Seedling raising for the Lazy/Busy/Vague/Depressed Please!

[Jessiebean]

I struggle to raise convincing seedlings. Then I will be very busy, or vague or lazy or depressed. the damn little weak things die on me from a day or two worth of neglect.
Direct sowing is better, sometimes things come up a long time after I sow them but I do really feel that I ought to be able to raise seedlings.
So- you lovely experienced people must have some among you like me who need a fool proof system for raising seedlings without them dying and drying out and grow them strong so they will survive if they ever make it to transplanting... ideas...please?

[seasidegirl]

I think it depends a bit on what sort of things you want to grow.

Mine are doing really well this year. I'm not sure if its just luck or the result of years of learning from my mistakes.

My tricks (or lessons learned) are:

1. Trying to sow as many seeds individually as I can. I find time spent at the outset, when I'm most unthusiastic as well, saves time later on pricking them out.
I've done loads in egg boxes and managed to get one seed in each section. Its obviously much easier with big seeds. Lettuce for example, is a nightmare cos they are so small but I just put two or three in each cell and then remove the extras (throwing them) leaving one in each cell to grow strong. You get way too many lettuce seeds anyway.

2. Keep them moist but not too wet. I cover them for first week or so with a plastic lid or even cling film but then after that remove it during the day for fresh air.

3. Not growing too many of one type.

[Jessiebean]

I am using cardboard egg cartons, strawberry punnets and seedling punnets and I still can't seem to get it right. They tend to go mouldy or dry out and if they do appear they are weak little things that won't get big enough to transplant:(

[seasidegirl]

I read that you can treat the mould by watering plants with chamomile tea. Haven't tried it and only have mould on one pot but might have a go. I think ventilation is most important. My ld conservatory actually has a gap between the windows and the roof. It's pretty cold at night but does keep the air fresh. Also I'd veer on the side of underwatering than over. I give mine hardly any when its cold.

[Nick69]

I place all of mine on a big window cill. After a week or so I open the window 1" for a bit per day to let the air circulate. Never had any mould, rot or anything and all seedlings have been very strong. I dont open the window if its really windy though.
I water once a day only and only enough to moisten the soil.
I will be doing mine in the next few days so if you want I can take some pictures for you?

[Harasimow]

top 10 tips

1) Soak big seeds such as broad beans in water for 24 hours.
2) Onions and potatoes are far easier to do by sets/tubers
3) Fine seeds. Soak pots of compost with water and leave 15 mins to drain. Put 3 seeds in each pot and water with a very fine spray.
4) You can save a lot of your own seeds from things like runner beans, peas, peppers.
5) Theres somthing you can add to your watering can to avoid damping off. Beaudux mixture or something like that
6) you can save tomatoe seeds by scooping them out of a fresh tomatoe and putting them in a jar of water for 3 days. Then rinse them off and dry them. Move them around a bit to stop them sticking to the plate.
7) Brassicas dont mind being transplanted so start off in a seed bed and move to a holding bed if necessary
8) Label Everything or you will forget whats what.
9) root crops such as carrots and parnips hate having there roots moved so sow some in situ.
10) Make sure there warm enough. A bit of love given and they will amaze you. I always treat some seeds mean and some nice and see how they respond. some things can be fairly hardy.