Compost for germination

[Buster]

Here in the UK we are encouraged to recycle all of our food waste, so that's what I do.
I have two compost bins each one fills up in about six months. My compost is well rotted, not many worms though, then I sift.
Is this soil that I have good for germinating seeds, I seem to have a very low germination rate.
I am trying to grow palms from seeds, bird of paradise plants and have had some success but with other seeds have little or no success.
Is my compost too strong for germination??

Thanks guys in advance

 

[Chuck]

Here in the UK we are encouraged to recycle all of our food waste, so that's what I do.
I have two compost bins each one fills up in about six months. My compost is well rotted, not many worms though, then I sift.
Is this soil that I have good for germinating seeds, I seem to have a very low germination rate.
I am trying to grow palms from seeds, bird of paradise plants and have had some success but with other seeds have little or no success.
Is my compost too strong for germination??

Thanks guys in advance

I don't think it is your compost. Many times seeds from peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, etc germinate in the compost pile itself. If I were to guess I would say that the reason for lack of germination is because the compost you are putting your seed in is too cool and/or too wet. Germination is one thing and plant growth is another. I start my seeds in my homemade compost sometimes mixed with my garden soil with no problems at all. If the plants germinate and start to grow, NPK is not needed nor wanted until, at minimum when the first set of true leaves appear. I don't do houseplants so I don't know much about them but isn't a seed a seed? Have you dug up a seed that didn't germinate? I'll bet it rotted and isn't there and this is caused by too cool or too wet soil.

 

[roadrunner]

Germination is a tough subject and the method can be very specific based on the type of seed. Some germinate just by casting them out into the garden; however, there are numerous that require light to germinate, others require a specific temp range, or cold stratification, or a certain level of moisture...

 

[Buster]

ok guys thanks for that, I assumed the compost too strong as I read that it can burn the stems of new plants and you are to scatter your compost around them so as not to touch them.
I have tried a propagator, I do not have a green house, not enough room here
I know it is not too wet, it is moist as it should be, so temperature looks the way to go