seeding questions

[sergeant69]

back in dec I started some tomato and pepper seeds in "seed starting pellets" in my ULTIMATE GROWING SYSTEM KIT from burpees on my enclosed back porch and got about 99% germentation. tried it again this month w/ZERO germination using their ORGANIC TOMATO FORMULA. I called burpee to speak to a "product specialist" there and she had no clue. all she could do was read the product description from a catalog. she was clueless what the diff. was between starting seeds in a pot and transplanting plants to the garden. I finally insisted on talking to someone that knew what they were talking about and supposedly their horticulturist came online and told me the planting medium is fine but temps `HAVE TO BE between 70-75 deg or no germination will occur. the average temp on the porch is now 78-82 deg and NADA germination in 2 weeks. am stumped. one of my books says tomato seeds prefer 85-90 deg to germinate. first time I've ever had this problem BUT i have never used this medium before either. suggestions??