When beginners or even seasoned gardeners plant a garden, a plant may fail to sprout. This can happen to anyone for a variety of reasons. Gardening is always a learning experience so just take a quick evaluation to see if you can pinpoint exactly what happened.
- WATER
- Did you water as you were suppose to? Lack of water can kill plants or make them fail to sprout. And over watering can have the same effect.
- Watering too frequently can cause excess moisture to build up in the soil. Its best to water less but give a deeper watering. Seeds will rot if they get too much moisture.
- A simple and easy way to tell if your soil is moist enough is to stick your finger inside about two inches. If it feels dry to this depth, you will probably want to water.
- Another problem with over or under watering is that it can cause the soil to crust over, making it too hard for a new plant to break through. If you see hard crusted soil lightly scratch the soil with a fork. Just barely break the soil and the seeds will be able to get through.
- PLANTING
- Did you plant the seed the appropriate depth in the soil? Smaller seeds only need to be planted around 1/4 or 1/2 of an inch. Larger seeds such as beans or corn need to be planted only about an inch into the soil.
- If you plant too shallow they will simply erode away and if you plant too deep it may be too far for the sprout to find it’s way to the top. Most seed packages have planting instruction on the back of the package.
- SUNLIGHT
- Does your soil receive adequate sunlight? Some people may be under the misconception that plants do not need sunlight until they actually see a sprout.
- The soil absorbs the sunlight and warm which helps the plant to grow.
- SEASONAL PLANTING
- If you are planting outside did you plant during the recommended season? Some seeds need early or late spring warmth and sun while others need early or late summer warmth. Also, if planting inside, did you use the number of hours of light recommended for the plants growing season?
- INSECTS/PESTS
- Insects or other pests may be your culprits. Some insects graze on tender seedling at night and by morning have destroyed the plants. Seedling such as cucumbers and Squash I cover at night to protect them.
- Animals including rabbits and even your furry dog or cat may also be causing damage. Check the soil for footprints.
SEED QUALITY - Are your seeds fresh? Seeds can become old and will sprout slower or not at all.
Once you think you know the reason why you seeds did not so well just replant. I seem to have a few crops I replant every year, for one reason or another. Happy gardening, Denise
Tags: why your seeds don’t sprout, garden challenges, replanting seeds, planting seeds properly, weather conditions
Leave a Reply