Topic: How to improve germination?

[antipodes]

I have found that I am not very hampered by pests (with correct precautions taken) but that my biggest problem is poor germination. This is for things sown outdoors. My soil seems rich, I put back in all the organic matter from the plot, plus manure, it is sandy loam and does not dry out too badly. Some things do consistently well, like spuds, onions, garlic, beans etc, basically everything that is not just direct sown!
However I find it really hard getting seeds to "take". I have almost no winter brassica as a result of this, no leeks, no parsnips and beetroots have been really hard this year. Ridiculously I also find it hard to grow radish and lettuce.

What might I be doing wrong?  Should I fleece new seeds? (that did help last year but this year did not seem to make a difference) How often do I need to water after sowing?
I also find that new seedlings are hampered by weed seedlings that come up around them and disturb them. Others seem to have less of this: what am I doing wrong?

[ed dibbles]

For all direct sown seeds I water the drill before I sow the seeds. This means the seeds are resting on damp soil and their first roots have moisture to root into.

Even if the surface dries out after sowing (the main cause of failure possibly) the seeds underneath will still be moist.

[manicscousers]

For carrots and parsnips this year, we took out a drill, filled with potting compost. Took a drill out in that, watered and sowed the seed into it. This was covered with more compost. 100% germination and a really good crop so far. The seeds also didn't have weeds to fight against. This was in raised beds so, easier than flat ground 

[Plot22]

 :happy7:I agree with Ed Dibbies I always water the row before planting however and this is a big however which I have tried to convince my fellow allotment holders works well. I chit the following on damp kitchen towel in a plastic container in my office cupboard. Beetroot, Parsnips ( a must ) peas, broad beans and now lettuce. I had some old seed which did not germinate in direct sowings so I tried chitting and it still did not germinate. I chitted new seed and it germinated within 48 hrs and then I transferred it using tweezers to modules. I do not find I need to chit brassicas as I sow in individual modules before transferring to cardboard pots . Neither do I chit carrots but I have had on occasions had to re-sow part rows but the compost in the row gives me food for thought. The problem there being is that I have 4 long rows under a massive net especially bought for carrots so that I can get inside the net and weed etc.

[antipodes]

Do they not get damaged when you transfer them in such a way?

[Digeroo]

I chit lots of things.  Like mani I put parsnips and carrots on a layer of multipurpose compost.

Are you burying things too deep.  Lettuce and parsley like surface sowing.

I grow brassicas and beetroot in modules.   A neighbour had some radishes which had been sown in modules and he was going to separate them, but I suggested that they would do better just planted out  as they were.  Even though they were quite crowded they produced good radishes, possibly six or eight to an inch square module..

What was in the ground before you sowed.  Do you use green manures.

How are others on your site doing.  My plot neighbour is great with parsnips, as soon as he sows his I rush out with my packet.  I note who has a good crop and the following year wait for them to sow them again and follow suit.

[antipodes]

Are you burying things too deep.  Lettuce and parsley like surface sowing.

What was in the ground before you sowed.  Do you use green manures.

How are others on your site doing. 

Maybe I do misjudge the depth...

If I direct sow I usually add compost and dig gently.
No, I don't tend to use green manure, I don't leave much soil uncultivated.

The question bugs me because I see that my neighbours do so well with some of these things, like radishes and salad crops!!! But sowing seems so basic, I wonder how I can be getting it wrong!
As I live in a flat and have nothing like a greenhouse, or seedbox, I have little alternative to direct sowing.

[Digeroo]

I do not have a greenhouse, but chit on the kitchen and sitting room windowsills.  The kitchen is north facing so most things go there, except things that like it hot like tomatoes, courgettes etc which get the sunny side.  It does not take much space, for carrots you only need two or three days.   For Parsnips about ten.

A couple of years ago I gave a packet of carrot seeds to a little boy, and showed him how to sow them.  (my packet, my method.)  Very frustratingly his carrots did far better than mine.