I use a mix of seed, MPC and grit. Seed on its own I find too hard and it's easy to break roots when pricking out. MPC alone is easy to get too soggy and mouldy.
I found one this year that I wouldn't recommend. Levington's Seed compost. A lot of dense, rather rich soil-like content. Prone to going sour and developing a crust. Poor germination rates over a range of plants from tomato to peas to courgettes to flowers.
Maybe just all down to my bad methods but I'll not buy it again.
Apophthegm - a big word for a small thought. If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
I have used Arthur Bowers JI seed compost this year and most of the things have germinated okay and I haven't had a problem with pricking out the seedlings.
Reason I'm asking is because it's been a hit and miss this year with germination . I used several different ones .
one I used was A . Bowers it had a lot of hard lumps in it , impossible to crumble down.dried out quick and formed a crust. Germination of my seeds failed too.
Granma, try my way, seeds will strike in sand as they do not need feed. Buy a bag of JI NUMBER TWO MIX it is loam based, a bag of washed sand and one of small grit. Mix one scoop of sand one of grit and one of JI compost. Sow seed water from below. Pot on with half same JI compost, quarter sand quarter grit, pot on again into ordinary potting compost.
That method has worked for years, no losses and good plants. Since the greens won with no peat compost has been made from all kinds of waste. We do not know what is in it or how it is sorted, I have found plastic glass and what looked like bone in some of it so now serve it. Grit helps drainage and more seeds die from over watering than anything else. Hope this helps.
I get gro-sure seed and cutting compost and then when it comes to re-potting they go into John innes no.2 i think it is potting compost I think it is called!
I think the reason some people have had bad germination rate is the change in temperature from day to night. Its been very cold here, even on warm days.
I have tried a lot of different ones and agree with Bas, theres not much to choose between them.
I am using Erin, with peat, obviously as its Irish, the seeds do well.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
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I use a mix of seed, MPC and grit. Seed on its own I find too hard and it's easy to break roots when pricking out. MPC alone is easy to get too soggy and mouldy.
In the sticks near Peterborough
I found one this year that I wouldn't recommend. Levington's Seed compost. A lot of dense, rather rich soil-like content. Prone to going sour and developing a crust. Poor germination rates over a range of plants from tomato to peas to courgettes to flowers.
Maybe just all down to my bad methods but I'll not buy it again.
If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
I have used Arthur Bowers JI seed compost this year and most of the things have germinated okay and I haven't had a problem with pricking out the seedlings.
Waste of money, only ever used MPC and never had a problem.
Reason I'm asking is because it's been a hit and miss this year with germination . I used several different ones .
one I used was A . Bowers it had a lot of hard lumps in it , impossible to crumble down.dried out quick and formed a crust. Germination of my seeds failed too.
Granma, try my way, seeds will strike in sand as they do not need feed. Buy a bag of JI NUMBER TWO MIX it is loam based, a bag of washed sand and one of small grit. Mix one scoop of sand one of grit and one of JI compost. Sow seed water from below. Pot on with half same JI compost, quarter sand quarter grit, pot on again into ordinary potting compost.
That method has worked for years, no losses and good plants. Since the greens won with no peat compost has been made from all kinds of waste. We do not know what is in it or how it is sorted, I have found plastic glass and what looked like bone in some of it so now serve it. Grit helps drainage and more seeds die from over watering than anything else. Hope this helps.
Frank
I get gro-sure seed and cutting compost and then when it comes to re-potting they go into John innes no.2 i think it is potting compost I think it is called!
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I think the reason some people have had bad germination rate is the change in temperature from day to night. Its been very cold here, even on warm days.
I have tried a lot of different ones and agree with Bas, theres not much to choose between them.
I am using Erin, with peat, obviously as its Irish, the seeds do well.