Sowing lobelias and other microscopic seeds

I just purchased some Rose Lobelia seeds, and am wondering what is the best way to sow them...they're like dust they're so tiny! I'm starting them indoors. Any advice is welcome!
RaeLynne

I usually just start mine outside in the pot I plan to have them in once it warms a bit. I think most people recommend mixing the tiny seeds with a little fine sand and sprinkling it on the seed starting mix or whatever. My lobelia...if you like blue, Crystal Palace is very pretty, usually grew out sort of clump like and very full, so I didn't thin any of the seedlings out. Good luck:)

When I sow those fine a seeds, I just sprinkle them in a seed flat and then mist with hot water, cover the container with plastic ( you can use saran wrap) and mist once a day. When I lift the cover to mist each morning I always mist the inside of the plastic as well. Usually fine seeds pop pretty fast. Give it as much bottom heat as you can, and remove the plastic after the majority germinate, and keep misting every day until they are big enough to gently water the soil. You don't have to cover the seeds-just sprinkle on top of the soil. If the seeds need dark to germinate, then you can use black plastic-but lobelia needs light, so put under lights, or near a window. Hope that helps! Good luck!

For fine seeds that are expensive, I use a toothpick dipped in water to pick up and place the seeds one at a time.

MM

This message was edited Mar 3, 2006 12:01 AM

Thanks so much for your suggestions, I do have a spare flat in the garage, so I'll get to work. Thanks again!

I usually mix them with dry sand and then scatter if outside, in seed flats I had used tweezers but I'm going to try Maineman's idea of a toothpick