Thanks, Dave – so you're saying you never rake because of the concern that regular garden dirt sitting on top of the seed could block light and prevent the seeds from germinating?

No I don't rake because it roughly redistributes the seed. It buries some and leaves others on the surface. You end up with a thick patch of sprouts in one place and bare ground in others.

It isn't like you are just going to toss the seed on unprepared ground. You'd do the ground prep including raking before. And it isn't like you would just toss handfuls of seed around with no concern for even distribution. You'd work to get a fairly even distribution in each part of the area. So why rake after and mess all that up.

As for cover sprinkling with potting mix rather than garden dirt - potting mix is much easier to work with and scatter, doesn't compact down like soil does, provides a lighter weight cover, and absorbs and retains water better so germination rate increase. You can use dirt you just have to use it more carefully as you could easily over-bury many seeds with it and it will compact when you apply pressure.

Dave

Yes, I am a patter (with either the back of the rake or a drawhoe). Walking on the seedbed always worries me a bit - not least because of seeds sticking to my boots...and I like to gently pat the soil rather than compact it with my enormous steelies and lumbering frame. I never bother covering seeds with soil...but might toss a few dessicated leaves over the bed - especially if I have already had to rake leaves away to expose the soil. If I have limited seeds, I might actually make a little drill(and pre-wet it with a fine watering spout) and sow in lines, rather than randomly broadcast seed around.

I was just browsing on the web and noticed that at Swallowtail Garden Seeds, in the section on planting Shirley Poppy, they recommend raking the seed in AND "press into soil by walking over the area"!