Why haven't my seeds sprouted?

[Crazyfowlfreak]

DH and I bought a cute, four-shelved, greenhouse a few weeks ago. Two weeks ago tomorrow, we planted seeds for veggies in it and have been waiting for them to sprout. So we planted the seeds in those plastic trays with the covers that act as a greenhouse and then put those inside the actual greenhouse contraption. Today the wind knocked the darn thing over and as we were picking up the mess, we noticed that not one seed had sprouted. We used potting soil to start the seeds with and they've been kept moist and in the sun for two weeks. We did have a frost two evenings during that time. Could it be the frost that has prevented the seeds from sprouting?

This is so disappointing as we need to grow this garden to eat for the summer and plan on canning a lot of what we get for the fall and winter for food. Does anyone have any ideas as to what went wrong? We started seeds last year and with a frost, they still grew. What did we do wrong? Thanks for any replies

[TZ -OH6]

In a mini greenhouse in the sun, with covers on top, sounds like you cooked them all.

Try starting seeds indoors at room temperature without a cover on them. They don't need light until the first on sprouts (except for lettuce that does need light to sprout).

[Timlin]

I agree with TZ. I have a green house and I find my seeds sprout much better in the house where the temps stay more regulated.

Once sprouted you can move them to your greenhouse but you have to be careful not to let it overheat during the daytime in the sunshine. I have a thermometer in the greenhouse that I can read from in the house and by noon every day that's sunny I have to get out there and open it up. (I do have an automatic opener in the roof but if all the doors are closed it's not enough to keep it cool enough I have to open the front door and have an air movement moving through)

My greenhouse is 8 x 16 so it's much larger than yours and still it quickly overheats if I don't open it up. Your's being smaller would over heat faster.

Oh and also.......when my seedlings are in those tiny beginner (nine to a container) pots they dry out amazingly fast in the sunshine so I check 2 or 3 times a day and often just one cell in the group will be dry while the rest are fine. I have no idea why this happens but it has to be watched carefully.

[hardland]

I started my seeds in 3 inch jiffy peet pots. I could have used smaller pots, but I find the smaller they are the quicker they dry out.. I am new to this, but I believe at first your seeds need just warmth and moisture, once they have bolted they then need sunlight and moisture, some warmth.

[DoubleDogFarm]

once they have bolted they then need sunlight and moisture, some warmth

not sure what you meant by bolted, bolted usually means going to seed.

[rootsy]

If your weather has been anything remotely like ours over here it will take a while for seed to sprout in an unheated greenhouse... (especially those tiny ones that have nothing in them containing a warmer mass). I've had stuff planted for almost a month that is just emerging... Stuff planted later is up and going without issue...

Early on I started in the basement where it is a consistent temperature and once things sprouted put them under florescent light. My tomatoes and peppers are still there as it is down into the 30's at night and though it will not "freeze" in the greenhouse I would rather they not be subjected to those temperatures quite yet.

I fill starters and peat pots with a mix of peat, compost and pearlite that has been well mixed and graded... Compact slightly, moisten thoroughly. Make a divit with my finger and place seed in divit. Cover with finely ground vermiculite.