Raising seedlings: how do you ensure success?

You can't really give one answer to this question as it depends on the seeds. For MOST things I sow in modules (sometimes with heat, eg chillies, sometimes in the cold greenhouse, brassicas) and grow on until they are big enough to scare the slugs. I direct sow carrots, parsnips, swede and turnips as well as cut and come again lettuce and radish as I find they do best like this. Seeds are used way past their sell by date as so long as you store them properly it isn't a problem, even parsnips will germinate for a couple of years quite happily. I avoid F1s as I don't want all my crops at the same time and I want the ability to save seeds which are adapted to my soil types. In summary I think sowing at the right time for you climate / lifestyle is critical and give everything the protection it needs a the the right time depending on the pests from which you suffer - I don't get pea moth so peas are fine left to their own devices but I do like to sow them in guttering as I find it gives them a head start. Never found any chitting necessary but then again I don't have a mice problem. Do have carrot fly so put enviromesh over my carrots as soon as I sow. Likewise brassicas will be protected from cabbage whites for the full summer and whilst they're currently unprotected, I'll cover again in spring when the PSB sprouts as the birds like the fresh sprouts

I rarely sow direct as seedlings are too vulnerable to pests. So its indoor sowing - windowsill or Greenhouse, where I can keep an eye on them until the seedlings are sturdy enough to stand on their own two feet - I mean, one leg Doesn't always work then either but I feel I've given them a fighting chance

Beware of overwatering. Simple.

Cheers, Tony.

For me it is relatively simple, good food (ie. sowing compost), to be kept moist , not wet, under cover where they get enough warmth and light (my windowsills) and I use covered seed trays with modules inside. When they push through, their protective tops come off by day, back in place at night. To avoid damping off, water from bottom and never ever leave them sitting in water. I turn the trays daily as seedlings will always lean towards the light. To grow inside your house you will need to have an understanding family!
As for F1s, I am now leaning towards saving my own seeds and having sown F1 seed in the past I see no difference between their germination rates and non F1 seed.

It depends on the thing your sowing mainly, as I grow quite a few chillies and peppers, they go in my heated propagator, most things though get started off in my greenhouse with a bit of extra warmth with fleece and keep me fingers crossed!! I do have a tendency to try things off to early with the hope i'll get a head start, and then had to re-sow.... boredom gets the better of me in the beginning of the year i think!

I use fresh compost every year for sowing, ensuring I don't overwater and try and regulate heat best I can. For certain crops that need it warmer I keep then on a window sill for a few weeks then leave them on a table by the back door for maximum light.

Andrew

I know people get away with using MPC for their seed sowing but I've found that the extra money spent on a good JI based seed compost is well worth it in terms of good germination. Also, as Tony says, be careful with the watering.

I find that giving seedlings big enough pots is important to get sturdy plants. Confirming my own observations, I read somewhere (lost the link, sorry) that as soon as the roots hit the side of the pots, the plant responds by changing it's root and leaf structure and that even after transplanting they maintain a pot-bound growth pattern. They take up more space to be sure, but it's better than having lots of plants that will only succumb to disease or wind or slugs.

I sow my seeds using a mix of leaf mold, my own garden compost with a bit of sand, nearly all are started in paper pots or loo rolls so I don't get root disturbance when they go into their final positions.

Good quality seed and good quality compost are the essentials. Add to that good light and provision of the minimum amount of heat required for germination and of course ventilation is also needed to prevent problems with fungal diseases. The other thing to consider is that when growingindoors, cleanliness is next to godliness so don't be tempted to start seedlings off in pots or seed trays that haven't been washed since last being used. It's mostly common sense. Little things like not watering with ice cold water which will at best stress a seedling or at worst will stunt it completely. Eratic watering is also likely to cause similar problems so a wee bit of dedication/commitment is needed.

Plants don't grow by magic, they do need a minimum amount of care but if they get the care, the results are indeed magical.