Q and A

Why did my seeds not come up?
Seedlings may not have emerged from the potting mix or from the soil for these reasons:

• Seeds were too old, or infertile for other reasons – use better seed
• Too little water – water more regularly
• Too much water – hold off water and increase drainage
• Arrested water supply – this happens when you water, then stop watering causing the germinating seed to die
• The seedlings may have emerged but been bitten off before you noticed them – check for snails, slugs and earwigs, slaters or cutworms around the stems and use natural pest control.
• Seedlings may emerge then suddenly die; this is usually due to ʻdampening offʼ which is a fungal attack to the young stem – if in pots, raise the level of the potting mix so as to avoid having damp air stagnating around the young plant.