It's easy to get tiny seeds planted too deep; that will affect germination. There are some seeds out there that need light to germinate, so if the packet says just to "scratch" them into the surface, they really do mean it. If you're planting them at the proper depth and keeping the surface wet, you're already doing everything I do (getting 90+ percent germination rates outside). It seems that the smaller the seed, the longer they take to germinate, too.

With some small seeds, such as lettuce, which are difficult to sow at uniform depth and spacing, I start them in flats and transplant out. Otherwise ir is necessary to heavily over seed and thin to correct spacing.

Jim

I have also had really good luck covering the seeds with about 1/4" of high peat potting soil. It doesn't get hard and crusty like garden soil can when watered, and then inhibit germination.

Steve

when your planting peas take a pair of fingernail clippers and put a little nick in the shell and they germinate faster.

Cover with light mulch and keep evenly moist. But I agree germination can be spotty - I have that with dill & cilantro and our highly variable spring this year (and hail).

Dan

I cover the drill with vermiculite. I start all my seed this way and get very good germination, even parsnips, which are difficult to get started.

I don't really have many problems with germination. For Lettuce, I sprinkled on the surface of the soil, and just patted it down a bit so it doesn't fly everywhere from rain or wind. For spinach, I put it down, take tiny clumps of soil and sprinkle it over just until I can't see it anymore.

Same thing with peas, I planted lots, covered it enough so rain wouldn't wash it away... and over 40 have germinated so far.

This has been a very cool year so far. The hottest it has reached is just around 75 F or so. It's on average 60-70 F each day, so it's not that hot yet.

Carrots are my biggest problem, as they're small and take so long to germinate (2-3 wks). They seem very susceptible to drying out, so I cover them with something, either burlap or a sheet of plywood.

If you don't need a lot of plants, just cut down the aggravation and sow them in cups or flats, and then transplant them (not carrots or parsnips).

Sue

beeman_gardener, what do you mean by "the drill"?

Thanks for the ideas! I'll try the potting soil idea. If that doesn't help, burlap sounds like a good solution, especially for carrots, parsnips, parsley, and dill.

I didn't water anything myself and they have/are germinating.

I tried skeip's suggestion of covering with high peat potting soil and it worked great. It's lightweight and stays moist for an entire day even in baking sun. Got close to 100% on a newly seeded basil bed (the last effort was more like 10%).

I used Pro-Mix BX, which costs about $35 for a 75-pound compressed bale. The shop owner also recommended Liteway, which is similar but without perlite.

To improve germination rate, I use either the finest compost or play sand. You can then

1) premix seeds and sand, make a line of sand, about 1/16 to 1/8 deep, on the bed

2) sprinkle seeds in a line, cover with a bit less sand than 1)

Almost certainly a driving rain at the right time rejuvenates the bed, exposing seeds that were too deep, and failed to germinate in Round 1. To some extent it all works. I notice that my large carrot packet was bought in 2004, and I have lettuce from 2000. Nowhere close to 90% though.