a complete bust?

I had that happen with some chard seeds in the ground in perfectly nice weather April 2008. Three 3-foot rows (two or three weeks before I acquired the cement blocks for Bed #1), two chard seeds in each finger-dented planting "hole."

Nothing. Nada. Nichts. Zilch.

That bit of territory is now under Bed #1.

So I know the feeling.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[Decado]

They didn't show anything at all .