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Re: covering for germination

Cherie,

The depth of covering, as such,  is not very critical for the majority of 
seeds, but light or lack of it is necessary for germination in some.
And of course, seeds generally require protection from drying-out as they 
germinate.  A method that works for the great majority of seeds is to 
surface-sow the seed on the compost, and then cover with granite or 
quartz poultry grit.  The seed is in contact with the moisture-retentive 
compost, and the grit protects the surface from drying, while keeping it 
aerated and letting light in.

Only the relative few types for which light inhibits germination 
[Cyclamen, for instance] will benefit from deep burial in the seedmix.

With this standardized way of planting, most of the fiddling around is 
with the temperatures, where cold-exposure is usually the issue.

Loren Russell. Corvallis, Oregon
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