I have added seeds to soil in a plastic egg container (in the hopes of getting a mini greenhouse effect) and have kept the soil hydrated since sowing the seeds. I sowed them about 10-14 days ago and it according to the answers on here basil should have sprouted by now.Basically I want to know what has gone wrong and what I should do next time. Should I plant them or water them differently?Thanks in advance.
This is a really interesting subject! I am growing basil too but I planted my 1 week ago and no signs as yet! One problem could be due to the fact that you might of watered them too much therefore making the seed rot. Usually seedlings appear after 1- 2 weeks which is what it says on bbc gardeners world. They should of appeared by now however maybe you have planted the seeds a little too deep? It doesn't harm planting the seeds a bit light as long as the water does not wash them away! If they do germinate your seedlings should be ready to be transferred into bigger pots about 5 weeks into the growing. The soil also needs to be drained as this also causes seeds to rot! Another option is maybe your seeds are out of date because out of date seeds rarely germinate! On the back of the packet there should be a date Here are some really good, reliable websites if you want a bit more information that yahoo can not give you: www.bbc .uk/gardening/digin/vegetables/basil.shtml - This is an animation and is really helpful www.bbc .uk/gardening/grow_your_own/expertgrowers_herbs.shtml www.herbexpert .uk/GrowingBasil.html I hope this helps and good luck!!!
Basil takes 4-10 days to germinate from seed with a tempature staying secure around 70 tiers and in direct sunlight cautioned and a good potting mixture with vermilicite same if planting in a backyard.
look for a release lever on the bottom near the shaft
I doubt that the seeds were not viable. Here are the mistakes you made: First: No soil. Use a soil - free mix. The mix is, vermiculite and / or perlite and a little lime. You can purchase it pre - mixed at any store that sells gardening supplies. Plain garden soil is too heavy and too full of micro-organisms for indoor seed starting. Second: Too humid. The closed plastic container is an ideal place for micro-organisms to grow. There is a disease called 'damping off' that kills plants soon after they germinate if the humidity is too high and will kill seeds before they germinate under extreme conditions like being sealed in a plastic container. Third: If, as I take it, you are trying for a greenhouse effect that means that high temperatures were present. Another ideal environment for micro-organisms. In a nutshell; your seeds rotted. To properly germinate seeds use a small container, like a plastic cup. Punch holes in the bottom for drainage. Moisten a soil - free mix and place in the cup. Plant seeds at the required depth (written on the packet). Keep this in a warm (not hot) place and keep the soil - free mix damp (not saturated) until you see sprouts. Then let the soil - free mix dry. Water only when it has become a visibly lighter color. You can also tell how much moisture is in the mix simply by picking it up and checking for weight. Plants need light and it helps kill the damping off organisms so it is a good idea to keep the seedlings in a bright place such as under a florescent light. Incandescent lights throw off too much heat. A sunny window sill will also suffice but I have had better success by putting lights as close to the plant as possible (without touching) as direct sunlight can cause 'sun - scald'.
