Do I have to use seed compost?

Garden lore suggests that MPC has too much nutrient for seedlings and that seed compost should be used. Seed compost does tend to be of a finer consistency but in my experience it makes damn all difference so I now always use MPC which is somewhat cheaper.

yeah. I also just use MPC.

me too also

I use seed compost. I grow lots (as in LOTS!) of seeds over the course of a year and I only use one small bag a year. I do tend to reuse it through the year though, so others may frown at that.

I find multi purpose compost very rough, and I think that reduces germination success - particularly with smaller seeds. I also think that seedling roots establish very well in seed compost, and pricking out is easier as the stuff just falls apart rather than MPC which clings to the roots and, being heavy, can break them too.

A bag that is a year old will be fine. (If it had been opened it might not still be sterile, which might increase the risk of fungal disease being present, but I doubt that would be a problem even then - its much more likely to be a problem with my "reuse seed compost" policy, so you may not want to follow that!

Water seedlings using tap water (rain water contains all the muck off the roof etc and is better for more mature plants as their immunity is more robust), ideally water from the base (stand the pot / seed tray in water for 10 minutes, then let it drain) so that the surface and leaves doesn't get wet (which watering from above would cause) - that helps to reduce the risk of fungal diseases.

Don't give Cabbages and Caulis too much warmth initially - they will grow weak. The Toms, Peppers and Chillies will need some warmth to germinate (you could stick them in the airing cupboard for a few days to kick start them - check them twice a day for signs of germination though).

I use mpc, I've always used levingtons, sown 2 or 3 seeds [for toms,chillies etc] in large modules and left them grow till they're at least two or three inches, then separated and potted on.
will have to find an alternative this year though and try peat free.

I to use MPC for everything, tried peat free a few years ago did not like it at all. So now follow Peter Seabrook's advice and use compost with peat.

Colin

I use B&Q's multi compost, for very small seeds I sometimes sieve some leaf mould and add that to the compost.

I mix vermiculite into mpc for seeds - seems to work as my toms are all coming up nicely

That's great - thanks for all your replies

Peter Seabrook, sponsored by the peat industry No offence to you, I just find him a bit of a dinosaur

Me too.
I used John Innes seed compost for one year, and it was awful. Last year I splashed out on New Horizon Peat Free, and it was brilliant stuff

MPC for me also, never had any issues with germination at all, and as others have said, much cheaper!

Might be the supplier? (given that John Innes is just the formulation).

I used Arthur Bowers for many years (that was what the garden centre stocked) and regularly had to sift the big bits out of it. The garden centre switched to Westland this year and its as fine as silk (although I'm not convinced that is a good thing, drainage-wise - I'll tell you at the end of the season! Pricking out is going to be easy, that's for sure.)

I used Levington Seed Compost one year, and found it too "dense" - green algae started growing on it almost immediately (might be my fault for top watering - but I think it retained too much moisture).

Just my opinions of course ... different folks / different strokes and all that

I use Westland peat free mpc ....things seem to be growing ok........