Direct seeding question

I have direct-seeded in some of my beds. I probably scattered about 20 different kinds of them about a month ago (including zinnias, asters, and other easy to grow from seed plants). I'm not having a very good germination rate, even though I water them every day, and we've had PLENTY of sunshine here. Is there still hope that they will germinate, or should I try again? Also, if I cover them with a thin layer of pine straw, will they be able to come up through the straw?

Thanks a lot!

Shannon, I'm guessing you're a newer gardener, or at last new to direct seeding. If you aren't, please forgive me, because I'm going to give you some very basic ideas here.

Direct seeding will work with just about any seed, but the amount of time it takes for them to come up and the ultimate germination rate depends on the seed and the conditions of your soil. This is how propagation often occurs in nature. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

1. How many days ago did you plant? Most annual flower seeds take 7-14 to germinate, so it may be a matter of a little more time.

2. How well did you prepare the soil beforehand? Even an established bed needs to be worked a little before direct seeding. By that I mean you get a little hand rake or hand hoe and break up any hard crust that's formed and smooth it back out. This ensures good contact between seed and soil.

3. How deep did you plant the seed? The general rule of thumb is to plant the seed as deep as it is big. So tiny seeds are left almost totally uncovered, while big seeds (like impatiens) are buried deeper. That can be difficult when you're trying to create a wildflower effect and planting lots of different seeds in a scattered fashion. It doesn't necessarily mean that seeds planted too deeply won't come up; it may just take them a little longer than the packet indicated.

4. Keeping the soil moist during the germination time is critical, and is a little more difficult than it sounds. You can't blast it with the hose because you'll wash away the seed. If you mist it lightly, it may still dry out too much between waterings. Best bet is to water lightly and frequently - if my weather has gotten really hot and sunny, I may water my direct-seeded beds two or three times a day for the first several days until they start to sprout. That's a lot of work, especially if you're not home all day, but a soaker hose and a timer can accomplish the same thing. Just don't let it soak too long each time, or it'll wash out the seeds.

If you've done all these things, post back a list of what you planted and when, and we'll try to give you more specific advice.

Hi Shannon,
Go_vols had excellent points. Early in my gardening life, I once scattered many seeds in hopes of overflowing gardens. To my horror, I found out that the birds had a feast on just about everything, including the newly emerging seedlings which were left. I hope this isn't your case, so most likely as GV mentioned, constant moisture and a little time should reveal a beautiful garden in the making :)
Trish

Shannon:
You've gotten some very good advice already. A VERY IMPORTANT POINT. Read the seed packet labels carefully.As GoVols indicated, different seeds require different conditions.

Some seeds require light to germinate; Coleus is a good example; if the seeds are covered they will not germinate.Other seeds require total darkness.

On some seeds the seed coat is so hard you have to pre-soak them or nick the coat with a file or something similar in order for moisture to get inside.

If the package doesn't indicate the depth a good rule of thumb is to plant to a depth 3 times equal to the width of the seed. For example a 1/8" seed should be planted 3/8" deep; 1/4" = 3/4" deep ect.

Good Luck

Thanks for the great info! I am somewhat of a new direct-seed gardener. I've done zinnias before, and they seemed to come up with no problems at all. I did read the seed packets for each one, and planted them at the proper depth. Since I had topsoil delivered to my house (we have terrible red clay) and used this, the soil is loose and should have been ready for me to use. Like I said, I planted them about one month ago. From what you said, I'm thinking that even though I've watered them each day, perhaps that still isn't enough. If I begin watering them a couple times a day, do you think they may still come up, or should I give up on the seeds I've already put down? And, what about the pine straw? Will the seedlings come up through this?

Thanks again!