I sowed 5 short rows of spring onions direct into a drill lined with MP compost on the 8th May. Once sown, I covered the seeds with the compost, and watered lightly.
4 weeks have now passed and not one of them is poking above ground.
Have they failed? Or do they take longer to germinate?
The only reason that I can think of is that the Morrisons compost I used had the odd bit of white 'stuff' in it. I tried to filter ot out, but some will have inevitably gotten through. Mold, maybe?
By the way, I used the same compost in my pea drills and only 10% of these have germinated after 2 weeks. ::)
I can't blame Morrisons as they aren't anywhere near me in Surrey.. but I have had appalling germination from peas this year(T&M Sugarsnaps and Mangetout), and spring onions hate me.
Spring onions normally germinate in 14 -21 days.
How fresh is your seed? I have found old seed to be an issue in the past.
Also spring onion seed need to be kept moist after sowing for successful germination.
As to peas I had poor germination of those I sowed a while back but bought a different variety and resowed and had good results so guess try again.
The Question is just how many times did you water them, once when planting is not enough, they should be kept moist till germination
I read about putting spring onion seeds into lavatory paper rolls in groups of+- 10, then planting the whole roll when they have germinated (keep it damp) and have good results from that. Little clumps of onions, looking like the bunches you might buy.
My peas are all chitted first, then put into damp ground as roots show. Saves the disappointments of earlier years.
I had poor germination of saved peas this year, no doubt due to damp when I harvested them. The replacements have come up without any problems.
Hi, read with interest about spring onions and peas. I'm a first timer with both. Spring onions sown ages ago back in late winter (I'm in Cornwall) and they are perfect and ready to pull now, loads of 'em. But I shied away from full size peas cos I'm rubbish at putting up supports and cant get hold of peasticks. I sowed Onward a dwarf variety and Sweet Pea a super dwarf variety, neither of which need supports. I got 80-90 per cent germination, but kept watering to a minimum. They are both flowering now.
They were sown direct back in March. Try a dwarf variety if the big 'uns fail you.
Regards, Caro
My springys only half came up, so I resowed and will have to resow again. ??? ;D ;D ;D
did mine in small bunches, in a raised container of mp compost, they're ready now, never had such a good result ;D
I sowed leeks in a seed bed at the beginning of May nothing for four weeks so assumed they were dead. Then last w.e. I noticed some had finally appeared. I think it's been so dry they've held back.
Tall pea supports are easy; just make a wigwam with 8-foot poles, and wind string round it.