Darwin Vander Stelt wrote:

I have had problems getting Basil to start from seed in a raised bed
outdoors. I even covered the seed with a peat moss-soil-vermiculite mixture
that wouldn't crust. I sprinkle it once or twice a day . .could it be that
the new seedlings, which have very tiny leaf surfaces, are getting destroyed
in the sprinkling? How do you do it?

I use those styrofoam seed starting trays, over a capillary mat (some
sort of felted synthetic fiber) that dangles into a water reservoir.
It's called "Propamatic" and bills itself as a self watering seed
starter; it was a present from my mother, who got it from one of those
gardening catalogs who stopped mailing me when they noticed I never
bought from them. (That's why I can't tell you which one.)

In any case, the self-watering means that I never disrupt seedlings by
watering them.

I fill each 'cell' with damp (the usual "like a wet sponge") seed
starting mix then
sprinkle basil seeds over the 'rough terrain' and then tamp it down.
This seems to get the seeds to the right depth; they usually sprout
within a few days.

--

programmer, author http://www.midnightbeach.com
and father http://www.midnightbeach.com/hs