Master Seed Starting: Troubleshoot My Germination Failures

You sowed a tray weeks ago and almost nothing came up. Describe your seed type and setup and this gives you a systematic check of the usual culprits: temperature, moisture, depth, light, compost. It tests each against your conditions and tells you what to change before you waste another packet on the windowsill.

I've been trying to start {seed_type} seeds indoors but I'm getting poor germination rates. My current setup is: {setup_description} (e.g. windowsill at 18°C, seed compost, watering from below, sown {weeks_ago} weeks ago). Provide a systematic troubleshooting guide that: identifies the most common reasons seeds of this type fail to germinate, evaluates each factor against my described conditions, gives me a quick test I can do now to determine whether my seeds are still viable, and recommends specific adjustments to temperature, light, moisture, sowing depth or stratification requirements. If my seeds are likely dead, advise on sourcing fresh seed and optimal storage conditions to avoid this loss next time.