It's been a bit cold for buckwheat outside, but that doesn't explain why you can't get it to germinate inside. The seed may be bad. I broadcast buckwheat where the early bush beans came out last year and not only got a good crop, but it went to seed and a secondary crop came up and bloomed.

I ordered one pound and mine was crawling with bugs so I put it in the freezer. I took it out and it has been inside since last winter. I don't see any more bugs. I haven't tried to germinate it yet. Maybe bugs ate yours.

Bon, I have had a worn out body for several years and try to make things that help me in the garden. I made a rake tool a few years ago that I plant all my cover crops with. The tool has worked very well for me, and I am sure Bill could make one in a few minutes. My tool in made of an old piece of 2x6, 4 short pieces of PVC and a piece of EMT. I drag the home made rake across the bed, making groves in the soil. I then throw the seeds out into the bed, then flip the tool up-side down and drag it across the bed. Most of the seed are scooted into the grooves and covered, I then water them in.

Larry

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It is still a little cool hear for Buckwheat to be happy.

Try soaking in water for no more than 8 hours, then drain and place in a damp coffee filter in a loose plastic bag. If it won't germinate then, you may have bad seed. It germinates very quickly in warm (indoor) temps. The fridge is probably too cool.

Thanks, everyone for responding. So very frustrating. I called Steve at Stillwater Milling about it. He kept going on about how I really need a good 2" of rain. Bless his heart. I think this drought is killing biz. Nonetheless, after I let him know it's just a home plot and that I can water and mulch, he reminded me that the soil under the mulch is going to be a lot cooler. And he's right. While the other soil thermometer read 70 at one point today, under the mulch feels cold. It doesn't explain why it doesn't germ on my counter, but I need to rule out me doing it wrong for this seed.

Mulberry ~ That's exactly what I need! Fast growing, prolific and will reseed. I'm just trying to keep roots in the soil as I remove the bermuda. Okay, I put some to soak and set a timer to remind me to take them out, then I'll put those in a bag and set in the south window sill.

Right now, I'm planting wheat because it germinates so well, but it's a heavy nitro feeder. I really need the buckwheat.

Helen ~ This never occured to me. I went and looked through the bag, but don't see any bugs. I took a handful and crushed them. It exposed some cream-colored contents. So, I guess some of them are good? I don't know how long they sat from the origination point, but I picked these up the very day they came into Stillwater Milling.

Larry ~ This is gonna sound freaky, but only two hours ago Bill brought this up !! I mentioned seeing a picture where someone attached hoses to every other spike on the garden rake and used that to hoe the seed rows. I like your version better! He's considering making a heavy metal one to attach behind the mower. I'll show him your pic!

Bon, you may want to take it easy on the heavy duty tool to pull behind the mower. I made one using a treated 4x4 with (10) 60 penny nails though it and two large rocks on it and over heated the hydro pump on my mower (which I use like a tractor). it worked ok without the weight on it. If you have a gear drive lawn mower they are much more forgiving, but they can still be over loaded.

Very good point, Larry. Because I've been a flurry of activity, he wants to step up the pace, but I told him we need to wait until after the cover crops are grown to determine how much weight, pressure... yada yada. I'm hoping for a no-till where we push the crops down and cut seed rows. I must get it growing, first, and from the way it looks I'm going to be limited by the amount of rainfall! I think he's just tired of digging and I don't blame him.

I'll mention your experience with the pump and the weight.

Thanks! Germination in my new bag was successful. I went out this morning and see my garden plots have exploded with seedlings. Forgive me for my impatience.