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germinating tomato seeds

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rdak:
I had difficulties germinating tomato seeds last year. Are they known to be difficult or perhaps I had a dodgy batch of seeds?

Mrs Ava:
Hiya Ross, I would say maybe dodgy seeds.  I have never have too much of a problem.  They are slow starters and like it warm.   :-/

teresa:
Hi I always use fresh seed dont keep open pkts.
The way I do it is, fill pot with seed compost then let it drink warm water from the bottom then sow the seed on the top and sprinkle with a little more compost.
this is then put inside a tesco bag and tied leave alone for a few days 3 or 4 then check every day.
I never water again untill the pot is taken out of the plastic bag.
Has always worked for me ps Garden News are giving away seeds of gardeners delight just my luck I went in B+Q yesterday and got a pkt for15p to try them this year. But will be doing Money Maker as normal.

philcooper:
Somthing is wrong - toms germinate very easily - at the right temp (unfortunately, on checking a selection of seed packets the advice ranges from 10 - 25 degrees C). The good news is that I have an Amercian university study report that shows germination is best (97-98%) between 15 and 25 (it drops off to ~80% at 10 or 30) and that germination times are 13 days at 15, 8 at 20 and 6 at 25.
So 20-25 looks good, that's the temp in the room where I have my central heating boiler and where I raise them(until they show the first leaf). I sow them on the top of general purpose compost, well wetted before they are sown, and cobered in a thin layer of vermiculite. The seed tray (1/4 size) is slipped inside a poly bag, blown up (provides added carbon dioxide and keeps the polythene off the vermiculite.

And the seed lasts for years (3-4 years is like new)

rdak:
thanks all- some useful tips that I will try. Kitchen Garden mag also has a packet of free tomato seeds this month.
I'll be growing Sungold this year after someone on my site let me sample some- amazing flavour and the sweetest tomato I've ever tasted.

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