As an experiment I've used a large deep plastic tray/box of compost as a
seed bed.

I sowed four drills of different herbs across the box (and thought I would
remember which was which!) and seedlings are now emerging.

However there isn't a nice stright line across the box, but clumps of
germination and spaces.

It is possible/likely that I didn't spread the seeds evenly.

However it is also possible that I sowed fine seeds a bit too deep.
If that is the case, would gently stirring up the fallow bits perhaps
stimulate a second burst of germination?
I am assuming that someone has had a similar problem and tried various
methods to solve it.

I am not short of seedlings (so no real need for a second sowing) but just
curious.


Cheers



Dave R


--
AMD FX-6300 in GA-990X-Gaming SLI-CF running Windows 7 Pro x64

--
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

In article ,
David wrote:
As an experiment I've used a large deep plastic tray/box of compost as a
seed bed.

I sowed four drills of different herbs across the box (and thought I would
remember which was which!) and seedlings are now emerging.

However there isn't a nice stright line across the box, but clumps of
germination and spaces.

It is possible/likely that I didn't spread the seeds evenly.

However it is also possible that I sowed fine seeds a bit too deep.
If that is the case, would gently stirring up the fallow bits perhaps
stimulate a second burst of germination?
I am assuming that someone has had a similar problem and tried various
methods to solve it.

Yes, but not typically in seed trays. If you discover a cause, please
let me know - I am still defeated after 40 years' of trying to find out!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 28/05/20 14:15, David wrote:
As an experiment I've used a large deep plastic tray/box of compost as a
seed bed.

I sowed four drills of different herbs across the box (and thought I would
remember which was which!) and seedlings are now emerging.

However there isn't a nice stright line across the box, but clumps of
germination and spaces.

It is possible/likely that I didn't spread the seeds evenly.

However it is also possible that I sowed fine seeds a bit too deep.
If that is the case, would gently stirring up the fallow bits perhaps
stimulate a second burst of germination?
I am assuming that someone has had a similar problem and tried various
methods to solve it.

I am not short of seedlings (so no real need for a second sowing) but just
curious.

Sometimes a bit too much vigorous watering can wash seeds to the side
when large drops of water fall onto fine, shallowly-sown, seed in a
tray. I always water newly-sown seeds by placing the seed
tray/pot/whatever in a bowl partially filled with water. It is removed
when the water has soaked into the compost and wetted it completely, and
allowed to drain.

--

Jeff

On 28/05/2020 14:15, David wrote:
As an experiment I've used a large deep plastic tray/box of compost as a
seed bed.

I sowed four drills of different herbs across the box (and thought I would
remember which was which!) and seedlings are now emerging.

However there isn't a nice stright line across the box, but clumps of
germination and spaces.

It is possible/likely that I didn't spread the seeds evenly.

However it is also possible that I sowed fine seeds a bit too deep.
If that is the case, would gently stirring up the fallow bits perhaps
stimulate a second burst of germination?
I am assuming that someone has had a similar problem and tried various
methods to solve it.

I am not short of seedlings (so no real need for a second sowing) but just
curious.


Cheers



Dave R



For fine seed always water by immersing the tray then allowing it to
drain rather than overhead watering. I think you will find that will
stop the problem

--
Charlie Pridham
Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 28/05/2020 16:40, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
David wrote:
As an experiment I've used a large deep plastic tray/box of compost as a
seed bed.

I sowed four drills of different herbs across the box (and thought I would
remember which was which!) and seedlings are now emerging.

However there isn't a nice stright line across the box, but clumps of
germination and spaces.

It is possible/likely that I didn't spread the seeds evenly.

However it is also possible that I sowed fine seeds a bit too deep.
If that is the case, would gently stirring up the fallow bits perhaps
stimulate a second burst of germination?
I am assuming that someone has had a similar problem and tried various
methods to solve it.

Yes, but not typically in seed trays. If you discover a cause, please
let me know - I am still defeated after 40 years' of trying to find out!

You can sow them from a folded piece of paper if the seeds are not too
fine and/or cut them with fine white sand so you can see where they go.

Mostly it is statistical variations but sometimes there is a stone or
void under a bald patch that made it too dry or too wet. This year far
too dry. I'm actually seeing new leaves burned to a crisp in the
sunshine even on new leaves on the hedge never mind seedlings.

My missing patches were dug up by a cat using my seed bed as a litter
tray and birds making dust baths in it. Trouble with a fine tilth.

I'm not too bad at sowing into a line more or less evenly.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

In article ,
Martin Brown wrote:

Yes, but not typically in seed trays. If you discover a cause, please
let me know - I am still defeated after 40 years' of trying to find out!

Mostly it is statistical variations but sometimes there is a stone or
void under a bald patch that made it too dry or too wet. This year far
too dry. I'm actually seeing new leaves burned to a crisp in the
sunshine even on new leaves on the hedge never mind seedlings.

So am I, and that happens to me, but those are definitely NOT the main
cause in my case. In some cases, I suspect nematodes or keeled slugs;
naturally, I have no strong evidence.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.