When watering seeds, be careful not to wash them away. A water breaker or a watering can that produces a gentle stream of water is recommended. If seed-bed drying is a problem, consider mulching it with straw, dried grass clippings or floating row cover fabric. Pests can also destroy seeds. For example, seed corn maggots will destroy large seeded vegetables such as corn and beans, particularly when they germinate slowly in cool soil temperatures.
Cutworms can girdle young seedlings.
Birds will eat not only seeds, but seedlings and chunks from young plants as well. To protect seedlings, make sure they are planted in the appropriate time, and cover seedlings with floating row cover fabric. Permission is hereby given to duplicate this Plant talk Colorado TM script as is if credit is given to the sources.