Hey everyone! I'm reaching out because I'm having a strange issue with my seed germination this season. Normally, I get fantastic results—almost 100% germination rates for my peppers and tomatoes—so I'm puzzled by what's happening this time. I followed my usual routine: timed everything perfectly, kept the seed depth consistent, and made my potting soil from compost, vermiculite, perlite, and peat moss just like I always do. But this year? It's been a complete flop with absolutely no germination from my seeds. I can't believe that all my seeds could've gone bad at once, especially when I have new ones that I just bought!
I've had no issues with other plants like lettuce and zinnias, and I store all my seeds in the same spot, so if any went bad, I'd expect it to affect all my varieties. The only new factor this year is that I'm using a greenhouse, which I thought would boost my chances. Could birds be sneaking in and eating my seeds? Even my seeds with protective covers are failing! It's not just the new seeds either; I've got over 15 types of tomatoes and 20 types of peppers not sprouting at all. My corn, which I started indoors a bit late, has sprouted but with minimal success. I'm really baffled and would appreciate any insights!
1 Answer
It sounds like temperature could be an issue! If the greenhouse is either too hot or too cold, it can really affect germination. Were your seeds previously starting indoors? That setup you had in your shed might’ve been a lot different from the greenhouse, especially if it was conditioned for the right temperature. Have you checked what the temps are like in the greenhouse? Some plants like peppers and tomatoes do love the heat, but if it gets too hot, they won’t germinate well.
Thanks for the advice! You're right; I used to start everything inside in a shed with no windows, making sure I had good temperature control. I replicated that setup in the greenhouse, using the same heat mats and lighting. But I did notice a few warm days where I didn't open it up until later, so maybe that’s part of the problem. Still, the mats are set at 95F like before, so I'm confused how my peppers and tomatoes wouldn't want that heat.