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Why aren't my tomatoes sprouting? If your tomatoes did not sprout 7 days after sowing the seeds, then most likely either you are doing something wrong or you have bad, possibly expired, seeds. The main thing is that you could have done wrong - or soak the seeds in a too concentrated solution of potassium permanganate or other growth stimulants. Or the temperature is too low - tomatoes germinate best at a temperature of 25-30 degrees, and at a temperature of 15 degrees, you will wait for shoots for two to three weeks, or you will not wait at all.
How to soak seeds? Whatever you soak them in - in aloe juice, in epine, in humates or in potassium permanganate, the main thing will be to prevent the main mistake. First you need to soak in plain water, best of all in melted, soft water. When the seeds swell, absorb the bulk of the water, after a couple of hours, then they can be placed in a solution with stimulants for some time. Otherwise, when swelling, the seeds may absorb too large a dose and burn.
How long can the seeds be soaked in water? The seeds are soaked in water for a maximum of a day, but a couple of hours will be quite enough. If you leave them floating in the water for more than a day, they will suffocate. However, if you want to not just soak, but germinate the seeds, then this is done already on a saucer with gauze or a napkin. On a napkin, in a saucer tucked into a plastic bag, the seeds can be kept until they bite.
What to do to prevent tomato seedlings from stretching? To answer this simple question, which often torments not only beginners, let's approach from the other end. Let's better answer the question - why are tomato seedlings pulled out. Then we will immediately understand what not to do so that the seedlings do not stretch out. So tomato seedlings are pulled out from lack of light, excessive temperature and moisture. The more light, the closer the temperature is to the optimal minimum and the less often we water it, the less it stretches.
When do you need to plant tomatoes in separate pots? Many sow tomatoes in one bowl and very thickly. Naturally, it is impossible to grow seedlings for a long time in such conditions - the roots will intertwine. At the same time, transplanting at a too early age can damage the already almost absent small roots, and the growth of seedlings will be delayed for several days. Therefore, the most optimal time for planting, picking tomatoes, in the region of 10-15 days after germination.
Do I need to make a light for seedlings? If the weather is sunny at least half the time, and your tomatoes are growing on the south window, then you can do without backlighting. If cloudy weather is established for a long time, then backlighting is very desirable.
How many days to grow tomato seedlings on the window? Depends on a number of factors, but generally it is highly undesirable to grow for more than 60 days. The optimal period is in the region of 45-50 days from the day of germination.
The seed bag usually indicates the timing of how many days the seeds will germinate. The same information can be found in the plant breeder's handbook. But the actual waiting time for the first sprouts may differ significantly from the given numbers. Why is this happening, and what factors affect the germination process?
Seed germination timing
The time that elapses from the moment when the seed falls into the ground until the first sprout appears is determined genetically. So, watercress is recognized as the undisputed leader, which will rise in 3-4 days. But leeks will take much longer - about 2 weeks. Below you will find a detailed germination table.
Table 1: How many days after sowing seeds germinate
(Source: the book "Seedlings and Seeds", see the third column and other useful information 😉)
Seed germination table No. 2:
(Source: All About Vegetables by D. G. Hession)
| Culture | Time from planting to emergence |
| Jerusalem artichoke | 2 - 4 weeks |
| Eggplant | 14 - 21 days |
| Beans | 7-14 days |
| Beans | 7-14 days |
| Chard | 10 - 14 days |
| Beet | 10-14 days |
| Cabbage (all types) | 7 - 12 days |
| Pepper | 14 - 21 days |
| Carrot | 17 days |
| Celery root and petiole | 12 - 18 days |
| Chicory | 7-14 days |
| Indoor cucumber | 3 - 5 days |
| Open field cucumber | 6 - 9 days |
| Endive | 3 - 7 days |
| Kohlrabi | 10 days |
| Leek | 14 - 18 days |
| Leaf and head salad | 6 - 12 days |
| Pumpkin, zucchini, zucchini, squash, | 5 - 8 days |
| Onions and shallot | 11 - 14 days |
| Onions from seeds | 21 day |
| Parsnip | 10 - 28 days |
| Peas | 7 - 10 days |
| Radish, radish | 4 - 7 days |
| Spinach | 12 - 20 days |
| Swede | 6 - 10 days |
| Corn | 10 - 12 days |
| Indoor tomato | 8 - 11 days |
| Tomato in the open field | 8 - 11 days |
| Turnip | 6 - 10 days |
It should be borne in mind that the given data assume the optimal conditions for the germination of seeds pre-soaked in warm water. If the environment does not meet these conditions, plants will develop at a slower pace. But there are also ways to reduce the germination time several times.
Why do seeds germinate poorly?
There are several reasons for this, and the most common of them is that the seed is too old. Incorrect storage can lead to the same results, during which the seeds have partially lost their ability to develop. But even with the highest quality seeds, the gardener may face this problem if:
- Plant seeds in excessively moist, oxygen-poor soil;
- Before planting, treat the soil with pesticides. They kill not only harmful bacteria, but also all useful microflora, and it takes time to restore it;
- Fertilize the beds with mineral compositions of an unacceptably high concentration;
- Plant seeds in very cold or too warm soil (sooner or later than required).
- Excessively burying seeds in the ground. To find the correct depth, double the seed length (for small to medium sized seeds), or multiply it by 4 (for large seed plants);
- Watering the beds before the first shoots appear: jets of water overturn the seeds, and barely hatched shoots die, being disoriented;
- Allow the topsoil to dry out, in which the shoots die. The most susceptible to this are seeds that were soaked before planting, since dried earth draws moisture from them.
These are the possible reasons why seeds do not germinate well and germinate much longer than indicated in the tables of days. Avoiding the last two mutually exclusive reasons is simple: for this, it is enough to sow the seeds, cover the bed with plastic wrap and secure it securely. Instead of a film, you can use any dense fabric, and water directly on it. With the emergence of seedlings, the film or tissue is removed. There are also covering materials (spunbond, lutrasil), which can be left on, so that they protect the seedlings from frost and pest infestation.
Tomatoes emerge earlier and peppers later. Dry seeds germinate more slowly, pre-soaked - faster. Wet tomato seeds can sprout on the third day. Peppers usually sprout no earlier than 5-7 days of sowing.
It is impossible to deepen the seeds, then they will also sprout longer.
Healthy, strong seeds germinate most quickly at an optimal temperature - higher than room temperature and in conditions of high humidity.
I have tomatoes on the third day, peppers a week later.
From my own experience I will answer. Tomatoes this year rose 6-7 days, and peppers about 10-12 days. I planted seedlings at home, did not cover anything, only watered, respectively, if desired, you can achieve earlier friendly shoots.
Tomato seeds germinate in three to seven days - it depends on the quality of the seeds, and the seeds of peppers germinate longer in time, approximately eight to fourteen days, they need to germinate. This variation in time still depends on soil and moisture content. Watering is necessary often, but not overflowing with water, so that the seeds do not rot.
Of course, a lot depends on specific conditions - humidity temperature, lighting, as well as the variety of seeds and their condition. If the room maintains a temperature of 18-20 degrees, then tomato shoots usually appear after 4 days, and peppers - after 10-12 days.
If you sowed tomato or pepper seeds in a special seedling soil, which is rich in minerals and vitamins, and also placed the seedlings in a sufficiently bright place, then expect the first sprouts to appear in 7-10 days, maximum - 14 days. Air temperature also plays a role. The warmer and lighter, the faster the seeds will begin to sprout.
And if you want to get the first shoots of a tomato or pepper even sooner, for example, after 4 days (for a tomato) and 6 - for a pepper, then the seeds must first be germinated.
The germination time of seeds of tomatoes and peppers depends to a large extent on the conditions of detention - this is the temperature in the apartment, this is the moisture of the soil, these are the varieties of seeds. To maintain soil moisture, we cover the crops with a wet cloth. This way the soil is better protected from drying out. Under such conditions, tomato seedlings begin to appear in 3-4 days. Pepper seedlings appear a little later, but no more than a week later.
Tomato seeds are usually more amicable than peppers. They sprout in 5-7 days in almost any conditions, even if the room is not very warm. I have observed such germination many times at the dacha, where we plant these plants. But peppers are more capricious and demanding on external conditions. Everywhere they write that the peppers begin to sprout on the 7-14th day, that is, two weeks, already the maximum, but from personal experience I can see that there is nothing wrong if the shoots after this period are not particularly thick. Many seeds have not yet woken up, maybe they are not warm enough or the humidity is not satisfied. There is no need to panic on this occasion when the seeds still sprout, and this will certainly happen, such seedlings will quickly catch up with their fellows, of course, if you did not plant the peppers too thickly. And yes, soaking before planting is great for stimulating seeds, but not always necessary. If you plant peppers in February, you can give them the opportunity to sprout naturally - after all, they have nowhere to rush.
Pepper seeds sprout from 7 to 14 days. My pepper sprouted in 6 days, the temperature at home is 18-22 degrees. Tomato seeds usually hatch after 4-5 days, rarely up to 10 days.
tomatoes in 7 days all got out, peppers - from 8 to 12, now in less than a month, went real
leaves, already filled up the earth.
If you soak pepper seeds and tomatoes in cheesecloth before germination, then you will receive seedlings much earlier than when sowing dry seeds in the ground. Thus, you received the shoots 1-2 days earlier. Accordingly, the seedlings will develop faster.
It all depends on how fresh the seeds of the peppers and tomatoes are germinated. For example, young (last year's) pepper seeds sprout on average ten days after planting. Old pepper seeds may not germinate at all or only twenty days after sowing. A similar situation is with the seeds of tomatoes (tomatoes), only in time tomatoes sprout a little faster than peppers - on average, within 7 days.
Pepper seeds and tomato seeds sprout slightly differently.
Tomatoes rise a little earlier - 3-5 days
Pepper rises a little later - 7-10 days.
Experts say that the healthiest plants are obtained from the first germinated seeds, but those that emerged later than all (under the same conditions) are useless.
Why tomato seeds do not germinate for a long time.
There are many reasons for this. One of them, but not the main one, is low-quality seeds.
You can stumble upon low-quality seeds anywhere. They are available from both large manufacturing firms and small traders, and even your own seeds, selected from the most beautiful tomato fruits, may not germinate.
Let's start with the seeds that we harvest for ourselves. For personal use only.
Choosing seeds from a tomato, many simply wash them under running water through a sieve. And, thus cleared of the pulp, are laid out on a cloth or paper to dry. You can't do that. The sticky shell around the seed, with this method, is not destroyed. It dries out together with the seed and seals it so strongly that it does not allow it to "breathe", in other words, gas exchange is disrupted. Seeds selected in this way can lose their germination within a few months. And those sown next spring will not sprout.
Seeds must be fermented before washing. During fermentation, the sticky membrane around the seed is destroyed and the seeds isolated in this way can remain viable for many years. However, even this method, with an inattentive attitude to it, can deprive seeds of germination. If the seeds become sour for longer than the prescribed time, germination may be completely lost. The ideal fermentation period is considered to be two days at an ambient temperature of plus 25 degrees Celsius. But here, too, there may be options, depending on the variety of tomato. Some varieties, such as Black Krim, take up to 4 days, while many cherry tomatoes take 24 hours. The indicator here is the destruction of the amniotic membrane.
The germination of its seeds is also affected by the time from the day the tomato is completely reddened to the extraction of seeds from it. Do not wait until the tomato shrivels from ripeness, or vice versa, becomes watery inside. In such overripe tomatoes, the seeds often germinate already inside, and naturally are no longer suitable for planting.
Choose seeds from ripe tomatoes. And after harvesting in three to four days, start sampling seeds from them. I will say more, in unripe "brown" tomatoes, germination is often higher than that of overripe ones.
For purchased seeds, the main reason for poor germination remains a violation of the shelf life. Although the above reasons are not alien to them.
The second reason for a long wait for seedlings is a violation of the soil moisture regime, its temperature and gas exchange inside it.
Containers with sown seeds should be kept in a room with a temperature of at least +22 and not higher than +28 degrees Celsius. Before sprouting, they should be covered with cellophane, which prevents the temperature of the soil from dropping due to evaporation. The soil should be loose enough for active "breathing" of the seeds planted in it.
Placement of boxes with not yet sprout seeds on window sills is not allowed. Usually, the temperature on them during the planting period (February - April) is half the temperature in the rest of the room. You need to wait for shoots, and only then transfer the seed boxes to a light windowsill. For seedlings, tomato seeds need more heat than light.
The sown seeds often suffer from waterlogging. Water clogs the pores of the soil and displaces air from them, which is also necessary for friendly seedlings. It often happens that already germinated seeds, planted in moist soil, rot in it and do not germinate at all.
And the third reason for a long wait for tomato seedlings is the deep planting of seeds in the ground. Ideally, the seeds should lie practically on the surface, just a little sprinkled with soil.
But since it is very difficult to create ideal conditions artificially, we plant the seeds in the soil. From large-fruited tomatoes - no deeper than one centimeter. From cherry tomatoes and other small-seeded tomatoes - no deeper than 0.5 centimeters.
Follow these tricky rules, and tomato seedlings will not be long in coming.
Greetings, dear readers!
Many gardeners cultivate tomato seedlings at home, preferring self-grown seedlings to purchased plants. This allows you to save money, insure against misgrading and be confident in the quality of the planting material.
Very often, novice vegetable growers complain that tomato seeds do not germinate: the seeds did not germinate at all, or the number of seedlings, despite the standard sowing scheme, is negligible. According to experienced summer residents, there are a number of reasons leading to such a negative result.
Consider the main mistakes when sowing tomato seeds for seedlings:
2. Excess concentration of solutions for soaking seeds. For disinfection and activation of the processes of awakening, the grains are soaked before planting. Observe the concentration and procedure time recommended by specialists or suggested by drug manufacturers. Before immersing the grains in the growth stimulant solution, soak them for several hours in ordinary settled water.
3. Low germination temperature. After sowing, the planting containers should be in a warm place with a temperature of + 25- + 28. This is why advanced gardeners put them on the battery. At temperatures lower than +18, seeds can simply rot in the potting mix.
4. Excessive soil moisture. If the soil in pots (boxes, cassettes) is filled with water, then there is a high probability that the grains will suffocate and not sprout.
5. Lack of water in the soil. Lack of moisture is just as destructive as excess. Hatching grains in the absence of water can simply dry out.
6. Excessive burial of seeds. The optimum planting depth for large-fruited varieties of seeds is 1.5 cm, and for small varieties - from 0.5 to 1 cm. The soil mixture on the surface of the planting container after sowing is only slightly crushed, but not compacted so that the plants can freely pass through the soil layer. In the future, you can add a layer of soil between the grown seedlings.
If you did everything correctly, then no more than 7-10 days will pass from the moment of sowing to the mass appearance of sprouts. In the absence of a positive result, you still have time to re-seeding, taking into account the errors described above. Now you know why tomato seeds do not sprout... Enjoy your tomato harvests every summer! See you!