I wonder if it’s the compost people are using, not good enough to get them off to a good start. my seed dahlias are well up, only a few flowers at the moment but loaded with buds (and slugs!) I find most, or all of the ones I sow, grow better with a bit of peat in the compost. Pansies have been lovely, I sowed purple frizzle type.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
I thought it might be the compost I used last year so I got a different kind this year. I gave up on whatever had come up the other day and just transplanted whatever looked like a viable plant into various places in the garden. We'll see if they do anything.
I might try to start another round. I did try loads of different ones in egg cartons in a shallow plastic tray and they didn't do very well either, although the cosmos were at least about 5 inches tall.
I thought it might be the compost I used last year so I got a different kind this year. I gave up on whatever had come up the other day and just transplanted whatever looked like a viable plant into various places in the garden. We'll see if they do anything.
I might try to start another round. I did try loads of different ones in egg cartons in a shallow plastic tray and they didn't do very well either, although the cosmos were at least about 5 inches tall.
I live not far from you NE not far from Newcastle had no problem from seeds cosmos sweet peas nasturtiums petunias all flowering well so could be compost you used .
There's no doubt that some compost is worse than useless. A decent multi purpose compost should be fine for sowing in spring for almost any seed. Heavier composts benefit from some perlite or grit, or similar, mixed through. Some of this peat free stuff is dire if the reports on the forum are anything to go by.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I didn't buy anything special, just a regular mix from Wickes supplemented with the odd cheap bag from Aldi. I did mix it up with some homemade stuff and top soil for the seeds. I bought the top soil from Wickes too, as I don't have especially great soil in the garden.
Do you think the homemade stuff is maybe contaminated with something that would inhibit growth? It's just made from the usual kitchen scraps, leaves, shredded paper, and so on. I've put weeds in there but I don't use much weed killer so I don't think there will be any of that kind of thing in there. Plenty of worms and other creatures in the bin so it seems healthy enough.
Home made compost is a soil conditioner rather than a good growing medium, and topsoil, or any soil, is generally too heavy for seed sowing, as it tends to hang onto moisture too much. It's less of an issue if you were sowing seed at this time of year, but not so good earlier in the year when they need warmth and light. The ordinary commercial compost you had would probably have been better, and it contains enough nutrients to get seedlings growing on as well. While some seeds can cope with a heavier medium more readily than others, seeds mostly need a nice light, free draining medium, with some nutrition in it, to germinate well in spring. I think the biggest problem was sowing too early, not enough warmth for them to germinate well, and possibly not having them in suitable containers. Seeds don't want a load of compost to germinate in because it can end up too wet for their tiny roots once they become seedlings.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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my seed dahlias are well up, only a few flowers at the moment but loaded with buds (and slugs!)
I find most, or all of the ones I sow, grow better with a bit of peat in the compost.
Pansies have been lovely, I sowed purple frizzle type.
I might try to start another round. I did try loads of different ones in egg cartons in a shallow plastic tray and they didn't do very well either, although the cosmos were at least about 5 inches tall.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Do you think the homemade stuff is maybe contaminated with something that would inhibit growth? It's just made from the usual kitchen scraps, leaves, shredded paper, and so on. I've put weeds in there but I don't use much weed killer so I don't think there will be any of that kind of thing in there. Plenty of worms and other creatures in the bin so it seems healthy enough.
While some seeds can cope with a heavier medium more readily than others, seeds mostly need a nice light, free draining medium, with some nutrition in it, to germinate well in spring.
I think the biggest problem was sowing too early, not enough warmth for them to germinate well, and possibly not having them in suitable containers. Seeds don't want a load of compost to germinate in because it can end up too wet for their tiny roots once they become seedlings.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...