possible mistake!

[stevegat]

hello! as it is my first attempt at growing something from seed, I have made a mistake and planted the seeds too deep in the soil. a few days later, i mixed the soil, trying to bring the part in which the seeds were, up to the top. i have four different seeds: a pot with parsley which is starting to germinate just fine, a pot of daisies which are also starting to grow, a pot of red peppers and a pot of night flower seeds. the last two are not showing any signs of growth. is it a lost cause for the night flowers and peppers, or should i attempt to mix the soil once again? thanks in advance!

[Newt]

Hi Stevegat,

If you still have the seed packets take a look to see how many days to germination. Once you know how long before you should see growth, give them an extra week before giving up on them. I don't know what 'night flowers' are. I've never heard that term but I'm wondering if you might be growing moonflower aka Ipomoea alba. Do you have the botanical name of this plant? Is this a vine that has white flowers that bloom at night? If so, these seeds can take a long time to germinate, especially if you didn't scarify (nick) the seed to aid in germination.

Newt

[Winddancer]

sounds like moonflower... sometimes you have to soak them for 24 hours to. I never tried to do red peppers, I have rosemary and have discovered why it is easier to just buy them,lol. I have my tomatoes beginning, the basil has popped but the cilantro has not... I will try that again next week to be sure to give them all the time they need...

[stevegat]

It's been approximately 2 to 3 weeks since I potted the seeds. The "night flower" was a direct translation from Greek, I guess you would know it as "marvel of Peru", or "clavillia". I think it does need more time to germinate. Thanks for the help!

[Newt]

"Marvel of Peru" is also known as four o'clocks and botanically as Mirabilis jalapa. The seeds should germinate in 7 to 14 days. If the soil isn't warm to 72*F it could take 21 days. When I grew it I found it self seeded without any help. These should be sown directly on top of the soil and pressed in slightly, so best to try and find these seeds and just cover with a very light covering of soil or lightly press into the soil.

Newt

[colin]

Hello

Before you get started with seed-sowing, it is important to find a good seed-starting mix. Although several are available on the market, there's a lot of variability among them. Avoid mixes that are heavy; instead, select a mix that is light and fluffy and has a small, very fine particle size. Generally speaking, one that is labeled as a seed-starting mix will do just fine. Prepare the seed-starting mix by adding water to it until its texture feels like that of a wrung-out sponge.
Next, locate a container for starting seeds. You can start seeds in a variety of things, such as tubs from the deli, plastic fresh fruit containers, or any other small containers. Make sure to poke some holes for drainage. Here, Shepherd uses recyclable fiber pot flats. She prefers to use them because they can be recycled for about three to four seasons. Add the prepared seed starting mix to the container, and it's ready for sowing.
When the seedlings have put on a lot of growth over a few weeks, they're ready for the garden. To get them ready for their eventual location, be sure to harden them off. "Hardening off" is a process where plants that have been grown indoors are gradually moved outdoors to get them used to hot and sunny conditions. First, give plants a few days in a location where they'll get a half day of sun. Then gradually increase the amount of sunlight the plants get until they have adjusted. Leaf scald is a sign of too much sunlight. If this is the case, keep plants in partial sunlight until they have recovered. When they're ready to plant, dig a hole about as deep as the plant was in the container, place it in the ground and firm the soil around it.

Thanks for reading