Upping the ante

[E&MBees]

I’ve lost so many seedlings this year and have had lots of seeds failing to germinate, eg runner beans. Never had that before. Used a well known compost, it was hopeless, expensive too.

 

[Skinfaxi]

Look for some trichoderma to inoculate your soil medium when sowing. Canna coco make some, and use some kelp with it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’ve lost so many seedlings this year and have had lots of seeds failing to germinate, eg runner beans. Never had that before. Used a well known compost, it was hopeless, expensive too.

Well we put some dwarf beans in the poly tunnel and they shot up straight away. I thought I’d start some in pots to plant out in the raised beds. Nothing germinated.

 

[Beesnaturally]

That's why the planning is the important bit, not the plan. If your planning is good, when things don't go to plan you already have the knowledge/info. to work a solution.

I dunno. I think you can leave scrag ends for thinking on your feet. Some things can go wrong and you can put it down to experience. Not everything is mission-critical.

It's difficult to make an all-encompassing statement I think. But think big, plan well, be determined, grab opportunities, know when and where to seek help, these sorts of guides work for me. And accumulate knowledge. I've fiddled in the garden and the holding in various ways off and on for decades. That's now worth at least something. I've spent my life earning a living using my hands in construction, always self employed. That's worth something too. These things and others give me confidence that investing hard earned cash in good fences and water runs will have a chance of paying off.

 

[Moobee]

Anybody finding peat free compost rubbish for germinating seeds?

Yep. I’m buying reduced peat compost but peat free seedlings either don’t germinate or are weak.