Anna Russian seeds slow to germinate?

splash79 · March 17, 2015

I started all of my tomato seeds on March 9th and, by the 12th, all but Anna Russian had sprouted by the 12th. By the 14th, I figured that I might have planted a dud (I was trying to be conservative and just planted a single seed), so I popped two more in on the 14th to see and neither of them have germinated.

Should I just be patient or should I know by now if any are going to germinate? If it's a slow germinator, that's fine, but if not, I'd like to see if I can get some to sprout on a paper towel or something.

Irv Wiseguy · March 17, 2015

I haven't grown Anna Russian yet, it's on my list for next year. I had the same issue as you this year with Sabre. I planted 4 seeds and only 1 germinated, and it came up with a seedhead. I decapitated it trying to get the coat off so I had to start over.

The second time around I first soaked 5 seeds overnight in a small bowl of water with a pinch of Miracle Gro. The next day I put them in a cup of potting mix and all 5 germinated.

Some time ago I read a post from Carolyn about soaking stubborn or old seeds overnight with a pinch of Miracle Gro (she calls it blue stuff) and as usual her advice was spot on!

Good luck with your Anna Russian. I might soak my AR seeds next year just as a preventative measure.

Irv

KarenO · March 17, 2015

I wouldn't give up on them yet. 8 days is not super late. Do you use heat?
KarenO

splash79 · March 17, 2015

KarenO, I am using heat, so I'm covered there. I know that 8 days isn't all that long, but was wondering if this particular variety was slow, since the rest of my seeds are about an 1-1.5 inches tall.

Irv, if these don't poke there heads up in the next couple of days, I'll definitely try soaking them. Thanks for the tip!

RJGlew · March 17, 2015

My stats from last year - 9 days for the 1st to emerge, on a heat pad.

[HTML]
Name Year Source Days to Germ
Anna Russian 2014 Pinetree Garden 9
[/HTML]

Starlight · March 17, 2015

I say have patience. I think you were lucky with your other seed germinating so fast. I sowed Anna Russian. I sowed 9 seeds. It was 5 days and I one seed come up and two days later had two more. So, so far I had 3 out of 9 and I expect the others will come along when they feel like it. Seems like they always do.

**carolyn137** · March 17, 2015

I've sowed Anna Russian seeds many many times with no problems at all, but then I was using my own saved seeds so I knew the seed age.

And yes, I've posted here many times what I do when trying to wake up OLD seeds, but if you bought the seeds commercially I wouldn't think that they were that old.

Carolyn

True Timbers · March 20, 2015

I grow Anna Russian, from my saved seed. I feel it has slow and poor germ for me. Weak and wispy plants. (Worth the effort IMO)

splash79 · March 20, 2015

I wanted to update this to say that I still don't have germination. I finally decided to gently poke around to see if anything was happening and I could only find one seed. I'm giving it one more chance and doing the paper towel/plastic bag method to see I can get any germination. If that doesn't work, I found a local plant source, so I'll buy from them. I'm thinking I might have gotten a bad batch, which is disappointing, but I can understand it happening.

splash79 · March 26, 2015

Wanted to do another update. The day after I posted, one of the initial seeds finally popped up and was about an 1/8 of an inch tall, but there has been no further growth and there were no leaves, just the stem.

Also, the day I posted, I started two seeds with the paper towel/plastic bag method and both started to sprout after a couple of days. I transplanted one of those seeds the day before yesterday, is about 5. an inch tall and has its initial leaves. I planted the second sprouted seed today, so hopefully one of the two will make it. I guess the first batch just wasn't happy with the soil or something.

Bipetual · April 20, 2015

My Koralik cherry tomato seeds usually sprout more slowly than the other tomatoes. So after I take the cover off the tray, I usually wind up covering that container with a piece of index card or file folder with shipping tape on one side. It helps keep the heat and humidity in, and they do grow. I also put a few more seeds of that variety.

Sounds like the paper towel method worked, though!

March 17, 2015	#1
splash79 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: mo Posts: 24	Anna Russian seeds slow to germinate? I started all of my tomato seeds on March 9th and, by the 12th, all but Anna Russian had sprouted by the 12th. By the 14th, I figured that I might have planted a dud (I was trying to be conservative and just planted a single seed), so I popped two more in on the 14th to see and neither of them have germinated. Should I just be patient or should I know by now if any are going to germinate? If it's a slow germinator, that's fine, but if not, I'd like to see if I can get some to sprout on a paper towel or something.

March 17, 2015	#7
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	I've sowed Anna Russian seeds many many times with no problems at all, but then I was using my own saved seeds so I knew the seed age. And yes, I've posted here many times what I do when trying to wake up OLD seeds, but if you bought the seeds commercially I wouldn't think that they were that old. Carolyn __________________ Carolyn

March 17, 2015	#2
Irv Wiseguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 281	I haven't grown Anna Russian yet, it's on my list for next year. I had the same issue as you this year with Sabre. I planted 4 seeds and only 1 germinated, and it came up with a seedhead. I decapitated it trying to get the coat off so I had to start over. The second time around I first soaked 5 seeds overnight in a small bowl of water with a pinch of Miracle Gro. The next day I put them in a cup of potting mix and all 5 germinated. Some time ago I read a post from Carolyn about soaking stubborn or old seeds overnight with a pinch of Miracle Gro (she calls it blue stuff) and as usual her advice was spot on! Good luck with your Anna Russian. I might soak my AR seeds next year just as a preventative measure. Irv

March 17, 2015	#3
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,922	I wouldn't give up on them yet. 8 days is not super late. Do you use heat? KarenO

March 17, 2015	#5
RJGlew Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 643	My stats from last year - 9 days for the 1st to emerge, on a heat pad. [HTML] Name Year Source Days to Germ Anna Russian 2014 Pinetree Garden 9 [/HTML]

March 17, 2015	#6
Starlight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: AL Posts: 1,993	I say have patience. I think you were lucky with your other seed germinating so fast. I sowed Anna Russian. I sowed 9 seeds. It was 5 days and I one seed come up and two days later had two more. So, so far I had 3 out of 9 and I expect the others will come along when they feel like it. Seems like they always do.

March 20, 2015	#8
True Timbers Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Washington State Quimper Peninsula Posts: 38	I grow Anna Russian, from my saved seed. I feel it has slow and poor germ for me. Weak and wispy plants. (Worth the effort IMO)

March 26, 2015	#10
splash79 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: mo Posts: 24	Wanted to do another update. The day after I posted, one of the initial seeds finally popped up and was about an 1/8 of an inch tall, but there has been no further growth and there were no leaves, just the stem. Also, the day I posted, I started two seeds with the paper towel/plastic bag method and both started to sprout after a couple of days. I transplanted one of those seeds the day before yesterday, is about 5. an inch tall and has its initial leaves. I planted the second sprouted seed today, so hopefully one of the two will make it. I guess the first batch just wasn't happy with the soil or something.

April 20, 2015	#11
Bipetual Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Illinois, zone 5a Posts: 579	My Koralik cherry tomato seeds usually sprout more slowly than the other tomatoes. So after I take the cover off the tray, I usually wind up covering that container with a piece of index card or file folder with shipping tape on one side. It helps keep the heat and humidity in, and they do grow. I also put a few more seeds of that variety. Sounds like the paper towel method worked, though!