Damping Off/Seed Viability

16 years ago

Hi all,

I'm going to plant some more Ventura Celery tomorrow (10 weeks prior to 10% chance of frost date).

I read that placing the celery seed in water overnight will help to loosen-up the tough shell that the seed has.

I've done so and it appears that out of 24 I put in the water, only eight have sunken. I've read previously that only seeds that sink in water are viable and all others are not good.

This seems odd though - because the celery packet says 88% germination rate, but 8 out of 24 is only 33%. I planted 12 celery last week and 6 the week before, and none of them have sprouted yet either at temperatures around 60 - 68 degrees.

Just wanted to confirm with you all if this is correct with celery seed viability - that they should sink instead of float in water.

Next question - I have about 110 out of 144 Copra Onion that sprouted a few weeks ago and a few here and there still coming up. Well, out of the 110, some of them have begun to fall over on their own weight and have died. I'm pretty sure this is due to the damping off disease. But, since the other onions are doing fine - do I need to worry about them since they are in the same growing medium as those that have fallen over? If so, I want to begin planting more as insurance just in case. Onion leaves are so thin that I would think they could easily be attacked and killed by the disease.

Thank you all!

Here is a link that might be useful: BsnTech Gardening Blog

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Comments (7)

jimster
16 years ago
Damping off can be recognized by shriveling of the stem close to the soil surface. It happens quite quickly. The plant looks healthy, then suddenly it topples over. It is caused by a fungus in the soil and by excessive moisture. If other plants under the same conditions are doing OK, I suspect damping off is not the problem.

Jim
kr222
16 years ago
Celery is easy to start in moist seed starting mix covered with plastic wrap until it germinates. Celery needs light to germinate, so don't completely cover the seed. You can place it on the soil and just water. After that ONLY water from the BOTTOM to avoid damping off.

Another way to germinate your seeds is to use the paper towel method. This works great. Wrap seed in a damp paper towel and place in a Ziploc in a warm location. Check daily for germination. Once they germinate place them in your pots. I've used both methods so far this season. Both work well.

Good luck!
Kim

Here is a link that might be useful: Kim's Vegetable and Flower Garden
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bsntech
Original Author
16 years ago
Interesting information Kim.

I sowed the celery seed probably 1/8 of an inch in the soil. Didn't hear about putting it right on top.

Here is a link that might be useful: BsnTech Gardening Blog
susan2010
16 years ago
I cover my seeds with bird gravel. I got the tip several years ago, and it seems to work well for me. I haven't (knock wood) had any problems with damping off since I started using it.
bsntech
Original Author
16 years ago
Eventually all of the celery seed settled to the bottom of the water container overnight - so it seems that all of the seed was viable.

I took the suggestion from Kim and placed the celery seed right on top of the soil mix last night when I planted 24 more (two in each square). When I misted the top of the squares, some soil came up so I'm sure they are covered just a bit by some of the mix.

Apparently it is fairly difficult to sprout celery seed. Two weeks ago I planted six and a week ago I planted 12 - and none of them have sprouted yet. They are under fluorescent lights and the temperature ranges at about 58 degrees at night to 68 degrees after the lights get warmed up.

Here is a link that might be useful: BsnTech Gardening Blog
rachel597
16 years ago
This is my first time attempting to grow celery from seed also. I planted mine 2/22 and nothing has sprouted yet either.

I will be planting another batch this weekend just in case. I didn't realize that celery needed light to germinate (thanks Kim!) so I will try placing the seed on the soil and putting them under lights right away. I'll soak them overnight too. Can't hurt and may help.

Rachel
GrafixMuse's Garden Spot
anney
16 years ago
I've never seen a published list of seeds that need light to germinate, though I think it would be welcomed by gard'eners.

I was able to find this from an online Encyclopedia Britannica piece: Many seeds are insensitive to light, but in a number of species germination is stimulated or inhibited by exposure to continuous or short periods of illumination.

So stimulated are many grasses, lettuce, fireweed, peppergrass (Lepidium), mullein, evening prim'rose, yellow dock, loosestrife, and Chinese lantern plant.

Corn (maize), the smaller cereals, and many legumes, such as beans and clover, germinate as well in light as in darkness.

Inhibition by light [must be covered to germinate] is found in chive, garlic, and several other species of the lily family, jimson weed, fennel flower (Nigella), Phacelia, Nemophila, and pigweed (Amaranthus)...

Is celery in the grass family? I knew that lettuce often won't germinate if covered, and I think I read that it is the white seeds in particular that need to be exposed to light if they are to germinate. But I just sprinkle them all on top of the soil.

Here is a link that might be useful: Light and seed germination