Gardening

Think about it - the vast majority of seeds get covered up by a soil layer of varying thickness. A very few flowers (impatiens and columbine are two) are surface sewn, but the rest are covered. Warmth is a factor for speeding things up - there are inexpensive heat mats (such as these - http://www.amazon.com/Growers-Supply-Company-GSHM-Discontinued/dp/B002LVU4Y8/ref=sr_1_14?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1395862371&sr=1-14&keywords=seedling+heat+mat ) that you place the germinating pots or flats atop.

Once they germinate, light becomes important to minimize "stretching", which makes young seedlings leggy - I just use shop lights with typical fluorescent tubes, in my unheated garage, ensuring the light tubes are within a few inches of the top of the seedlings.

Good luck! Ask anything....