A post to celebrate the 29th of February and our ✩First Seedlings of 2012✩. Ta-dah!
Old dog's new tricks: tamp the compost into the paper pots, knocking out the air. Otherwise, the compost will subside as the air is forced out of it when you water and the seed is washed to the bottom where it has a hard time germinating.
For tomatoes, lay the seed on the firmed surface. Then, no need for a sieve, rub a pinch of the compost between your finger tips and sprinkle a fine layer, not much deeper than the thickness of the seed itself, over the top of the pot. Sprinkle with water until the module is damp but not soggy. Allow space for air to circulate around the modules when you place them in trays. These precautions go some way to prevent things getting mouldy, which they do sometimes*.Keep the modules damp and check after watering that the seeds remain covered with compost as they need darkness and moisture to germinate.
*Take all precautions to stop things getting mouldy to prevent damping off running rife through your seedlings. Though this too can happen anyway, whatever you do.We sowed 2x9 varieties of tomato: Gardener's Delight, Minibel, Purple Calabash, Marmande, San Marzano, Principe Borghese, Costoluto Florentino, Tigerella and Lldi. The Lldi failed to germinate.
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