Simone, are you saying that the OP’s seeds didn’t germinate at all but the compost used had weed seeds in it that did germinate. That could be the reason. I think with Verbena Bon, they are hard to germinate, but once you have them they self seed everywhere, cracks in patio, on the drive, that shows how they like to germinate.
As you say, scatter them over the ground and they should grow fine.
I’m not a fan of Fothergill either, and T&M even less.
On the other hand, maybe, and I’m not saying definitely, but maybe GW mag buy rejects or seconds cheaply for give always, could be mixed up seed.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
I overall prefer Wilko and an online retailer called premierseedsdirect to Fothergill. Cheaper and better germination rates for me. Haven't had mixed up seed, though, not that it's impossible
@Lyn, yes it might be like mir first VB, mikej may’s seeds didn’t germinate. Sheps made a test sowing seeds from the same package in peat-free and peat compost. The peat-free seeds had hardly germinated, and that happened with beans. Our snap peas also struggled with only 2 out of 10 pots.
What I learned this year is that the best way to get seads germinated is by sowing them at the end of the advised sowing time.
I’m sure that mikej may’s compost was faulty or contaminated. At least 30% is plastic!, 50% is landfill and the rest probly scraped together from somewhere else.
Carol Klein said once don’t use your own compost because it will be full of weeds.
That is not my problem, I have these nasty little seedlings eaters 🤨
Don’t get me started on peat free compost, I had the same problem with beans, I have always had 100% germination from them. This year I had some old compost and sowed French beans and a space for 4 runners. All germinated, 2 weeks later I sowed 12 more runners in the peat free, only 4 germinated.
I don’t have a problem with weeds in home made compost, but find it a bit heavy for most seeds. I am growing my peppers in it and it’s fine, just a few stinging nettle seedling which are easy to see and pull out.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
For me, the nicotiana seeds from GW came up fine as nicotiana.
I didn't sow the verbena as I now have far too many in the garden - I made the mistake of leaving the seedheads on for the birds over winter, and now I have thousands of the things coming up.
Not everyone knows what the seeds of different plants look like if they've not grown that type before.
The same weed coming up in different types does tend to suggest that the contamination is in the compost, or that the seeds are being blown in from a nearby source (possible even in a greenhouse if it's being ventilated). People have been having problems with germination in peat-free compost this year and even previously-good brands have been more variable from batch to batch. I believe Westland JI no 2 is now a peat-free formulation so possibly not the same as in previous years.
Our local garden centre still has stock of the 40% peat version-it's waht I've used to sow everything, and all the seeds from other manufacturers I have sown have come up without issue. It is just Mr. F and therefore not the compost.
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That could be the reason.
I think with Verbena Bon, they are hard to germinate, but once you have them they self seed everywhere, cracks in patio, on the drive, that shows how they like to germinate.
On the other hand, maybe, and I’m not saying definitely, but maybe GW mag buy rejects or seconds cheaply for give always, could be mixed up seed.
I ♥ my garden.
Don’t get me started on peat free compost, I had the same problem with beans, I have always had 100% germination from them. This year I had some old compost and sowed French beans and a space for 4 runners. All germinated, 2 weeks later I sowed 12 more runners in the peat free, only 4 germinated.
I don’t have a problem with weeds in home made compost, but find it a bit heavy for most seeds.
I am growing my peppers in it and it’s fine, just a few stinging nettle seedling which are easy to see and pull out.
I didn't sow the verbena as I now have far too many in the garden - I made the mistake of leaving the seedheads on for the birds over winter, and now I have thousands of the things coming up.