Presprouting seeds

There are no true shortcuts when it comes to seed starting. Seeds will sprout (or not) on their own schedule, but we can take steps to make conditions as favorable as possible to help with germination. For some reason this spring I had difficulty getting peppers, eggplants, squash and cucumbers to germinate in seed trays, the way I do it every season. I haven't figured out what the issue this year was conpared to other years, but I knew I had to try something different than what I was doing if I wanted the plants in my garden for 2015. It's always been a habit of mine to presprout my peas to prevent the seeds getting eaten before they sprout or to keep them rotting in the ground during particularly wet weather. 

By presprouting I mean to say getting the seeds to sprout before planting them in any kind of growing medium. I do this by placing the seeds in a damp paper towel of cotton cloth and putting it in a zipper baggy then placing that in a sunny, warm location. 

I figured it works for peas, why not try it with other seeds? I started with the peppers and eggplants and within a few days I had sprouts that were ready for planting in seed trays. Next up were the squash and cucumbers. They took a little longer to germinate, but I had an excellent germination rate (around 90%) after about a week and a half.

As always when it comes to gardening, if something doesn't work out, there is always something else to try. If a particular method doesn't work for you, try a new one, if a certain plant variety fails or produces poorly, do a little research and try a different one. Everyone has a green thumb if they are willing to be open to fresh ideas and new information. 

Keep at it and you will eventually succeed beyond your expectations!