Is black cherry hard to germinate?

[tam91]

I barely sprinkled them with dry mix, then misted - same as all my others. Dunno - wierd year maybe?

[Qweniden]

Originally Posted by lemurian

You might be planting them too deep,

I used the wet paper towel approach

[remy]

Originally Posted by Qweniden

I used the wet paper towel approach

Well, that kills that theory! I haven't clue then. I know it might be too late for you, but as I said if you would like some more seeds send me message.
Remy

[tam91]

Wondering about the black tomato theory - my black cherries still have quite poor germination. Cherokee Purple, I only got one plant out of 6 seeds. Spudakee, didn't germinate at all.

Odd, I have about 30 other varieties that all have done fine, under identical conditions. Dunno.

I guess I can try the paper towel method, see if I can get a few of them to work. I would like some extra black cherries, as I'd like to give them to some friends.

[shlacm]

Originally Posted by tam91

Wondering about the black tomato theory - my black cherries still have quite poor germination. Cherokee Purple, I only got one plant out of 6 seeds. Spudakee, didn't germinate at all.

Odd, I have about 30 other varieties that all have done fine, under identical conditions. Dunno.

I guess I can try the paper towel method, see if I can get a few of them to work. I would like some extra black cherries, as I'd like to give them to some friends.

It seems so weird... why would the color of the tomato affect the seed germination!?!?! But thinking about it, my Cehorkee Chocolate, Spudakee and JD's barely germinated at all!!! Same with a "purple" Dwarf (while the "brown had EXCELLENT germ.) and some other grow-out seeds with Spudakee and BTD as parents... That being said, Cherokee Purple, Noire de Crimee and Kazachka germ. were fine and Indian Stripe (does that count?) and Black Cherry were great!

ALTHOUGH, I think my absolute worst germination (which was totally unexpected since the seeds weren't old or damaged) was Cherokee GREEN which I finally got 1 plant after WEEKS of waiting... I'd have to check to be sure how many I planted, but it would have been at least 10.

[tam91]

My Indian Stripe, Brads Black Heart, Black Krim and Nyagous all did ok - maybe not quite as high germination rate as the other colors, but pretty well. I have absolutely no idea why any of this would be, but it's interesting. I hope I get some more Black Cherries though, as I have several friends I want to give one too.

[rsg2001]

Tam, there is another way to get additional Black Cherry plants -- and that's to pinch out a healthy sucker and insert it into damp potting soil. I've been able to root many suckers that way and be able to get additional plants, rather than just depend upon germination. But you have to keep the soil damp. It takes one to two weeks for the sucker to root; keep it out of strong sun.

[tam91]

That's a good idea. My seedlings are far too small now though, they're just starting. If I get desperate later on, maybe. I'm still hoping I can talk some more seeds into germinating though.

[b54red]

I didn't have one called Black Cherry but I did plant seeds to Chocolate Cherry and the germination was 100%.
I just looked over my list and the only black tomato that had really bad germination was Carbon and last year they germinated great. I started about 100 varieties and checked my germination records and there was no pattern of poor germination as to the color of the fruit except the GWRs seem to do poorer but it is probably the seed. The only GWR that I planted from my own saved seed had 100% germination.

[tam91]

Probably just coincidence, I suppose. It's my first year growing from seed, so I no other year to compare to.

[nctomatoman]

Folks, data that I've collected indicates that color and variety have no impact at all on seed germination (with ONE exception - Mexico Midget - but I am still sorting through why that is).

I start literally thousands of seeds each year, all sorts, colors, etc - and have no problems at all with any of them.

There are so many other variables - age and quality of the seed, how you start it, conditions during germination, what you use for seed starting medium, etc - that could have different effects.

[shlacm]

YAY!!! I knew it didn't SEEM logical... still, it's a relief to hear from a real pro!!!

[Chucker]

Interestingly, the only seeds I had trouble with this season were black cherry. I finally got my second one to sprout, but I've been trying since mid-February. The second one is just a backup. I'm sure it's just coincidence, But I was really thinking there was something to the theory that they are hard to germinate.

[cloz]

I planted 4 Black Cherry Seeds and all 4 sprouted in 5 days.

[retiree]

I just checked my notes for 2010. Planted Black Cherry on Apr. 30. and broke through the soil mix on May 5. About the same as the other varieties for me.
Neil (Canada)