Herein provided are innovative methods and techniques for improving seedling germination and plant establishment including a seed composition of at least one seed having a seed protective coating applied to the seed and a soil surfactant coating applied to the seed protective coating. The seed protective coating is positioned between the seed and the soil surfactant. The seed protective coating is formulated to keep the soil surfactant from contacting the seed and the soil surfactant coating is formulated to increase wettability of soil and being a sufficient quantity of soil surfactant to treat the soil in contact with the seed composition such that the soil is conditioned for growing the seed.