Ok whats the secret with germinating tomatos

[Benacre]

My biggest bugbear is not being able to germinate Tomato plants. I sow in a potting compost water the soil and set seeds, cover and put on the window sill and then Nothing!
What am I doing wrong?

[JennieAtkinson]

Are you talking about this year Ben or last year? And what sort are you trying to grow?

I can't get anything to grow at this time of the year, due to lack of daylight and warmth, and even our windowsills are too recessed even in Spring to permit germination (we live in an old Manse). So sometimes it can be a number of reasons, not that you are doing anything wrong. I treated myself to a heated propagator last year and had great success with that.

[rustylady]

Benacre, don't try to start them too early! Even if you get them to germinate you will have problems growing them on if you don't have a heated greenhouse. I wait until late Feb or early March. Have germinated on kitchen windowsill (airing cupboard if you have one, but you need to keep an eye on them). I now have a small heated propagator (seed tray size) which has proved almost 100% successful. Also make sure the compost is moist, not soggy.

[Lesley Jay]

Patience is the key Benacre. I sow one seed per pot in compost, keep watered but not drowned and normally I get 100% germination. Just give them chance to germinate.

[Jayneylass]

Warmth; a heated propagator is brilliant.
All DIY superstores do cheap-ish versions. Focus are doing one for £28 which is the size of 1 1/2 standard seed trays. Great for toms, chillis and squash family to start off early.

Otherwise, wait until Feb/Mar and it's sunnier. The plants prefer warmth to sun.
Or put them in the airing cupboard for 2-3 days. As soon as they've germinated, keep warm and in indirect sunlight.

[Benacre]

My varieties would be "Big Boy" and Money maker, any reccomendations for Tumbleing Tomatoes I could grow in hanging baskets?

[Lesley Jay]

Are these the same varieties that you have trouble germinating?

[nick the grief]

Big Boy can be troublesome but the rest are easy.

I always water the compost & allow to drain for a second then cover with a bit of perlite & then either pop them in a plastic bag or put a propagatorr top over them. I must admit I don't usually bother till APril & I've got the beefit of a heated bench that sits at 20c but I have no problems otherwise.