Top on or off?

[Jude]

I have sown pumpkins, squash and courgettes in a module tray with a plastic propogator lid, the squash and courgettes have germinated but not the pumpkins as yet. Should I now remove the lid or wait 'till the pumpkins come through as well or could I perhaps just cover the pumpkin bit with some clingfilm for the time being?

[Allan]

I would have a go at seperating and removing those that are already through into a second lot of modules. You might get leggy plants if left too long. Next year try to seperate varieties.

[Johnboy]

Hi Jude,
Pumpkins need considerably more heat than the other two mentioned. The recommended heat is 22C for Pumkin. I agree with Allan that the really want to be in different places to do all of them justice.
At the temperature for Pumkins Courgette and Squash will go way over the top before you have a chance to get the 'out.' If you have the seed I would cull the others if you have nowhere to keep them seperate and resow.

[Garlic_Guy]

One thing I've done this spring with mixed batches of seeds is to remove the cover once the first lot come up and put a strip of plastic over the seedlings that have yet to emerge.

I use clingfilm, but a folded plastic bag would do just as well. This helps keep the compost moist in the ones still germinating.

[Jude]

Thanks everyone,
Can't do 22C as the only propogator I've got is the top of the fishtank at a steady 20!
So, I've done as Garlic Guy suggests and will just have to hope for the best. If the pumpkins fail then so be it, guess I've just been in too much of a hurry as usual!

[bigpepperplant]

hi, i have this problem too with module trays when some, in this case tomatoes, germinate days before the others. It's hard to separate them off cos they're all in the same module tray dotted all about. I've been removing the plastic cover but worry that it's making things difficult for the ones that haven't come through yet.

[Happymouse]

I sowed my Courgettes in Rootrainers this year. Brilliant - so easy to seperate without disturbing the rest of your seedlings

[Allan]

I have been watching my 5 sowings of a range of cucurbits. No tops on, I thought at first that some would not appear, certainly the first were at random but now nearly all are through, it's just that the timings have varied a lot. If they are good seed there are rarely significant failures, you just have to be patient.
Allan.