Most reliable way of germinating tomato seeds needed

[maverick451]

Hi guys

A couple of weeks ago I sowed all my tomato seeds and they all came up except the most expensive variety "superb" £3.99 for 6 seeds, I must have been mad

One seed actually out 3 did actually come up but the seed case never opened.

So now I have 3 seeds left and I really want to get atleast one plant, I was thinking about using the kitchen towel method to sprout them before sowing?

Thanks

[Bigmallly]

As Tomatoes are so easy to germinate, I just sow them in compost & place somewhere warm i.e Heated Propagator or airing cupboard. Sorry I can't be of more use.

[veggiechicken]

I'd ask for a refund!!

[maverick451]

I never kept the receipt

[veggiechicken]

Go back to the seed company - with the seed packet.

[maverick451]

Thanks, will contact both garden centre and seed company

[Scarlet]

yes agree, send of an email and complain. What brand seeds were they?
If you are going to try the remaining three I agree with BM Propagator is your best bet to start them off. Make sure your compost is warm first.

[Jungle Jane]

the seed case never opened.

This happened to one of my 'sweet million' tomato seeds the other day,had to really carefully pinch the thing & it came off. I sowed 4 seeds & 3 came up. Hopefully the last 3 will all be stronger seeds

[maverick451]

There were unwins Superb Tomato seeds, it had recomended splashed across the front of the packet

Advertised as

"Tomato superb is an extremely sweet, pink baby cherry plum. This intensely sweet flavoured tomato is simply divine. Vigorous and disease resistant with high fruit numbers per truss, this is truly the one to grow."

[Scarlet]

Marshals do them...£2.75 for 8. Never heard of them...

[Zelenina]

It's happened to me a few times that precious seeds carefully sown one by one in their own modules have failed to come up. So I decide the seeds must be duds or too old, and I bung all the rest carelessly into one module just in case one or two might germinate, and of course then they all germinate They seem to like company.

With stuck seedcases, I've found that they slide off much more easily if I first put a drop of water on them and leave it for a couple of minutes to soften. I think it's possibly an indication of keeping them too dry, which might be why the others didn't germinate.

[veggiechicken]

There were unwins Superb Tomato seeds, it had recomended splashed across the front of the packet

It also says "Guaranteed to grow"

[arpoet]

I bought a packet of kings Harbinger tom seeds (about 20 seeds) last year. I sowed 8 on new years day and they all took.
This year I sowed another 6 on the first of feb and 5 out of the six have struck.
6 of my own saved bush tom seeds sowed on jan 1st all took and are growing nicely on a bedroom windowsill.
This year i have sown all my tom in those see through plastic egg boxes. one seed per cell. Placed on the kitchen windowsill and lightly moist. Once the seeds poke though i open the lid and wrap foil round it to reflect light. When seedling are ready for potting on i just spoon out the seed and compost and put into a plant pot of mpc.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I sow individually in cells of slightly moist, warm compost and put cling film over the top, keep somewhere warm but not boiling hot and seem to get reasonable results.