So are a couple of my Sweet Crisps. Being essentially a cold weather crop I think they just get confused by our wide fluctuations in weather. Not sure what to do about it. Maybe Lou and bamboo rabbit will chime in.

Papa Jim

Hi Carol, after your post, I went to check on my blueberries and they are blooming too, I have Emerald, Jewel and some dwarf variety. I guess is the warm weather....

Hi Papa Jim, I will take a look at the blueberry farms around my area and check on what is happening. Looking forward to a great blueberry picking this spring. I made so many blueberry recipes and had them in the freezer...after the French student girl stayed with us, they are all gone because that was the only thing that she liked.:)

Silvia

She had very picky taste if she turned up her nose at your offerings. Kids, I guess! My grandsons are probably the same (although the oldest won't eat chocolate but loves tomatoes. Silvia, I can't seem to grow romaine. I replanted in small pots using Al's mix. Just to be sure I wasn't planting them too deep I mixed up some peat moss with fine agricultural vermiculite and sprinkled it on top. The pots are under my aquarium bulb incubator in my unheated shop. I spray mist them just enough to keep them moist. They are Johnny's seeds although not pelleted. Nothing!

Papa Jim, sorry to hear about your romaine, sometimes any soil can get compacted or too wet in the bottom and dry on top. I would fluff it up and if no results start with a new mix for seedlings, any plain Miracle Grow for containers would work just fine and you can start them outside or inside, this time of the year cold weather crops do the best, you are still on time, that reminds to sow more lettuce because soon I will be finishing what I have.

Silvia

Hijacking my own thread here, but apapjim - how old are those seeds? Lettuce seed tends to have short term viability - maybe a bit over a year @ best, I understand & IME.

Also how long has it been? this time of year, it can take a couple of weeks for usually fast sprouters to germinate.

& I think they do need a bit of light to germinate...

You may be on to something Carol. I checked and the seeds were purchased in Aug---2013! Didn't realize how big a procrastinator I was. They've had plenty of time. The first bunch I planted outside and the second in pots in my incubator. I think I'll just pick some up at a big box store--as soon as I get over this cold!

Papa Jim

Papa Jim, don't trash those seeds yet according to this chart and my experience they last a long time, I have old seeds that germinate with no problem. I still think the problem is with the mix, indoors and in cups it is just too heavy. It would be okay in a raised bed or large container, when starting seeds in cups I use the starting mix that is sold in small bags in any of the big box stores. You can also do a germination test of the seeds in wet paper towels. I hope that you report good results and get to enjoy your lettuce harvest.

Sorry Carol about mixing blueberries with lettuce.

Happy new gardening year!

Silvia

Here is a link that might be useful: lettuce seeds

No worries - I like learning new things = )

I used that lettuce link to check my seeds for germination. As suggested I placed a number of seeds in a folded over wet paper towel, put it in a zip lock and left it in the sun for four days. No sign of germination yet although the seeds did seem to swell up and take on a darker color. Will keep checking.

Papa Jim

Papa Jim

I hope that you are successful with the seeds, I never had any problem with seeds from Johnny's.
Some seeds like lettuce I like to start them straight where they are going to be and others like tomatoes I like to start them in cups.

Here is some easy method to germinate the seeds when in doubt, it says keep them out of the sunlight....

Silvia

Here is a link that might be useful: seeds

Watering w/ seaweed extract seems to help - something about the high potassium, I think...