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Symptom

Seeds not coming up

Seeds need the right warmth, even moisture, air and depth. Cold, wet soil rots them; dry soil stops them; mice and birds eat them. Old seed is less vigorous.

Dig up a few seeds. Rotted seeds point to cold, wet soil; missing seeds to mice or birds; intact dry seeds to dry soil or too deep a sowing.

Likely causes

Ordered from the usual answer to the less likely one. Each links to the full problem.

Recorded on Basil

  1. Seedlings collapsed at soil level from damping off Fungal disease Common

    Damping off

    Seeds rot or seedlings collapse in cold, wet compost.
  2. A snake plant with soft, yellowing leaves collapsing in soggy compost Watering Possible

    Overwatering

    Seeds rot in saturated compost.

Less likely on Basil

  1. Brassica plants pecked down to bare stalks by birds Pest Possible

    Birds

    Seeds dug up; peas and beans pulled out.
  2. A drooping plant in dry, cracked soil Watering Possible

    Underwatering

    Seed dries out before it can grow.
  3. Young plants bitten off at the base by rabbits Pest Less likely

    Rabbits, deer and other mammals

    Mice take pea and bean seed from rows.