[LILLILEAF]

Good morning fellow growers
 Would any one give me an idea which is the best compost mix for very small seeds,i want to plant some heirloom variety strawberry seeds,the first ones i did took many weeks to germinate,and they are still only half an inch in height,i used a general purpose compost,i take it this was wrong .thanks LILLILEAF

[BumbleJo]

Hi. B&Q's Verve seed and cutting compost came out top in a Which? trial.  I've never tried growing strawberries from seed, good luck!

[mumofstig]

Strawberries take forever to germinate and grow. The fact that they've germinated at all shows you've done nothing wrong.
I just think you need more patience 

If you really do want to try some more sow on the surface and barely cover with some sifted compost. Sometimes the seed benefits from being in the coldest part of the fridge for a week or two (vernalization) before sowing.

Good luck!

[Aidy]

For some of the hard to germinate seeds I sow as mumsie has said but I grind some vermiculite to a fine dust and cover them with that rather than compost, seems to work well for me although I have never sown strawberry's and there are lots of peeps giving runners away on site every year.

[LILLILEAF]

Thanks to every one for the help :)that has cheered me up,just come back from the hospital,i have to have my hip replacement done again known as a review,magor hurdle i have to wait another year :mad:LILLILEAF

[mumofstig]

That's bad news, I hope it's not too painful while you wait.

[LILLILEAF]

Thanks for hoping my pain is not to bad,already on every pain killer they will give me.
GOOD NEWS we have been down the veg patch,we have some raseberries and strawberries not many just enough for a snack,and my runner beens are starting to grow yippee and the sun is out Good end to a bad day

[snowdrops]

Is there a pain clinic that you can be referred to,to help you manage the pain