As a first timer, I put couple of seeds in rolled paper and put it on heated mat, covered with shrink wrap and it’s been six days. None of the seed has sprouted . I believe most of them are more than four year old. Is it why seeds are not sprouting? Do I need to get new seeds? Temperature is around 80 and it’s in living room. My apologies for phrasing question poorly.
by enjep
7 Comments
Bit overkill, but it will work with enough time. I always just put seeds in dirt and set it by a window.
What’s your goal with these and why are they on a heat pad? Indoor room temperature should be fine.
These look saturated and that will result in rot. Paper towels should be MOIST but not wet. 80-85⁰F for a week or so.
Yes, you can use the paper towel method. It’s still too early to tell if they aren’t viable, you can google the optimum germination temperature range for each type of plant, the closer to the ideal temperature they are, the faster they will germinate. You can also search up how many days it takes till germination. If you have the original seed packets, on the back of them you should be able to see germination rate percentage, the lower it is, the more seeds you should start
Thank y’all for taking time to answer. Appreciate it. This is my first post in many months
Depends a lot on what you’re growing. I put 3-5 seeds in a small compostable pot with soil, and out it on a rimmed sheet pan and keep a half inch of water in it. That keeps them moist enough, I dont see a need for the plastic wrap. I have a grow light above them for once they sprout, and keep the light on 16 hours a day. I’m currently growing 16 starters for tomatoes, and some of the seeds are 4 years old. (I add extra seeds in those pots to make sure some sprout)
Answered ! 01/06/2026