[chili]

when planting seed in pots etc whats the best or most suitable stuff to plant them in to start off? yup another novice question
a generic potting compost?
thanks

[pushrod]

You can get specific seed composts if you go to your garden centre.

[Yorkie]

Growbag compost tends to have too many nutrients for seeds.  It's not worth using John Innes compost, even the Seed compost, unless you really want to - it's quite expensive and has soil in it.

I personally use the multipurpose compost from my lotty shop as it's good quality.  Avoid the cheap ones as they tend to have lots of big bits of things in them which isn't good for seeds (too free drainage and the seeds drop through).

As pushrod says, seed compost is probably the safest bet although a little more expensive than standard compost.

Some people make their own seed compost but I'm not sure of the details - will involve a certain amount of sieving, probably, to make it fine enough though.

[chili]

thank you

[zazen999]

I'm one of those sievers!

I use a base of peat free compost and add a little well rotted manure to it [just a bit, mind].

I measure out by eye the approx amount I'm going to need, and sieve it.

The coarse bits go in the bottom of the modules/pot, then I fill with finer stuff to sowing level. Then sow, and the finer stuff goes over the seedlings.

[savbo]

what a good idea for using the big bits zazen...

M

[Ivah]

Particularly if you are a beginner, I would always use branded peat based multi-purpose compost, don't need to use the most expensive I have found the Wickes version good this year. I say that because you hear so many stories about peat free composts being variable and unreliable and in some cases probably containing herbicide residues. Until you have gained the confidence to know a failure is not down to you use something proven and reliable. Always water filled seed trays before sowing and allow them to drain, if sowing in heat let them acclimatise to the sowing temperature before sowing. Cover medium sized seeds with a mixture of compost and fine vermiculite and small ones just with vermiculite.
I see one poster doesn't like JI composts for seed raising. I use it in one particular way as I, like a lot of people have a club root problem. Mix 50:50 JI2 and peat based MCP and add a little extra lime and fill modules. I use the 12 modules / ½ tray size and sow 2 or 3 Brassica seeds per module, when they germinate thin to one per module and let them grow to a pair of proper leaves. Make some more of the 50:50 compost and this time add a little superphospate as well as the lime. Pot the seedlings up into 3½" pots and grow them on to strong plants with the root system filling the pot. Plant them out into rich limed soil with a dusting of extra lime in the planting hole and you will have a good chance of a crop even on infected land. Be strict with rotation and the infection should fade away even if you are growing some Brassicas as the strong starting root system minimises it's effect.

[chili]

nice replies...thanks

[johnfh]

A couple of things I've learnt about seeds in the past twelve months: 

An electric propagator really speeds up the germination time in early spring - e.g. lettuce sprouting in 2-3 days.  However as the weather warms up it can make things too hot and germination rate falls dramatically - there are details of ideal temperatures for different seeds on the internet if you use a google (or similar) search.

Also found seeds very prone to damping off (white fungus on soil) when using the propagator and this kills off most of the seedlings very quickly.  It can be treated with copper sulphate but this is apparently a very dodgy chemical to use on food crops.  I mentioned this to an experienced gardener and she said are you using rain water? of course I replied. Well this is probably your problem, only use tap water on seeds as this is sterile. Well it certainly worked for me and I had no further problems with damping off.  Hope it works for you too!

[DD.]

there are details of ideal temperatures for different seeds on the internet if you use a google (or similar) search.

These can also usually be found on the back of the packet!

I'm not a fan of electric propagators and would only ever consider using one for seeds that will subsequently be grown in hot conditions also.

Seeds requiring lower gemination temperatures can germinate and go leggy before you know it, or not germinate at all, as we've found out with a few tales of woe this year.

I'll stick to my polythene bags.

[johnfh]

Interesting that you mention leggy seedlings DD.  Yes I have had a few worries about that with some but thought it was lack of light.  It could also be keeping them in the greenhouse in early stages could it?  Any advice from anyone on causes and preventing this in future would be apprecieted as I'm still very much a beginner and I'm sure we can all learn something from this excellent site.

[DD.]

Two things to do to prevent leggy seedlings:

1 - Take them out of the propagator/plastic bag AS SOON AS they have germinated, or at least take the lid off.

2 - Place some aluminium foil behind them to reflect the light. This can almost double the amount of available light, especially if growing in windows. It also stops them leaning towards the light.